Seasons – April 2023

The winter months are officially behind us, and spring has sprung. We are always happy for spring’s arrival for so many reasons; the budding trees, the greening grass, newborn wildlife, and the slowly warming weather are all wonderful. If you take a minute to notice the transformation happening around you, you can’t help but be in awe.

In this issue of Seasons, you’ll find guides by Plateau’s team of biologists and Wildlife Management staff to help you enjoy the changing landscape and make the most out of the spring season. We’ll cover tips for identifying birds you can see during spring migration, spring pest control that can count as a Wildlife Management activity, funding opportunities for improvement projects on your land, educational webinars, news for Texas Landowners and more.

We hope you enjoy all this edition of Seasons has to offer and, as always, we are here to help when you need it!

Until next Seasons,
The Plateau Team

Birds You Can See on your Property this Spring

By Danielle Belleny, Staff Biologist, Senior Property Tax Consultant

Each year, billions of birds engage in an annual cross-continental migration that transports them from their tropical wintering grounds in South and Central America to their breeding grounds in North America. The migrant birds begin to trickle into Texas around late February as the warming weather promises lush and resource-plentiful times ahead.

Landowners will begin to notice the colorful migratory birds that settle within the habitats on their properties become increasingly noticeable, especially by sound. The colorful, feathered denizens bring cheerful songs that are used to defend their breeding territories as well as attract a mate. Additionally, for nature enthusiasts, the songs and sights provide a season’s worth of entertainment and a scientific way to assess bird populations in an area.

Here are some migratory bird species that landowners may encounter and support on their properties, separated by Texas regions:

Hill Country

Golden-cheeked Warbler (left) and Scott’s Oriole (right)

Golden-cheeked Warblers have radiant yellow faces accented with black crests and a contrasting white belly. They are highly specialized and only breed in mixed juniper-oak woodlands in central Texas. The woven nests of these warblers are made from strips of old-growth Ashe juniper bark. Golden-cheeked Warblers eat insects including beetles, caterpillars, and flies. Males can be heard belting their loud buzzy songs beginning in March. Drastic declines in Golden-cheeked Warbler populations can be attributed to the loss of mature Ashe juniper habitat required at their breeding grounds. Golden-cheeked Warblers are listed as Federally Endangered under the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Properly managing breeding habitats for Golden-cheeked Warblers will help keep this local Texas species around for future generations to experience. Expect to see Golden-cheeked Warblers in this region from March to September.

The lemony Scott’s Orioles are identified by their dazzling yellow body feathers seen in both males and females. The bodies of the males are contrasted with black wings, head, bib, and tail. Female Scott’s Orioles lack black markings and have olive-colored head and wing feathers. Scott’s Orioles forage in taller vegetation for insects and can be frequent bird feeder visitors when enticed by fresh orange slices and grape jelly. Scott’s Orioles are closely associated with yuccas. The plant’s leaves provide nesting materials and flowers provide nectar for the birds to eat. Expect to see Scott’s Orioles in this region from March to October.

East Texas

American Redstart(left) and Ruby-throated Hummingbird (right)

American Redstarts are Halloween-themed warblers that have sweet songs that sound like squeaky wheels. Males have black feathers covering their heads, wings, and tails with bright orange flashes of color on their sides and outer tail feathers. Females have pale gray heads, rusty orange backs and wings, and yellow feathers extending from their wing pits to their chests. American Redstarts breed in deciduous forests and mixed woodlands near lakes, streams, and swamps. Redstarts primarily eat insects, often catching them mid-air, and occasionally eat berries. They can be seen flicking and fanning their tails while they forage in tree canopies. Expect to see American Redstarts in this region from April to June.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are the infamously bejeweled fast-moving birds seen darting from flower to flower delicately collecting nectar with their elongated beaks. They can be found in woodland and brushy environments. The bird’s buzzing sounds are caused by their wings beating 50 times per second. Alternatively, they can be heard marking chirping calls while dueling for a flower or their favorite spot at the hummingbird feeder. Plant native flowers that bloom red or orange to attract more hummingbirds to your yard. A careful eye can spot the tiny nest of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. They are constructed of spiderwebs, lichen, and mosses and are wedged securely in the terminating ends of deciduous tree branches. Expect to see Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in this region from March to November.

Central Texas

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (left) and American Golden-Plover (right)

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are easily identified by their long forked tail that can reach 9 inches in length. The flycatcher opens and closes its tail during its high-energy acrobatic flights. The salmon pink wings, ashy grey body, black-tipped tail, and unmistakable silhouette are best observed while the bird is in flight. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers forage grasslands for insects, about 50% of their diets are grasshoppers. You can commonly find scissor-tailed in small groups chattering on telephone wires and dotting the canopies of trees along urban and rural roads. Expect to see Scissor-tailed Flycatchers in this region from March to November.

American Golden-Plovers are shorebirds commonly found in pastures, tilled farmland, and weedy shallow ponds. They have one of the longest migrations of any shorebirds and fly from their South American wintering grounds to their arctic breeding grounds in Alaska and Canada. American Golden-Plovers can be seen stopping in Texas to fatten up on invertebrates, seeds, and berries before they complete their migration. They can be noticed by their run-stop-scan feeding technique in flat fields or by their rapid series of whimsical whistling calls. In breeding plumage, both males and females look very similar. They have black heads with white neck sides and earthy brown shades accented with golden flecks on their backs. Expect to see American Golden-Plovers in this region from March to June and again from September to December.

Get outside and see what’s out there!

Whether you are in Wildlife Management or not, an exciting activity for many landowners is watching and identifying the various birds that frequent your property. With spring upon us and migration underway, now is the time to get outside on your property and see which species of birds are prevalent. Need some help getting started? Partner with Plateau for a Spring Breeding Bird Survey. These surveys are a great opportunity for landowners to practice their birding skills and tour their property with a professional wildlife biologist while visiting a number of bird survey stations to detect birds either through visual or auditory observation. Detailed reports are produced with all species and numbers observed, brief habitat and location descriptions for each station, counting as a Wildlife Management Activity.

If you’re interested in learning more about Plateau’s Spring Breeding Bird Survey, or would like to schedule one for your property call (512) 894-3479 or email [email protected].

How Spring Migration Affects Landowners

Hill Country Headwaters Conservation Initiative Funding Available