"Birding in Texas" Matagorda by kyoub

Matagorda Travel Guide: 4 reviews and 7 photos

Birding and Fishing

Matagorda Bay is one of the best birding areas in Texas - shorebirds, ducks and geese, and migratory birds. The birds all seem to congregate here.
It is also an excellent place to go fishing.
Sometimes the two do not mix well as you can see in this picture.

Migratory Birds

White Pelicans

Have you ever seen such a large gathering of White Pelicans?
I guess they could be called snowbirds because they just hangout here in the Texas sunshine waiting until spring when they fly north.
With a wingspan as great as nine and a half feet, the American white pelican is one of North America's largest birds.

Only in Texas

Texas Cattle

This is probably the only place you will see the white pelicans hanging out with the cattle.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Large consentration of birds
In a nutshell:It is an amazing place

Last visit to Matagorda: Oct 1999
Intro Updated Feb 4, 2006
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Reviews (2)

Matagorda Pier Things to Do (2)

Walk out onto the pier in the summertime and look up over your head. There may be frigate birds soaring above you. more travel advice

Matagorda Beach Things to Do (2)

more travel advice

Comments (4)

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Bwana_Brown Jul 5, 2009 at 1:04 PM

Until I made trips to western Canada a few years ago and saw those huge White Pelicans flying past every now and again, I never realized that these 'tropical' birds migrated this far north!
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matcrazy1 Feb 12, 2007 at 11:21 AM

Great intro and beautiful pictures/ You've just forced me how much is nine and a half feet (pelican's wingspan) - it's 2.9 m. WOW - it's a monster bird :-)
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sourbugger Dec 1, 2006 at 3:19 AM

what great big skies you have !
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deecat Mar 9, 2006 at 3:19 PM

What a great introductory page, Kay. When Allan and I stayed for 3 months in Sebring, Florida in the country, we also saw white pelicans with cattle. It's amazing.