East Texas Quarterly Magazine Summer 2014 | Page 5

By Gary Hanlon
The piney woods of East Texas can be considered one
of the numerous birders’ paradises in Texas. On any
given day, residents and visitors to the region are
rewarded with a palette of color from a countless
variety of birds which call East Texas home.

to the casual weekend hobbyist who enjoys
watching the neighborhood birds at a backyard
feeder or nearby greenbelt.

What is the appeal? Why do so many people enjoy
this activity? While each individual birder may focus
on different aspects of the pastime, I think all will
Hooded warblers, pine warblers, Baltimore orioles, agree, birding fulfills many of our basic criteria for
and even the majestic bald eagle are among the what makes for good outdoor recreation. Birds
species which attract an influx of birders to the region appeal to a human sense of aesthetics. Birds are
each year.
beautiful and dazzling to the eye. Their complex
behavior is intriguing and their songs are varied,
Birding is probably one of the most cosmopolitan evocative, and very pleasing to the ear.
outdoor activities in existence. By all accounts,
the ranks of birders are growing. Formerly called Birds occur in a wide variety of places and are
“birdwatchers’, birders come from all walks of abroad both night and day. Bird watching is
life, from doctors to lawyers, teachers, policemen, something you can do while doing other thingscorporate executives, truck drivers, merchants, young working in the backyard, tending the garden,
children, young marrieds, and senior citizens. There walking or jogging in the park, while at work or
are as many varieties of birders as there are birds. from
a
kitchen
window.
Birds
can
They range from intense perfectionists who travel the brighten
up
the
day
and
break
the
globe at the drop of a hat to see a species never seen, monotony of a dull rainy day.
Tyler County is home to a variety of birds
and there are locations in the county
which are included in the Greater Texas

Above: The Cardinal is also known as cardinal-grosbeaks and cardinal-buntings.
Above Right: Tufted Titmouse. Right: The Hooded Warbler is a migratory bird, wintering in Central America and the West Indies.

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