The Houston Audubon Society seeks your nomination for the Bird of Houston, a bird you believe symbolizes the spirit of our Bayou City.
Asking you to nominate the city’s emblematic bird is part Houston Audubon’s 50th anniversary and its enduring pride in the community’s natural beauty, amazing bird life, and extraordinary people.
So many birds to choose from. In a city with habitats as varied as woodlands, bayous, creeks, ponds, marshes, urban skyscrapers, and tree-lined neighborhoods, it’s not surprising that more than 300 species of birds could be present during any season of the year.
Not to mention perhaps six or more species of birds visiting your backyard birdfeeders.
The city also hosts Neotropical migratory songbirds like rose-breasted grosbeaks during spring and fall that stop and rest on journeys between winter homes in Latin America and breeding homes in northern North America. Many Neotropical migratory songbirds including summer tanagers breed in Houston.
Then we have birds like American goldfinches and other songbirds that breed farther north in the country but migrate to Houston to spend the winter.
What’s the bird of Houston?
Nominations for the Bird of Houston close on July 15.
To nominate a bird, go to Houston Audubon’s website, houstonaudubon.org
Everyone is encouraged to participate, regardless of bird knowledge.
Houston Audubon will select the top eight birds based on the number of nominations. You may then vote for one of those finalists.
The winning bird will be announced at the start of Houston Audubon’s 50th Anniversary celebration Sept. 21-28.
How about the huge numbers of ruby-throated hummingbirds arriving spring and fall on the way to and from breeding grounds farther north and winter homes in Latin America — yes, some of them breed here. Consider autumn’s migratory hawks soaring in humongous numbers over Houston skies or winter’s migratory ducks and geese arriving in droves.
Yet a mascot bird for Houston should probably be among the multitude of birds that reside in the city. Birds as diminutive as Carolina chickadees or as humongous as Great Blue Herons. Or as raucous as blue jays. Perhaps red-shouldered hawks that pick off squirrels from birdfeeders.
Lots of resident birds, lots of choices.
Maybe the choice is black vulture. “What!?” you say. Well, the soaring vulture residing in Houston is a connoisseur of “road kill” like dead squirrels, snakes, and…sorry…dead turtles and rabbits. OK, not a bird to symbolize a lively city.
My wife Kathy suggested the bald eagle — in honor of the Apollo 11 moon landing 50 years ago, with astronaut Neil Armstrong saying, “Houston, the Eagle has landed.”
People often ask me to name my favorite bird. I can’t. Too many favorite birds. But I could nominate a bird that symbolizes the city of my birth.
Your nomination for the Bird of Houston need not be a favorite bird. But do nominate a bird you believe is emblematic of our energetic and resilient city.
Email Gary Clark at Texasbirder@comcast.net
“Book of Texas Birds,” by Gary Clark with photography by Kathy Adams Clark (Texas A&M University Press).