Texas is a great state for birds because most of them can survive the winters there, and birds native to North Texas aren’t any different. In today’s article, we’ll be listing down the most common birds you can come across in North Texas. This can be a bit difficult since most birds are migratory and they rarely stay confined to a specific state, but we’ll do our best.
Table of Contents
Northern Mockingbird
The state bird of Texas is one of the most common birds in Texas in general, and you can easily recognize it. Their chest and bellies are almost completely white, while their back and wings are gray and black.
These birds often live in towns and they’re not afraid of manmade habitats. They’re omnivores, so they’ll eat insects, seeds, berries, fruits, small lizards, and fish. The mockingbird will mostly nest in the shrubbery, and it hunts and forages for food on the ground.
When it comes to recognizing a bird through its song, the mockingbird is possibly the easiest one to recognize. They were named because of their habit of mimicking a sound that they heard (they’re “mocking” it). In this, they can become very repetitive. During their lifetime, they can learn about 200 songs, and they even sing different songs in spring and in the fall!
If you want to find this bird, all you have to do is look for utility lines and tall shrubbery. They’re not afraid of approaching yards, but they don’t eat from feeders.
Western Screech-Owl
These owls are more common in North Texas than their cousins, Eastern Screech-Owls. They’re particularly small for an owl, rarely larger than 8.7 inches, with a wingspan of 22 inches. In this species, the females are usually larger than the males, with the populations in the north typically being larger than the populations in the south.
They’re mostly brown and gray, but their coloring is different from specimen to specimen and there’s no discernable pattern in their coloring. You can find them in temperate forests, shrublands, even deserts, and rural fields.
They’ll often feed on insects, and given that they’re such a small species, insects can be more than enough food. However, they’ll much rather eat rodents, small fish, opossums, rabbits, and other birds as well.
Western Screech-Owls are invaders of sorts – they’ll often use nests made by woodpeckers in trees as their own and hatch their nestlings in those nests. They’re a very common species and they’re not threatened at all.
Learn more about: Where to Hang a Barred Owl House Guide
Tufted Titmouse
This small bird is common in North and East Texas, but its populations are non-existent in other parts of the state. They usually live in forests, nesting in tree cavities (often made by woodpeckers, not themselves). There, they feed on insects that they hunt in the branches and in the shrubbery.
Titmice are small birds, they’re mostly gray-blue, with a white chest and belly, and an orange tone under the wings. Their eyes and bill are both black, and there’s a small black patch above their bill.
Unlike the previous two birds, they can very easily be attracted to bird feeders in yards, and they’re not afraid of approaching people. During the winter, there’s usually a big shortage of food and this drives them towards urban areas. They’ll eat most seeds.
In the wild, you can find them in forests, but you’re more likely going to come across them in the branches in a local park than in the wild. They’re so unafraid of humans that they’re more than willing to live in nest boxes made by people – if you hang one up in your yard, you could easily find a titmouse nesting in it.
Northern Cardinal
The final entry on the list, the northern cardinal is a small, but very recognizable bird. They’re entirely red, while the females are brown and stuffy. They’re usually about 9 inches long with a crest on their heads (the crest is common with both males and females).
In Texas, they’re common around the entire state. They’re probably the easiest animal to recognize on this list – you can find them in woodlands, gardens, and shrublands – usually the entire year long.
They’re also important for the food chain, as they’re prey to falcons, eagles, owls, and other birds of prey, as well as snakes and even domestic cats. They mostly eat seeds and small pieces of fruit, so you can easily attract them to your bird feeder if you want to see them.
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FAQ
What’s the most common bird in Texas?
The Northern Cardinal is the most common bird species in Texas, but it's not the only common species. The Northern Mockingbird is the official state bird of Texas because of how common it is.
What birds are native to Texas?
The Northern Mockingbird is the first bird native to Texas - they're incredibly common and you can find them across the entire state. Western Screech-Owls and Eastern Screech-Owls are also very common in the state. Lastly, the American Robin is another native species in Texas.
What birds are common in Dallas?
The Red-Tailed Hawk is one of the most common birds in Dallas, but the Northern Mockingbird is just as common. Both of these species spend plenty of time near manmade environments.
How many birds are native to Texas?
Believe it or not, Texas is actually home to the greatest variety of birds in the entire United States. There are over 600 species of birds in Texas, and the exact number of birds that are native to Texas is unknown.
To Sum Up
The Northern Mockingbird is the official state bird of Texas and it’s by far one of the most common birds in the state. However, the Northern Cardinal is actually the most common bird in the entire state (not to mention that it’s one of the most common birds in the country).
Most of these birds can easily be spotted in the wild, but they can also be attracted to your backyard with a bird feeder.
