State of the Birds
Houston is a hotspot for avian migration.
Situated at the juncture of the East Texas Pineywoods, Columbia and Trinity bottomland forests, the Katy prairie, coastal bays and estuaries, and the Gulf of Mexico, millions of birds pass through the region each year. Waterways, with their adjacent riparian areas, provide important habitats for the birds and other wildlife that live in and pass through the region.
In recognition of the importance of Houston’s urban habitats to birds, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated Houston as part of the Urban Bird Treaty. The UBT supports city partners in conserving birds and their habitats, while providing opportunities for people in diverse, undeserved communities to engage in bird-related recreation, education, science, and conservation activities in urban areas.
With the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation’s support, Citizens’ Environmental Coalition is partnering with Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), Houston Audubon, & EcoRise for the birds in 2022.
Through this project, we dedicated Earth Day Houston 2022 theme to birds. The event was a fantastic success with informational artwork, a Lights Out Houston pledge, and animal demonstrations by Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition & Wildlife Center of Texas.
Upcoming components of this project include:
- Workshops for educators
- A new migratory bird curriculum on the HERE in Houston website
- A presentation of HARC’s State of the Birds report at the annual Greater Houston Environmental Summit (coming in Nov. 2022!)
In the meantime, find more information about what you can do to help local birds here.