Birding With The Jays : Birdwatching Adventures & Guide

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos: Golden-crowned Warbler at Gladys Porter Zoo Brownsville, Texas (January 31,2021)

An Unexpected Birding Spot

A cooperative Golden-crowned Warbler, fluttering about the butterfly garden. Choosing to perch on a wooden fence.
Landing excitement and happiness straight to our hearts.

Where were we?
At the one and only Gladys Porter Zoo.

Many people do not think of zoos as birding destinations, but oh me, oh my, they would be wildly surprised. We have picked up some good birds at the zoo and we are sure you can have a great list here too.

eBird & Captive Species

We have always noticed birds at our local zoo, but it just didn’t really occur to us to report them there. UNTIL… we found out there was an eBird hotspot created for the zoo.

You do have to be careful and mindful of the birds you are reporting though. Some birds you will see here are being held in captivity.

But common sense will guide you as you walk on your merry birding path. When in doubt, it’s always better to leave a bird off your list than to accidentally report a captive individual.

Zoo Location

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos : Great Blue Heron Looking out for Visitors at Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas

Gladys Porter Zoo is located in Brownsville, Texas.
More specifically: 500 E Ringgold St, Brownsville, TX 78520.
A great place to birdwatch because:
1. Snack bars
2. Restrooms
3. BIRDS!
AND … it is right across from Dean Porter Park… which has MORE birds!

The zoo has a variation in habitat for birds, which we will touch on.
The location is right near downtown with a lot of old growth.
And there is a variety in birds you can find because of these reasons.

Zoo Entrance Fee & Parking

First and foremost. How much is this going to cost me?
Well, as of today (1/11/26):
– Adults ($17.00)
– Children ($11.00)
– Seniors ($15.00)
There are several days with entrance specials or discounts, so do your research before going. This will also impact how many people will be walking the zoo. So choose wisely. Or if you already have your yearly membership like we do, you are good to go!

When are they open?
Monday – Sunday 9 A.M. to 5 P.M.
We prefer to go early mornings or late afternoons for fewer people and more bird activity.

Parking situation goes three ways.
1. Park at the Zoo – Pay a Fee. (Unless you have membership)
2. Park In front of the Zoo – No Fee.
3. Park at Dean Porter Park – No Fee and You are also at another great birding hotspot.

Ok, But are there snacks?

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos : A Hungry Black-bellied Whistling-Duck at Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas

Two things that we consider super important when planning to birdwatch for a good while: Restrooms and Snacks.
It sounds silly right now, but we never take these for granted.
They can make or break a birding trip, trust us, been there…definitely done that!

The zoo has restrooms, yay! One worry down.
So, if you had your morning coffee, you do not need to run to an iffy restroom in the middle of nowhere. If you know, you really DO know.
If you bring kids with you, then this is also obviously a great thing to have access to regardless of any situation.

Hungry? Grab a Snack or … you know … bring your own.
The zoo has a couple of snack bars open for business.
Obviously, if you are expecting a full course meal from these snack bars… you might be a little too fancy for your pants.
This works well with the kids because a little treat here or there will help keep everyone’s blood sugar tempers at bay.

Layout

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos: A Great Blue Heron Hunting at Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas

Now let’s talk about the layout.
What makes this a great place for birdwatching to begin with?

For you, as a person, the zoo has flat paths that are paved. They sure are doing a lot of construction at this precise moment, but overall you can still get by.

For the most part it is very wheelchair and stroller friendly / accessible. We have not encountered problems with either of these two things.

There are areas with shade for your birder self. Most recently they also added features for cooling off with spray / splash stations spread around the zoo with some fans here and there.

All of which adds to the comforts for being outdoors and birdwatching.

Geographically, the zoo is found surrounded by old growth, near downtown Brownsville and not so far off of the border with Matamoros and the Rio Grande.

It is situated in a way in which parts of resaca have been incorporated into its animal exhibits. This makes it suitable for fish, frogs, turtles and other bugs and critters to attract birds. Not to mention the abundance of trees and greenery that grows within the zoo and maintains and provides shelter and sustenance.

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos: Swimming in the Resaca Common Gallinule at Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas

Did we mention already that the zoo sits directly across from Dean Porter Park? This makes it the perfect and easiest way to turn one outing into two birding stops. You are welcome!

The Park provides more open resaca habitat and trees that help bring in more birds and wildlife to the area.

And again, if the kids have tagged along, hooray for you! There is a playground for them to run around in, while you sit in the shade and look up at the trees. Hopefully, if the nap Gods are on your side, the kids will crash out after an adventurous outing together.

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos: A napping Spider Monkey at Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas

Why Birdwatch at the Zoo?

Think mixed habitats in a compact area. There is a mixture of micro-habitats (human-made in most cases). And the alternation attracts different bird species.

Water features can attract unexpected species especially when they are flying over and need a place to forage and rest.

