High Island
Texas · Southeast
Easy
April-May
$10 per person daily; $35 annual pass
Dawn to dusk daily
About This Location
High Island is a legendary spring migration hotspot on the upper Texas coast where exhausted trans-Gulf migrants make landfall. During fallout conditions following cold fronts, the oak mottes at Boy Scout Woods and Smith Oaks can drip with colorful warblers, tanagers, and buntings.
Location
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Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Lesser Nighthawk
Chordeiles acutipennis
Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus
Least Grebe
Tachybaptus dominicus
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Laughing Gull
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
Northern Cardinal
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Wilson's Plover
Willet
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Black Skimmer
Least Tern
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Royal Tern
Brown Pelican
Birding Tips
- 1
Fallouts occur when north winds meet trans-Gulf migrants in April
- 2
Visit Smith Oaks rookery for nesting Roseate Spoonbills and herons
- 3
Visit during spring migration (April-May) for the greatest species diversity
- 4
Arrive at dawn for peak bird activity, especially during migration seasons
- 5
Check the tide schedule — shorebirds are most active during falling and low tides
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Anahuac NWR
- Bolivar Flats
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Texas Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in Texas →