Visiting Big Bend National Park (Part 2: Fauna)

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Continued from Visiting Big Bend National Park (Part 1: Camping/Hiking/Driving)

 

In this part of my Big Bend National Park trip report, I’m sharing the birds we encountered, both the skittish kind and the indifferent kind, as well as a curious roadrunner and a bold deer.  We did not encounter any cougars, bears, falcons, javalinas, or chupacabras.  Not this trip, anyway…  Most of the wildlife I saw and photographed was in the Chisos Basin near or at our campsite, or on the trails in the Basin.  I used two field guides as reference: Birds of Texas Big Bend Country incl. Big Bend National Park & Davis Mtns.: A Guide to Common & Notable Species and Naturalist’s Big Bend: An Introduction to the Trees and Shrubs, Wildflowers, Cacti, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Fish, and Insects (Louise Lindsey Merrick Natural Environment (Paperback)).

 

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White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
Location: Chisos Basin Campground #3

 

 

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White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
Location: Chisos Basin Campground #11

 

 

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White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica
Location: Window Overlook Trail

 

 

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Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Location: Chisos Basin Campground #3

 

 

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Cactus Wren
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Location: Chisos Basin Campground #3

 

 

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Pyrrhuloxia
Cardinalis sinuatus
Location: Trail from Basin Lodge to Basin Campground

 

 

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House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanuss
Location: Chisos Basin Campground #11

 

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Black-crested Titmouse
Baeolophus atricristatus
Location: Lost Mine Trail

 

 

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Mexican Jay
Aphelocoma ultramarina
Location: Trail from Basin Lodge to Basin Campground

 

 

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Greater Roadrunner
Geococcyx californianus
Location: Chisos Basin Campground #11

 

 

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Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Location: North of park entrance on 385 towards Marathon

 

 

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Carmen Mountains White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Location: Chisos Basin Store

 

 

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Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
Location: Chisos Basin Campground #11

 

 

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If you get a chance, visit the Chisos Basin Visitor Center for more information on park fauna and recent reports of bear/mountain lion sightings.

 

Next: Visiting Big Bend National Park (Part 3: Flora)

 

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