Quinta Mazatlan

Quinta

MAZATLAN

Valley Specialty Birds

Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center

When we see the excitement a beautiful bird brings out of people – the smiles and gasps, the high-fives and hugs after glimpsing a rarity, or the quiet fascination of a child seeing a Plain Chachalaca for the first time – we are reminded of a quote from David Attenborough:

“Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?”

Indeed, birds have captured our hearts and minds for millennia, whether we’re enjoying the ducks in a local pond or chasing after rare birds around the world. While bird watchers are particularly fond of these exquisite creatures, they are accessible to us all, often in our own yards.

Although rarities receive a lot of media attention, our resident birds are seen by most visitors and deserve appreciation. Beauty is subjective, but the following three birds were chosen to represent a variety of ways birds are beautiful.

We’ll start out with the brightest: Green Jay. This magnificent corvid (a member of the crow and raven family) never fails to impress visitors to the Valley. The combination of blue, black, green, and yellow is visually impressive, but also fairly unique among birds in the United States. The Green Jay is the official bird of the City of McAllen – a good choice for not only its beauty but also intelligence.

While flashy birds like the Green Jay get an immediate response, the subtler beauty of a Common Pauraque takes a bit more time to appreciate… partially because the bird is so hard to spot! However, when the eye finally picks out the delicate gold and black feathers amidst the wash of soft browns and grays, one truly comes to appreciate this camouflaged masterpiece.

There are hundreds of more candidates for the last spot, but we’ll finish the list with the Clay-colored Thrush. This bird sports mostly brown and tan plumage, but it’s the song that makes this bird stand out; its melodic whistles will ring out at dusk or dawn in woodlands and lush neighborhoods in the Valley.

Truly, beautiful birds are all around us, accessible to all. If you are interested in learning more about birds and plants, follow Quinta Mazatlán on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube @QuintaMazatlan. For more information, please call 956-681-3370, and thank you for keeping our community safe by following health and well-being practices in the park. Take a walk in the woods Tuesday to Saturday 8 am to 5 pm and Thursday evenings at Quinta Mazatlán in McAllen, Texas.