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Bird Checklist for Lake Corpus Christi State Park (SP) in Texas. Published by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
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BIRDS
OF
LAKE
CORPUS CHRISTI
STATE PARK
A FIELD CHECKLIST
2022
INTRODUCTION
T
he brush-covered slopes, open waters, and quiet, sometimes
marshy margins of Lake Corpus Christi and the lush riparian
woodlands along the Nueces River combine to form a localized
area whose birdlife is rich and diverse.
Lake Corpus Christi State Park represents one of the few
remaining stands of Tamaulipan thorn scrub, sometimes called by the
local people chaparral, in the nearby vicinity of metropolitan Corpus
Christi. The park and nearby natural areas are an important landfall
for migrating birds and play an even greater role in the conservation
of plants and animals native to the mesquite grassland of South Texas.
Indicated abundance refers to species at the proper season in appropriate
habitat (see legend). The checklist was compiled by Gene W. Blacklock,
co-author, Birds of Texas, A Field Guide, Texas A&M Press, 1994 and
Birds of the Texas Coastal Bend, Texas A&M Press, 1985. Nomenclature and organization are based upon the A.O.U. Check-list of North
American Birds (7 ed. as currently supplemented).
You may contribute to our knowledge of park birdlife by reporting
sightings of rare, casual or accidental records to area officials. Please
request Bird Sighting Report Forms available at park headquarters.
Return the completed forms to the Natural Resources Program, Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas
78744; or leave them at the park headquarters.
Please help us protect the natural avian communities in our parks by refraining
from using playback tapes of bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes disrupts normal
avian activity patterns and essential territorial behavior, and may lead to nest
failure. Thank you for your cooperation.
1
LEGEND
Abundance
A – Abundant: 50+ seen in one day
C – Common: 10+ seen in one day
U – Uncommon: fewer than 5 per day
R – Rare: 1-5 records each season
I – Irregular: erratic and unpredictable but can be common
Ca – Casual: 5-10 records in a decade
Acc – Accidental: not normally expected
Seasons
SPG – Spring: March 15 – June 15
SUM – Summer: June 15 – September 15
FAL – Fall: September 15 – November 15
WIN – Winter: November 15 – March 15
Migration (Timelines): Spring – March 15 through June 15;
Fall – June 15 through January 15
Other Notes
O – Overhead: usually only seen flying over
* – Has nested
Section titles include the bird order (-iformes) until we reach Passeriformes.
In Passeriformes, families (-idae) are used due to the breadth of the order.
Cover: Illustration of Green Jays by Clemente Guzman III.
2
CHECKLIST
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
C
C*
C
C
____ Fulvous-whistling-Duck
I
I*
I
Ca
____ Snow Goose
R/O
R/O
U/O