You can find bird baths in the butterfly garden towards the back of the zoo, in the learning center area. Resacas will be a recurrent theme that you will see were incorporated into the zoo’s infrastructure. This gives birds access to fish and other resources. Lastly, the animal exhibits have water features that birds like to swim in and bathe in.

The zoo also has a mini cascade area they and at times of growth, plants surround this area and create a jungly feel that birds appreciate.

Most birds that like to live here are habituated to people and can give closer looks. The birds found in the zoo probably know by now that people pretty much leave them alone, so they go on with their feathery lives.

Except for Mr. Ducky over there by the snack stand next to the Zebras and Lion, that guy follows you and pretty much demands for you to share your snacks. Be wary.

The zoo is a great spot for beginners, kids, and casual birders. The reason being that there is no pressure. If worst comes to worst and you saw no new birds for your list, you had a great time walking the zoo and visiting the animals. Which, if you are a nature lover, is definitely a Win-Win.

Not only can you practice your binocular skills on birds you see, you can practice on the zoo animals too. Or put your photography skills to good use. Practicing on the many subjects and different lighting situations available for you.

If you want to birdwatch and entertain your kids while you’re at it, this is the spot. You can bird while doing a family outing.
Get everyone their binoculars and let’s go!

It is birding without pressure, and sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

Zoo Bird Encounters

Okay so we’ve been ranting all about this zoo and why you should pay a visit. And this is a birding blog, is it not? So, let’s do this!

First off we already hooked you in when we talked about the Golden-crowned Warbler. This beauty was a rare bird for our area, but who are we to question its whereabouts. We just love the fact that it graced us with its presence.

This warbler was found in the zoo’s butterfly garden area. You truly never know what you are going to find out there. We were not the ones to spot it first, but friends let us know about it and we were able to check it out. Here are a couple of shots:

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos: Golden-crowned Warbler found in the butterfly gardens at Gladys Porter Zoo Brownsville, Texas (January 31,2021)

Another cool bird that we have seen around the zoo on several occasions is the Black Phoebe. There are times we have seen it at the same location, a little area surrounded by brush and trees.

We visited the zoo a couple of weeks ago and found this area had been cut down a bit. We are guessing due to maintenance and hopefully the area will bounce back again soon. We have spotted several warblers and vireos at this spot before as well.

Although Black Phoebes are not what you would consider a super rare bird for our area, there are many people from out of town that get excited to see it. Who wouldn’t? Just look at that face!

Birds like this remind us why we always keep our binoculars handy… even on the most familiar paths.

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos: A Happy Black Phoebe at Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas

Sandhill Cranes and Fulvous Whistling-Ducks are also among the list of visitors during certain times of the year.

We have mostly spotted these birds hanging out by an area where they are now building what we think is an enclosure for the Ocelots.

Mostly in this location and can be seen from the bridge side of the resaca into the brush, trees and vegetation area hitting the resaca shore.

Finally, we have our usual suspects. The birds that love to hang around the zoo regardless if they know you are coming over or not.

These are the birds that help shape up your photography skills and your binocular skills. Even your auditory skills, with their calls and songs.

By the way, eBird data shows that approximately 191 species of birds and 619 lists have been reported at the zoo since March 22, 1982.

So you might just find the next big thing. Good Luck!

Photo by Jazmin Barrientos: A handsome Neotropic Cormorant at Glady’s Porter Zoo Brownsville, Texas

Places Around The Zoo

There is a variety of coffee shops, snack places and restaurants located near the zoo where you can visit before, during or after your birdwatching. Once you pay you get a wristband and you can come and go as you please for the day. Some of our favorite places here are:

• 7th & Park – Superb Mexican Mocha, iced or hot you can’t go wrong, they also have snacks and amazing service.
• Warbler Coffee – We go here for the Bee’s Knees
  (Cold brew+lemonade+ local honey) = YUM on a HOT day
• Lola’s Bistro – More of a brunch place, a little more “fancy” than our regular ready to go overnight oats.
• The Village at La Scala – Italian food, we all love the pizza here!
• Spanky’s – Laid back place, delicious hamburgers.

Events Happening Soon:
Brownsville Birding Festival

Do not come at us for not telling you sooner. We promise—we’ve been patiently waiting for more information too!

This year on April 11, 2026 – April 12, 2026, the zoo will be hosting a Birding Festival.

All we have, so far, is information from Brownsville Birding Festival and Cornell Labs All About Birds websites. If you have more info on this please share!

They do have a Facebook as well, but again, not much information to be found as of now. Hopefully, they release more details soon, as April is just around the corner!

Final Verdict

Whether for serious birdwatching or gallivanting, the zoo is a great place to visit. There are many benefits to making a list here. Restrooms, snacks, animal exhibits AND Birds! Not to mention a place where your kids can run amok and use up their energy at your leisure.

Happy birding! Love Always,

Have you birdwatched at a zoo or planning to?
What birds have you found?
We would love to hear your stories!

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