Texas is home to a wide variety of green birds, ranging from small songbirds to large wading birds. Some of the most notable green birds found in Texas include:
Green Jays
The Green Jay is a bright green songbird that is found primarily in the southernmost parts of Texas. They have a striking emerald green coloration on their back and head, with yellowish underparts and a blue patch around their eyes. Green Jays are highly social birds that travel in noisy flocks and have a wide range of vocalizations. They mostly eat insects, nuts, fruits and sometimes small vertebrates. Green Jays are year-round residents of the lower Rio Grande Valley and have very limited ranges outside of south Texas.
Parakeets
There are two species of parakeets that have become established in south Texas – the Red-crowned Parrot and Red-masked Parakeet. Both of these parrots are bright green with some additional red and blue coloration. They nest in tree cavities and have loud, raucous calls. These parakeets are not native to Texas but have formed self-sustaining wild populations, likely from escaped pets. They can be found in urban areas of Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo as well as Rio Grande Valley woodlands.
Kingfishers
Texas has two species of kingfisher that have largely green plumage – the Belted Kingfisher and the Green Kingfisher. The Belted Kingfisher is a stocky, crested bird with a blue-gray head, large white collar, and bright blue patch on its breast. Females may have some orange or rusty coloration on their bellies and sides. Belted Kingfishers are found throughout Texas near water sources like rivers, lakes, and estuaries. The diminutive Green Kingfisher is found only in far south Texas. As its name suggests, it is brightly colored green on its back and head, with a white throat and belly. Green Kingfishers perch quietly along shaded streams and rivers before plunging into the water for small fish and amphibians.
Anhingas
The Anhinga is a large waterbird with snake-like neck that is mostly black in color but shows bright green shoulders and wing coverts when flying. It is sometimes called the “snakebird” due to its serpentine neck and habit of swimming with just its head sticking out of the water. Anhingas hunt for fish by spearing them with their sharp beak. They often perch with their wings outstretched to dry since they do not have water-repellant feathers like ducks. Anhingas can be found along lake shores, rivers and swamps throughout much of Texas.
Parrots
In addition to the naturalized parakeets mentioned earlier, many pet parrot species kept in Texas homes and aviaries have predominantly green plumage. These include species like Green-cheeked Conures, Monk Parakeets, Amazon Parrots, Green Macaws and many others. Though not native to Texas, escaped or released pet parrots can sometimes be spotted in urban and suburban areas of the state.
Conclusion
Texas has a nice diversity of native and introduced green birds within its borders. The brightly colored Green Jay and Green Kingfisher are found only in the southernmost parts of the state. Migrants like parrots and parakeets have established breeding populations around cities in south Texas. And habitat generalists like the Anhinga can be found statewide along waterways and lakes as they search for fish. So whether you are a casual bird watcher or a serious birder, there are plenty of green feathered friends awaiting you across the landscapes of Texas.
Bird | Description | Range in Texas |
---|---|---|
Green Jay | Bright green songbird with yellow underparts and blue patch around eye. | Lower Rio Grande Valley |
Red-crowned Parrot | Mainly green with red crown, blue feathers around eyes/forehead. | South Texas cities and woodlands |
Belted Kingfisher | Blue-gray head, large white collar, rusty belly band in females. | Statewide near water |
Green Kingfisher | Small bright green kingfisher with white throat/belly. | Far south Texas along streams |
Anhinga | Long black neck, green shoulders visible in flight. | Wetlands throughout Texas |
Texas has a wide variety of habitats ranging from pine forests in the east to arid deserts in the west. This diversity of ecosystems allows many types of birds to flourish. Here are some key facts about the green birds found across the state:
- The Green Jay is a species of songbird found only in the lower Rio Grande Valley of south Texas. They are bright emerald green on the back and crown.
- Parakeets like the Red-crowned Parrot and Red-masked Parakeet have formed non-native breeding populations in south Texas cities and woodlands after escaping from captivity.
- The Belted Kingfisher is a large, stocky kingfisher with a shaggy crest found along waterways throughout Texas. Females have rusty banding on the belly.
- The tiny Green Kingfisher, unsurprisingly green in color, sticks to forested streams and rivers in the southernmost parts of the state.
- The Anhinga waterbird appears black from a distance but shows bright green wing coverts when flying. It swims with just its snakelike neck poking above the water as it hunts for fish.
- Many parrot species kept as pets in Texas like Amazon Parrots and Green Macaws are predominantly green. Escaped individuals sometimes persist in feral populations.
So from the Rio Grande to the Piney Woods and everywhere in between, green birds can be found across the diverse ecosystems of Texas. Whether observing vocal flocks of Green Jays in the valley, Belted Kingfishers perched over Hill Country streams, or parakeets swooping over San Antonio suburbs, birders are sure to enjoy the many shades of emerald, jade and lime these birds provide.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is one of the most common and widely distributed hummingbird species in North America. As their name suggests, the males have a bright metallic red throat, while females lack this colorful patch. Their backs and crown are an iridescent green that shimmers in the sunlight. Ruby-throats are tiny, weighing only 2-6 grams, but they are feisty and territorial. Their wings can beat up to 80 times per second, enabling remarkable agility and flight speeds near 60 km/h.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds breed across much of eastern North America during summer, with their winter range restricted to Mexico and Central America. In spring, they make one of the longest migration journeys relative to body size of any bird, crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a nonstop, 18-24 hour flight. Their diet consists of flower nectar and small insects like mosquitos and spiders. To fuel their high metabolism, Ruby-throats visit hundreds of flowers per day and consume up to 8 times their body weight in nectar daily.
Ruby-throats construct tiny, cup-shaped nests out of plant down and spider silk, often hiding them on small tree branches. Females lay 2 pea-sized white eggs and incubate them for 12-14 days. The nestlings fledge in about 3 weeks, after which the female continues caring for them. The species faces threats from habitat loss and climate change, but remains widespread and numerous with an estimated population in the tens of millions.