____ Ross’s Goose
Ca/O
Ca/O
R/O
____ Greater White-fronted Goose
R/0
R/O
U/O
____ Cackling Goose
Ca/O
Ca/O
R/O
____ Canada Goose
Ca/O
Ca/O Ca/O
Anseriformes – WATERFOWL
____ Tundra Swan
Acc
____ Egyptian Goose
Ca
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Wood Duck
Ca
Ca*
Ca
U
____ Blue-winged Teal
A
R*
A
C
____ Cinnamon Teal
R
R
U
____ Northern Shoveler
C
Acc
C
C
____ Gadwall
C
C
C
____ American Widgeon
C
C
C
____ Mallard
Ca
Ca*
Ca
U
____ Mottled Duck
C
C*
C
C
____ Northern Pintail
C
C
C
____ Green-winged Teal
A
A
C
____ Canvasback
R/O
R/O
U/O
____ Redhead
R/O
R/O
U
____ Ring-necked Duck
R
R
C
____ Greater Scaup
Ca
____ Lesser Scaup
C
Ca
3
Ca
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ White-winged Scoter
Acc
____ Bufflehead
R
R
U
____ Common Goldeneye
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Hooded Merganser
R
R
U
____ Red-breasted Merganser
Ca
Ca
R
____ Masked Duck
Ca
Ca*
Ca
Ca
____ Ruddy Duck
R
R*
R
U
____ Plain Chachalaca
Ca
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Northern Bobwhite
R
R*
R
R
____ Scaled Quail
Acc
Acc*
Acc
Acc
____ Wild Turkey
Ca
Ca*
Ca
Ca
____ Least Grebe
R
R*
R
R
____ Pied-billed Grebe
U
R*
U
U
____ Horned Grebe
I
____ Eared Grebe
Galliformes – LANDFOWL
Podicipediformes – GREBES
R
R
U
____ Rock Pigeon
U
U*
U
U
____ Eurasian Collared-Dove
U
U*
U
U
____ Inca Dove
R
R*
R
R
____ Common Ground-Dove
U
U*
U
U
____ White-tipped Dove
C
C*
C
R
____ White-winged Dove
A
A*
A
U
____ Mourning Dove
C
C*
C
C
Columbiformes – PIGEONS and DOVES
4
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Groove-billed Ani
R
U*
R
Ca
____ Greater Roadrunner
U
U*
U
U
____ Yellow-billed Cuckoo
C
C*
C
Ca
____ Black-billed Cuckoo
R
R
Cuculiformes – CUCKOOS
Caprimulgiformes – NIGHTHAWKS and NIGHTJARS
____ Lesser Nighthawk
R
R
R*
____ Common Nighthawk
U
U*
U
____ Common Pauraque
C
C*
C
____ Common Poorwill
I
I
____ Chuck-will’s-widow
C
C
____ Eastern Whip-poor-will
R
R
Ca
C
Ca
Apodiformes – SWIFTS and HUMMINGBIRDS
____ Chimney Swift
A/O
C/O*
C/O
____ Ruby-throated Hummingbird
A
R
A
Ca
____ Black-chinned Hummingbird
C
R*
C
Ca
____ Rufous Hummingbird
U
U
R
____ Broad-tailed Hummingbird
R
R
Ca
____ Buff-bellied Hummingbird
U
U*
U
R
____ King Rail
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Virginia Rail
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Sora
U
U
U
____ Common Gallinule
U
U*
U
U
____ American Coot
C
R*
C
A
Gruiformes – MARSHBIRDS
5
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Purple Gallinule
R
R*
R
Ca
____ Sandhill Crane
C/O
C/O
C/0
____ Black-necked Stilt
R
R*
R
Ca
____ American Avocet
R
R
R
R
____ Black-bellied Plover
R
R
R
____ American Golden-Plover
U/O
Ca/O
____ Killdeer
C/O
R*
C/O
C/O
____ Semipalmated Plover
R
R
R
____ Piping Plover
A
A
A
____ Wilson’s Plover
A
Ca
A
____ Mountain Plover
A
A
Ca
Ca
Charadriiformes – SHOREBIRDS
____ Snowy Plover
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Upland Sandpiper
C/O
R/O
C/O
____ Whimbrel
Ca
Ca
____ Long-billed Curlew
U
