Birding in San Marcos
Birders, grab your binoculars and your favorite field guide—San Marcos is ready to ruffle your feathers (in the best way). This Bird City Texas, recognized by Audubon Texas and Texas Parks & Wildlife, is a hotspot for avian action. The endangered golden-cheeked warbler is the celebrity of the region, drawing birding paparazzi to our natural areas for a chance to catch its elusive song. Meanwhile, the San Marcos River and the wetlands at the Meadows Center are a year-round stage for waterfowl like great blue herons, great egrets, and tri-colored herons. Whether they’re wading, flying, or striking a pose, these feathered friends know how to put on a show.

For a nightly spectacle, head to the headwaters of the river, where black vultures take over the treetops like they’re checking into the world’s weirdest hotel. It’s eerie, it’s awesome, and it’s just one of the many reasons San Marcos keeps birders coming back for more.

Don’t forget to explore the miles of trails winding through San Marcos’ parks and along the riverbanks. Keep an eye out for red-shouldered hawks soaring overhead and golden-fronted woodpeckers drumming up a racket in the trees. You’ll never know what you’ll spot next—or who’s spotting you!

San Marcos pairs its vibrant birdlife with scenic landscapes and plenty of outdoor opportunities. From the wetlands at the Meadows Center (bonus: take an iconic Glass-Bottom Boat Tour!) to acres of lush natural areas, this isn’t just birding—it’s an adventure. And, of course, there’s plenty of shopping, nightlife, and good eats to be explored as well. Whether you’re a warbler whisperer or just looking for a great heron selfie, San Marcos delivers a birding experience that’s worth chirping about. Plan your next adventure at visitsanmarcos.com.

Natural Bridge Caverns’ mission is connecting people with nature and one another. As dedicated stewards to Texas’ largest cavern open to the public, we have embarked on numerous biological surveys and studies to better understand and protect the karst landscape we call home. Managing access and preserving native flora and fauna above ground is also one of our passions. It’s a big job here at the Caverns and one we are pleased to share with all our guests – including local and migrating birds. We celebrate the work of the Texas Audubon Society and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Association in creating an engaging way to identify, track, and enjoy observations of these delightful birds who share our Hill Country skies.

At Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch visitors experience species from all over the world in a safe home away from home and many of those species hold some level of endangerment. NBWR is strongly anchored in conservation, from a ranching heritage & land management level to many global partnership programs. NBWR actively supports global populations in establishing successful breeding programs to help grow populations outside of wild that are facing immense poaching pressures in their homeland, especially rhinos. Of course, holding a responsibility to those species from all over the world is our commitment, but that also fosters an appreciation for all species to our visitors. This includes those species we share our environment and this fun BIRD BINGO to make observations interactive and competitive.