Mottled Duck, Black Skimmer, Royal and Caspian Tern, Reddish Egret, Tricolored Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Clapper Rail, Common Gallinule, Black-necked Stilt, Neotropical Cormorant, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Tropical Kingbird, Purple Martin, Sedge Wren, Marsh Wren, Savannah Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, Painted Bunting.

This boardwalk trail into the edge of Laguna Madre is on the south side of the South Padre Island Convention Center. Laguna Madre is one of the six hypersaline lagoons in the world. The shallow waters are rich in aquatic life supporting an abundance of waterbirds, gulls, terns, and shorebirds. There are two arms to this boardwalk. One leads through mangroves into the lagoon itself where Blind Number 4 offers shade. From the blind Brown Pelicans, Black Skimmers, Royal Terns, and other waterbirds can readily be viewed. The edge of the mangroves usually host one or more egrets or herons. Reddish Egrets, Tricolored, and Little Blue Herons are frequent.

The second arm passes a small pond where Roseate Spoonbills and Blue-winged Teal are frequently seen along with shorebirds. The boardwalk passes through marshland to another covered blind. Clapper Rails are sometimes seen or heard. A portion of the boardwalk parallels the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center boardwalk. The Birding and Nature Center walk is longer, but has an entrance fee.

Offering a destination that is rich in nature tourism, millions of migratory birds and sea turtles instinctively migrate to the Island each year.

The Island is rich in wildlife viewing and exploration opportunities. More than 300 species of migratory birds stop here each year during spring and fall migrations, making South Padre one of the best birding locations in the Western Hemisphere. The Island’s wetlands provide a refuge for shorebirds and waterfowl.  

The South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center, and Alligator Sanctuary offer exhibits on birding and other natural features of the Island, along with a five-story viewing tower, viewing blinds, and boardwalk nature trails. For other birding opportunities, visitors can choose a guided tour or visit one of the Island’s dedicated birding areas.

Laguna Madre Trail
Located at the SPI Convention Centre just north of the SPI Birding Nature Center and Alligator
Sanctuary, The Laguna Madre Trail, offers a 1,500-foot boardwalk trail crossing 4 acres of marshland with
views of freshwater ponds and the Laguna Madre Bay. The lush native garden at the base of the
boardwalk is an especially popular hotspot for viewing neotropical migratory songbirds during the spring
(March-May) and fall migrations (September-November). This trail is open to the public and free of
admission fees.

SPI Bay Flats (North of the Convention Center)
These expansive tidal mudflats are an ideal habitat for getting close looks at a variety of seabirds
and migratory shorebirds (sandpipers, plovers, and allies). Depending on tidal conditions and time of
year, hundreds of birds can be seen feeding or roosting on the hard-packed mudflat. Keeping an eye on
the tide charts can help determine when the best time to visit is. Most of the great activity is seen
during the lower tides of the month. The best time to visit this site is during the migration months and
during the wintertime. During the winter months, large numbers of pelicans, terns, shorebirds, and
wading birds gather at this site. This is the perfect place to kick off your shoes and feel the water and
mud between your toes. The site is open to the public and free of admission fees.

Valley Land Fund Migratory Bird Lots (W. Sheepshead St.)
The Valley Land Fund, a local land trust dedicated to the preservation of native habitats,
purchased six lots on W. Sheepshead Street in 1999 to serve as an important neotropical migratory bird
stop-over site. These wooded lots are especially important to trans-gulf migratory songbird species, which can be seen
utilizing the lots during spring migration (March-May) and fall migration (September-November).
Native trees and water features make this a perfect habitat to enjoy a great diversity of migratory bird
species up close. More than 300 bird species have been recorded from these small lots since they were
established! The lots are maintained by local community members and the local RGV Texas Master Naturalists.
Chapter. This site is open to the public and is free of admission fees.