Ca
U
____ Hudsonian Godwit
Ca
Ca
____ Marbled Godwit
R
R
R
____ Ruddy Turnstone
A
A
A
____ Red Knot
A
A
____ Stilt Sandpiper
R
R
Ca
____ Sanderling
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Dunlin
R
R
R
____ Baird’s Sandpiper
U
U
____ Least Sandpiper
C
Ca
C
____ White-rumped Sandpiper
U
U
6
U
C
SPR
SUM
FAL
____ Buff-breasted Sandpiper
C/O
C/O
____ Pectoral Sandpiper
C/O
C/O
____ Semipalmated Sandpiper
Ca
Ca
____ Western Sandpiper
U
Ca
U
____ Short-billed Dowitcher
A
A
____ Long-billed Dowitcher
R
R
Ca
WIN
U
R
____ American Woodcock
I
I
I
____ Wilson’s Snipe
C
C
C
____ Spotter Sandpiper
C
Ca
C
C
____ Solitary Sandpiper
U
U
Ca
____ Lesser Yellowlegs
U/O
U/O
R
____ Willet
R
Ca
R
Ca
____ Greater Yellowlegs
U/O
Ca
U/O
U
____ Wilson’s Phalarope
U
U
____ Pomarine Jaeger
A
A
____ Parasitic Jaeger
A
A
Laridae – GULLS and TERNS
____ Black-legged Kittiwake
Ca
____ Bonaparte’s Gull
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Laughing Gull
A
C
A
C
____ Franklin’s Gull
A/O
A/O
Ca
____ Ring-billed Gull
U
Ca
U
U
____ Herring Gull
R
Ca
R
R
____ Sooty Tern
A
A
A
____ Least Tern
R
R
R
____ Gull-billed Tern
U
U
U
7
Ca
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Caspian Tern
U
U
U
U
____ Black Tern
C
C
____ Common Tern
A
A
Ca
____ Forster’s Tern
C
U
C
U
____ Royal Tern
R
R
U
Ca
____ Sandwich Tern
R
R
R
A
____ Black Skimmer
R
R
R
A
____ Pacific Loon
Ca
Ca
____ Common Loon
R
R
R
U/O
R/O
U/O
Ca
Gaviiformes – LOONS
Ciconiiformes – STORKS
____ Wood Stork
Suliformes – FRIGATEBIRDS and CORMORANTS
____ Magnificent Frigatebird
A
A
A
____ Anhinga
C/O
R*
C/O
R
____ Double-crested Cormorant
C
R
C
C
____ Neotropic Cormorant
C
C*
C
C
Pelecaniformes – PELICANS and WADINGBIRDS
____ American White Pelican
C/O
R
A/O
C
____ Brown Pelican
R
R
R
Ca
____ American Bittern
Ca
I
Ca
R
____ Least Bittern
U*
R
____ Great Blue Heron
U
U
U
U
____ Great Egret
U
U
U
U
8
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Snowy Egret
U
U
U
U
____ Little Blue Heron
R
R
R
R
____ Tricolored Heron
R
R
U
R
____ Reddish Egret
Ca
Ca
R
A
____ Cattle Egret
C/O
C/O
C/O
R/O
____ Green Heron
U
U*
U
R
____ Black-crowned Night-Heron
U
R
U
R
____ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
U
R
U
Ca
____ White Ibis
U
U
U
U
____ White-faced Ibis
U/O
R
U/O
R
____ Roseate Spoonbill
U
U
U
R
____ Black Vulture
A/O
U*
A/O
C
____ Turkey Vulture
A/O
C*
A/O
C
____ Osprey
U
Ca
U
U
____ White-tailed Kite
R
R*
R
Ca
____ Swallow-tailed Kite
R
R
____ Golden Eagle
R
U
R
____ Northern Harrier
C
C
U
____ Sharp-shinned Hawk
U
U
U
____ Cooper’s Hawk
U
U
U
____ Northern Goshawk
Ca
____ Bald Eagle
R
R
R
R
____ Mississippi Kite
A/O
R
A/O
A
Cathartiformes – VULTURES
Accipitriformes – KITES and HAWKS
9
R*
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Harris’s Hawk
R
R*
R
R
____ White-tailed Hawk
R/O
R/O
R/O
R/O
____ Gray Hawk
Ca
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Red-shouldered Hawk
U
U*
U
U
____ Broad-winged Hawk
A/O
Ca
A/O
____ Swanson’s Hawk
A/O
R
A/O
