Birds of Mitchell Lake Audubon Center

Mitchell Lake is one of South Texas’s most important bird habitats, supporting more than 300 species throughout the year. Located along the Central Flyway, the wetlands, ponds, open water, and grasslands here provide critical resting, feeding, and wintering habitat for birds traveling across the Americas.

From massive flocks of American White Pelicans to colorful migrants and grassland specialists, birding at Mitchell Lake offers something new in every season.

Birds Through the Seasons

Birdlife at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center shifts throughout the year as migratory birds arrive, pass through, or move on to their breeding or wintering grounds. Some species are only present for part of the year, while others show clear seasonal patterns tied to migration, breeding, or changing habitat conditions. 

These tables are based on bird sightings shared by community scientists through eBird at the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center hotspot from 2020–2025. They reflect broad seasonal trends across many checklists, rather than individual sightings. Dark green indicates species commonly observed during a given month, while light green represents regular but less predictable observations.

Want to help grow this data? Volunteer as a bird surveyor at Mitchell Lake and contribute your observations to eBird. Your sightings help us better understand how birds use this landscape throughout the year and how those patterns change over time.