Birding at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

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Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge is the largest protected area of natural habitat left in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. It is the southernmost waterfowl refuge in the United States. It also provides habitat for 10 federally endangered or threatened species and has the most bird species documented (411 species) of any national wildlife refuge. The landscape is an interspersed pattern of meandering resacas (oxbow lakes), lomas (brush-covered sand/clay dunes), coastal prairies, and wetlands. The 98,000-acre (400 km2) refuge is located almost entirely in Cameron County, Texas (near Harlingen), although a very small part of its northernmost point extends into southern Willacy County. The Peregrine Fund began reintroducing captive-bred Northern Aplomado Falcons (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) to the refuge in 1985, which had been nearly extirpated from the Southwestern United States; today, it is home to 40 pairs. Nine other endangered or threatened species inhabit the refuge, such as the Texas Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis albescens) and Gulf Coast Jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli), rare wild cats. Programs at the refuge include vegetation and wetland restoration.

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