Tamaulipan Brushlands

Description: This plain extends from southern Texas into northeastern Mexico. Much of the grassland, savanna, and thornscrub habitat has been converted to more shrubby conditions as a result of grazing history. Important Bird Areas in Mexico include Presa Venustiano Carranza, with nesting habitat for Mexican Ducks and Golden Eagles. It is also a key site for migrating Greater White-fronted Geese, Sandhill Cranes, and many species of ducks. Parras de la Fuente is an IBA that supports an important nesting colony of White-winged Dove and provides habitat for Red-crowned Parrot and Yellow-headed Parrot. Other distinctive avifauna of this region includes Audubon’s Oriole, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, and Plain Chachalaca. Botteri’s Sparrow, Attwater’s Prairie-Chicken, Whitetailed Hawk, wintering Whooping Crane, and LeConte’s Sparrow are high priority species of grassland habitats. Wetlands are habitat for Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and a great variety of wading and shorebirds, as well as for several wintering waterfowl species.

Bird Conservation Plans
Landbirds -
Shorebirds - Central Plains/Playa Lakes
Waterbirds - Mexico-Southwest U.S.
Waterfowl -
All Birds -

Joint Venture area: Gulf Coast
Barry Wilson, Joint Venture Coordinator
National Wetlands Research Center
700 Cajundome Boulevard
Layfayette, LA 70506

West of coast:
Joint Venture area: Rio Grande Joint Venture
Mary Gustafson
Joint Venture Coordinator
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
2800 S. Bentsen Palm Drive
Mission, TX 78572

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