Ca
____ Zone-tailed Hawk
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Red-tailed Hawk
C
R*
C
U
____ Ferruginous Hawk
Ca
Ca
R
____ Barn Owl
U
U*
U
U
____ Eastern Screech Owl
U
U*
U
U
____ Great Horned Owl
U
U*
Strigiformes – OWLS
U
U
____ Burrowing Owl
I
____ Barred Owl
R
R
____ Short-eared Owl
Ca
R
R*
Coraciiformes – KINGFISHERS
____ Ringed Kingfisher
R
R
R
R
____ Belted Kingfisher
U
U
U
____ Green Kingfisher
R
R”
R
R
____ Red-headed Woodpecker
I
I
I
____ Golden-fronted Woodpecker
C
C*
C
C
____ Red-bellied Woodpecker
Ca
Ca
____ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
U
U
Piciformes – WOODPECKERS
R
10
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
R
R
R
____ Downy Woodpecker
Ca
Ca
____ Ladder-backed Woodpecker
U
U*
U
U
____ Northern Flicker
R
R
U
____ Crested Caracara
U
U*
U
U
____ American Kestrel
U
U
U
____ Merlin
R
R
R
____ Peregrine Falcon
R
R
R
____ Prairie Falcon
Ca
Ca
____ Red-naped Sapsucker
Falconiformes – FALCONS
Tyrannidae – FLYCATCHERS
____ Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Ash-throated Flycatcher
R
R*
R
R
____ Great Crested Flycatcher
C
Ca
C
Ca
____ Brown-crested Flycatcher
C
C*
C
Ca
____ Great Kiskadee
U
U*
U
U
____ Couch’s Kingbird
C
C*
C
R
____ Western Kingbird
U
R*
U
____ Eastern Kingbird
C
Ca*
C
____ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
C
U*
C
____ Olive-sided Flycatcher
U
U
____ Western Wood-Pewee
Ca
____ Eastern Wood-Pewee
C
C
____ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
C
C
____ Acadian Flycatcher
U
U
11
Ca
Ca
Ca
Ca
SPR
SUM
FAL
____ Alder Flycatcher
R
R
____ Willow Flycatcher
U
U
Ca
____ Least Flycatcher
C
C
Ca
____ Dusky Flycatcher
Ca
Ca
____ Cordilleran Flycatcher
Ca
Ca
____ Black Phoebe
R
R
R
WIN
____ Eastern Phoebe
C
C
C
____ Say’s Phoebe
R
R
R
____ Vermillion Flycatcher
U
Ca*
U
U
____ White-eyed Vireo
C
C*
C
U
____ Bell’s Vireo
R
Ca*
R
____ Yellow-throated Vireo
U
R
____ Cassin’s Vireo
Ca
____ Blue-headed Vireo
U
U
U
____ Plumbeous Vireo
R
R
R
____ Philadelphia Vireo
U
U
____ Warbling Vireo
C
C
____ Red-eyed Vireo
C
C
Vireonidae – VIREOS
____ Yellow-green Vireo
Ca
Ca
Laniidae – SHRIKES
____ Loggerheaded Shrike
U
U*
U
U
____ Green Jay
R
R*
C
C
____ Blue Jay
I
I
I
Corvidae – JAYS and ALLIES
12
SPR
SUM
FAL
____ American Crow
A
____ Chihuahuan Raven
A
A
WIN
A
A
Remizidae and Paridae – VERDIN and CHICKADEES
____ Verdin
U
U*
U
U
____ Carolina Chickadee
I
I
I
I
____ Black-crested Titmouse
U
U*
U
U
R
Alaudidae and Hirundinidae – LARKS and SWALLOWS
____ Horned Lark
R
R
____ Bank Swallow
C/O
C/O
Ca
____ Tree Swallow
C/O
R/O
C/O
R/O
____ Northern Rough-winged Swallow
C/O
C/O
Ca
____ Purple Martin
A/O
U*
A/O
Ca
____ Barn Swallow
A/O
R*
A/O
Ca
____ Cliff Swallow
C
C*
C
____ Cave Swallow
U
U*
U
R
____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet
C
C
C
____ Golden-crowned Kinglet
R
R
R
C
R
C
I
I
Regulidae – KINGLETS
Bombycillidae – WAXWINGS
____ Cedar Waxwing
Sittidae and Certhiidae – NUTHATCHES and CREEPERS
____ Red-breasted Nuthatch
I
