Please use this form to submit a request for a private, customized birding trip with a knowledgeable birding guide. If you would like to request more than one trip, please submit one form for each trip.
Pricing for private birding trips:
• Up to three hours: $350
• Each additional hour: $150
• Higher rates apply for groups larger than 10 people.
Please note:
• Cancelations due to weather are eligible for reschedule or a full refund, less 5% to cover administration and transaction fees.
• Requesting parties are responsible for their own travel to and from the birding location(s).
• Target species are not guaranteed!
Need help selecting a birding spot? Here are our favorite spots for birding in Central Texas:
1. Baker Sanctuary: If your target species is the Golden-cheeked Warbler, a hike at Travis Audubon’s Baker Sanctuary in the springtime is a glorious way to look for this iconic hill country species. Baker Sanctuary is 715 acres located in Northwest Travis County; it is owned by Travis Audubon, accessible only to TAS members and their guests, and managed as part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Baker contains prime Golden-cheeked Warbler habitat — a mixture of old growth Ashe Juniper and deciduous hardwoods in a dense, largely unbroken canopy. In the springtime, in addition to male Golden-cheeked Warblers singing their bright “A” song on territory, we also expect other neotropical warblers, several vireo species, various flycatchers, as well as the usual Hill Country residents. Because of Baker’s dense canopy and understory growth, expect to employ quite a bit of “ear birding” in addition to visual identification.
Many of the Baker trails have sections that are moderately difficult, with uneven footing, trip hazards, and short but steep slopes into and back out of the small forested canyons. The more difficult trails are not suitable for individuals with significant mobility challenges. There are upland portions of Baker with easier, level trails and benches for resting that may be enjoyed by those who are able to walk but don’t want to tackle the more rugged trails. If you need accommodations for more severe mobility limitations, please contact the TAS office.
Golden-cheeked Warblers return to Texas in mid-March and begin departing in July.
Find more information on Baker Sanctuary here.
2. Commons Ford: Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park is one of the most popular birding locations in Central Texas. This 215-acre park is owned by the City of Austin and is located along the shore of Lake Austin. The park has three major bird habitats — riparian, prairie, and oak/juniper woodland, with the 40-acre restored Blackland prairie being the centerpiece. Common summer residents include Painted and Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks, Orchard Orioles, and Summer Tanagers. In the winter, the park is an excellent place to view sparrows, with possible Sedge Wrens and American Woodcock. Some of the riparian and woodland trails are rugged, but the trail around the prairie is flat and sprinkled with benches.
Find more information on Commons Ford here.
3. Hornsby Bend: The Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant is operated by Austin Water and consists of over 1,200 acres of property including ponds, woodlands, old pastures, and over 3.5 miles of Colorado River frontage.
Hornsby Bend provides excellent birding opportunities year-round. The ponds are excellent for waterfowl during winter months, and shorebirding is often very productive during spring and fall migration, depending on the water levels in the ponds. The river trail, which includes riparian woodlands along the Colorado River, is good for birding any time of year. Along neighboring Platt Lane, the open fields and old pastures provide habitat for many species of wintering sparrows. The variety of habitats makes Hornsby Bend one of the most popular birding locations in Austin, and over the years many rare birds have been discovered here.
Find more information on Hornsby Bend here.
4. Roy Guerrero Park: Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Metropolitan Park is a sprawling, 400-acre urban park located along the south bank of the Colorado River in East Austin. The park attracts a diverse population of resident and migrant birds in all seasons. A wide array of habitat is present in different areas of the park, from open fields with abundant flycatchers, closed-canopy forest with warblers and vireos, and a beautiful riparian corridor with both cliff-side overlooks and shoreline beaches where one can spy waterbirds and raptors.
Walks can be planned to stick to level/paved, fully ADA accessible areas, or can incorporate trail areas that go off the beaten path. After a morning of birding, you will be just minutes from lunch in the hopping restaurant scene of East Austin.