Range and Identification
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds breed across most of eastern North America. Their breeding range extends northwest to Saskatchewan, northeast to Nova Scotia, and southwest to eastern Texas. They winter in Central America or Mexico. Preferred breeding habitat includes open areas interspersed with meadows, pine forests and forest edges. In migration and winter, they also occupy gardens, orchards, backyards and other sites with nectar flowers.
Ruby-throats have bright green backs and shiny green crowns. Adult males have a distinctive crimson throat patch or “gorget”. Females lack the red throat and are duller overall, though they may show some reddish coloring at the throat. Both sexes have a long, slender bill adapted for drinking nectar. In flight, a white patch is visible on their outer tail feathers. Ruby-throats are smaller than any other North American hummingbird species.
Behavior
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are solitary and territorial. Males defend breeding and feeding territories, using aerial displays and aggressive interactions to drive off intruders. Their flight displays include hovering in front of another bird, flying in loops with the wings whistling, and rapid vertical ascents and dives. Despite their small size, they will attack much larger birds that get too close to their territory.
To conserve energy, Ruby-throats enters a state of torpor at night and on cool winter days, reducing their metabolic rate by up to 95%. Their breeding season lasts from spring through early summer, during which females build a small, cup-shaped nest out of soft plant down, spiders silk and lichen bound with saliva. The nest is only about 5 cm wide and 2 cm tall.
Ruby-throats are important pollinators of flowers and migratory birds. Their territorial nature leads them to visit hundreds of flowers per day across a large collective range. Some species of plants rely on hummingbirds as their sole pollinators. The Ruby-throat’s long migration provides an opportunity for bi-directional transfer of pollen between northern nesting sites and southern wintering grounds.
Conservation Status
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird remains a common and widespread species with an estimated global population of 12 million. However, some key threats and declines have been observed in recent decades:
- Habitat loss from both their breeding and wintering grounds reduces food availability and nesting sites.
- Pesticide use can reduce insect prey populations and contaminate nectar sources.
- Some migratory populations in western North America have shown declines between 1966 and 2019, possibly linked to climate factors.
- Climate change may lead to mismatches between flowering times and migration timing.
- Predation and nest parasitism from other bird species reduces reproductive success.
Because of their reliance on a variety of habitats and nesting sites, conservation of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds requires protecting diversity across a large geographic range. Providing nectar feeders and nesting sites in parks, nature preserves and backyards can support local populations. Reducing pesticide usage also benefits hummingbirds and their invertebrate prey.
Painted Bunting
The Painted Bunting is a small, colorful songbird named for the bright, eye-catching plumage of the males. It is sometimes called the “nonpareil,” meaning unparalleled or without equal, referring to its unique color patterns. The breeding habitat of Painted Buntings extends across the south-central United States and Mexico. Sadly, this species has experienced significant population declines and is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List.
Description
Male Painted Buntings are often described as looking like a bird painted by a child – with patches of bright blue, red, green and yellow randomly mixed together. Their head, neck and underparts are red, while the back and rump are green and the belly is purple-blue. Females and juveniles are greenish overall, with some yellowish markings on the underside.
These plump little seed-eating birds measure approximately 12-13 cm long and weigh 17–21 g. Compared to other buntings, they have a proportionally large head, short tail and thick pointed bill. Their song is a series of repetitive, high-pitched notes. Painted Buntings are closely related to Indigo Buntings and often hybridize where their ranges overlap.
Range and Habitat
Painted Buntings breed across the south-central United States, from southern Missouri south through eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Their winter range extends from southern Arizona through Mexico into Central America. Northern populations migrate up to 2500 km each way on their annual migrations.
They inhabit thickets, forest edges, brushy areas and hedgerows. In winter, they are often found in weedy fields or scrub with scattered trees or shrubs. Painted Buntings have been adapted to human-altered habitats and are sometimes found in gardens and urban parks within their range.
Behavior
Painted Buntings can often be found foraging on the ground or in low vegetation. They mainly eat seeds from grasses and forbs, but also insects like beetles, caterpillars and snails during the breeding season. The male sings from an elevated exposed perch to advertise its territory and attract females.
Nests are concealed in dense shrubs or brambles, typically 0.5–1.5 m above ground. The female builds the nest and incubates the 3-4 eggs for 12-14 days, with chicks fledging another 9-12 days after hatching. Pairs may raise 2-3 broods per season. Males help feed the young after they hatch but do not participate in incubation or nest construction.
Conservation Status
Painted Bunting populations have declined by an estimated 65% since the 1960s, with current global population size around 5.5 million. This precipitous drop has led to the species being listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Conservation threats include:
- Loss and fragmentation of coastal shrub habitat along migration routes and winter range
- Brood parasitism from Brown-headed Cowbirds that reduce reproductive success
- Excessive nest predation from cats, snakes and other predators
- Overgrazing by livestock and rabbits that degrade nesting sites
- Climate change impacting migration patterns and food availability
Protecting large tracts of shrubland habitat and reducing grazing pressure are key conservation priorities for Painted Buntings. Providing nest boxes may also improve nesting success where natural sites are limited. Carefully managed grazing regimes that maintain adequate vegetation structure and height can be compatible with bunting breeding activities.
Conclusion
Texas is home to a wonderful diversity of native and introduced green feathered residents. Distinctive species like the emerald Green Jay and brilliant Painted Bunting can only be found in the Lone Star State. Even common backyard visitors like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird contribute important ecosystem services through pollination and insect control. However, habitat loss and other threats require continued conservation efforts to ensure these green birds keep brightening the diverse biological landscape of Texas for years to come.