____ White-breasted Nuthatch
A
____ Brown Creeper
R
R
13
R
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
C
R*
C
C
____ Rock Wren
A
____ House Wren
C
C
C
____ Winter Wren
I
I
I
____ Sedge Wren
U
U
U
____ Marsh Wren
U
U
U
____ Carolina Wren
U
U*
U
U
____ Bewick’s Wren
R
R*
R
U
____ Cactus Wren
Ca
Ca*
Ca
Ca
Polioptilidae – GNATCATCHERS
____ Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Troglodytidae – WRENS
Mimidae and Sturnidae – THRASHERS and STARLINGS
____ Gray Catbird
U
U
R
____ Curve-billed Thrasher
Ca
Ca*
Ca
Ca
____ Brown Thrasher
R
R
R
____ Long-billed Thrasher
U
C
C
____ Sage Thrasher
Ca
____ Northern Mockingbird
C
C*
A
A
____ European Starling
R
R*
R
U
U
U*
Turdidae – THRUSHES
____ Eastern Bluebird
R*
U
C
____ Mountain Bluebird
I
I
____ Veery
U
R
____ Gray-cheeked Thrush
U
R
____ Swainson’s Thrush
C
U
14
Ca
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Hermit Thrush
U
U
U
____ Wood Thrush
C
C
Ca
____ Clay-colored Thrush
Ca
Ca
I
U
I
R
R*
R
R
____ American Pipit
U
U
C
____ Sprague’s Pipit
R
R
R
____ American Robin
Passeridae – OLD WORLD SPARROWS
____ House Sparrow
Motacillidae – PIPITS
Fringillidae – FINCHES
____ House Finch
Ca*
Ca
Ca
____ Purple Finch
Ca
Ca
Ca
____ Red Crossbill
I
____ Pine Siskin
R
Ca
R
____ Lesser Goldfinch
R
R*
R
R
____ American Goldfinch
C
C
C
____ Cassin’s Sparrow
R
Ca*
R
Ca
____ Grasshopper Sparrow
U
R*
U
U
____ Olive Sparrow
U
U*
U
U
____ Black-throated Sparrow
I
Ca*
I
I
____ Lark Sparrow
U
U*
U
R
____ Lark Bunting
I
I
I
____ Chipping Sparrow
C
C
C
Passerellidae – SPARROWS
15
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Clay-colored Sparrow
U
U
Ca
____ Field Sparrow
C
U
C
____ Brewer’s Sparrow
Ca*
Ca
____ Fox Sparrow
R
R
R
____ Dark-eyed Junco
Ca
Ca
____ White-crowned Sparrow
U
U
U
____ Harris’s Sparrow
Ca
____ White-throated Sparrow
C
U
C
____ Vesper Sparrow
U
U
U
____ Le Conte’s Sparrow
U
U
U
____ Savannah Sparrow
c
C
C
____ Song Sparrow
R
R
R
____ Lincoln’s Sparrow
C
C
C
____ Swamp Sparrow
U
U
U
____ Green-tailed Towhee
I
____ Spotted Towhee
R
R
R
____ Eastern Towhee
R
R
R
C
C
Ca
____ Yellow-headed Blackbird
R
R
Ca
____ Bobolink
Ca
A
____ Eastern Meadowlark
R
R*
R
____ Western Meadowlark
C
C
C
____ Orchard Oriole
C
C
Ca
Icteriidae – CHATS
____ Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteridae – ORIOLES and BLACKBIRDS
16
R*
R
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Hooded Oriole
R
R*
R
Ca
____ Bullock’s Oriole
R
R*
R
Ca
____ Audubon’s Oriole
R
R*
I
R
____ Baltimore Oriole
C
C
Ca
____ Red-winged Blackbird
A/O
U*
A/O
A/O
____ Bronzed Cowbird
C
C*
C
R
____ Brown-headed Cowbird
A/O
U*
A/O
A/O
____ Brewer’s Blackbird
U
U
U
____ Common Grackle
I
R*
R
R
____ Great-tailed Grackle
A/O
C*
A/O
A/O
____ Ovenbird
U
U
Ca
____ Worm-eating Warbler
U
U
____ Louisiana Waterthrush
U
U
____ Northern Waterthrush
C
C
____ Blue-winged Warbler
R
R
____ Black-and-white Warbler
C
C
____ Prothonotary Warbler
R
R
____ Swainson’s Warbler
R
R
____ Tennessee Warbler
C
C
