5. Long-billed Curlew
This large shorebird has an unbelievably long, curved bill that it uses to probe deep into the ground for invertebrates. Look for them on mowed or manicured lawns, such as those on the Moody Gardens Golf Course.
4. American White Pelican
Larger than our resident Brown Pelicans, this species can often be seen forming long, undulating, graceful lines during flight. Look for them near the Bolivar Jetty.
3. Osprey
Formerly known as Fish Hawks, Ospreys feed almost exclusively on live fish, which they catch by diving towards the water feet first. Look for them along Sportsman Road.
2. Belted Kingfisher
This is one of the few species in which the female is more colorful than the male, with a rusty band extending across the belly and under the wings. Look for them perched on power lines near the John M. O’Quinn I-45 Estuarial Corridor.
1. Common Loon
Expert divers that are very fast underwater as they pursue fish, Common Loons are dark above and light below with oddly-shaped heads and dagger-like bills. Look for them near the public boat ramp at Lee and Joe Jamail Bay Park.
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Kristine Rivers founded Birding for Fun in 2015, and is a popular tour guide and speaker whose enthusiasm for nature is contagious. A lifelong birder, she has been an area leader for the Brazoria Columbia Bottomlands Christmas Bird Count since 2011, and has been President of the Texas Master Naturalist Cradle of Texas chapter since January 2017.