____ Orange-crowned Warbler
U
U
U
____ Nashville Warbler
C
C
Ca
Parulidae – WOOD WARBLERS
Ca
R
____ McGillivray’s Warbler
I
I
Ca
____ Mourning Warbler
U
U
Ca
____ Kentucky Warbler
U
U
____ Common Yellowthroat
C
C
17
Ca*
U
SPR
____ Hooded Warbler
SUM
FAL
C
C
WIN
____ American Redstart
C
C
Ca
____ Cap May Warbler
R
R
Ca
____ Cerulean Warbler
U
U
Ca
____ Northern Parula
C
R*
C
Ca
____ Tropical Parula
R
Ca
____ Magnolia Warbler
C
C
Ca
____ Bay-breasted Warbler
U
R
Ca
____ Blackburnian Warbler
U
R
Ca
____ Yellow Warbler
C
C
Ca
____ Chestnut-sided Warbler
U
R
Ca
____ Blackpoll Warbler
R
R
____ Black-throated Blue Warbler
R
Ca
Ca
____ Pine Warbler
U
U
U
____ Yellow-rumped Warbler
C
U
C
____ Yellow-throated Warbler
U
R
Ca
____ Prairie Warbler
R
R
Ca
____ Black-throated Gray Warbler
R
R
R
____ Black-throated Green Warbler
C
U
Ca
____ Canada Warbler
R
U
____ Wilson’s Warbler
C
C
R
Ca
Cardinalidae – CARDINALS
____ Summer Tanager
C
U*
C
____ Scarlet Tanager
U
R
____ Western Tanager
Ca
Ca
18
Ca
SPR
SUM
FAL
WIN
____ Northern Cardinal
A
C*
C
A
____ Pyrrhuloxia
U
R*
R
U
____ Rose-breasted Grosbeak
U
U
Ca
____ Black-headed Grosbeak
R
R
R
____ Blue Grosbeak
U
R*
U
Ca
____ Lazuli Bunting
R
R
R
____ Indigo Bunting
A
C
R
____ Varied Bunting
I
____ Painted Bunting
C
U*
C
Ca
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citation
Blacklock, Gene. March 2022. Birds of Lake Corpus Christi State Park: a field
checklist. Natural Resource Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
In 1983, the Texas Legislature created the Special Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Fund. This fund may be used for nongame
wildlife and endangered species research and conservation, habitat
acquisition and development and dissemination of information pertaining to nongame management. Money for this fund is obtained through
private donations and sale of nongame wildlife art prints and stamps. This
fund now gives Texans a unique opportunity to help support this state’s
valuable and sensitive nongame resources. Your individual contributions
and purchases of nongame art prints and stamps will help determine the
level of nongame conservation activities in Texas. For more information
call toll-free (1-800-792-1112) or contact: Nongame and Endangered
Species Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200
Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744.
TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color,
religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request
an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text
Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at
accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please
contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.
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Natural Resource Program
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, Texas 78744
© 2022 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
PWD BK P4502–0065A (3/22)