Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

P.O. Box 100

Austwell, Texas 77950

361/286-3559/3533

361/286-3722 Fax

361/286-3409 TDD

http://southwest.fws.gov

Texas State Relay Service

1 800/735-2989

For information on the

National Wildlife Refuge System

1 800/344-WILD

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

February 2005

Cover Photograph of Whooping Crane by Lynn Starnes
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Aransas

National Wildlife Refuge
“When we hear this

call we hear no mere

bird. He is the

symbol of our

untamable past.”

—Aldo Leopold
Roseate Spoonbills

Photograph by John Magera

(Left)Marsh at

Sunset.

Photograph by John

Magera

(Right)Whitetailed Buck

FWS photograph

Welcome:

Whooping Crane

Stronghold

The bugle of an endangered whooping

crane echoes across the far reaches

of the marsh. Only at Aransas

National Wildlife Refuge do North

America’s tallest birds find an

enduring winter stronghold.

Here, too, pelicans, herons, egrets,

roseate spoonbills, ducks, and geese

dine in brackish waters and salt

marshes teeming with fishes, blue

crabs, and clams. On shore, javelinas,

bobcats, and deer wander oak

woodlands. Alligators peer from

still waters of ponds and sloughs.

Ringed by tidal marshes and broken

by long, narrow sloughs, this 59,000-

acre refuge sprawls mostly across

the Blackjack peninsula, where

grasslands, live oaks, and redbay

thickets cover deep, sandy soils.

Storms and waters of the Gulf of

Mexico constantly shape this vital

refuge, home to over 390 different

bird species.
Eared Grebes

Photograph by

John Magera

Whooping Cranes

FWS photograph

Whooping Cranes:

A Rare Splendor

Whooping cranes join throngs of

other migratory birds that settle on

tidal marshes stretching before them

like huge banquet tables. Strong

winds push the bay waters over

low-lying shores, forming fertile,

brackish tidal marshes among short,

salt-tolerant plants.

Mild winters, bay waters, and

abundant food provide a winning

combination for water-loving birds.

Brilliantly feathered songbirds—

tanagers, painted buntings and

warblers—descend here on their

journey north to breeding grounds

after a winter in Central America.

If you visit Aransas NWR in April

or May just after a “norther” blows

through, you might witness a

songbird fallout. During such events,

birdwatchers have counted up to 33

species in 15 minutes around the

Refuge Visitor Center.

Once nearly extinct, whooping cranes

appear to be on the upswing, from a

low of 15 in 1941 to over 450 cranes

in North America today. Despite a

worldwide concern for their

protection, the cranes still teeter on

the brink of extinction.

At Aransas NWR, the elegant birds

share the intracoastal waterway with

oil tankers and the potential threat of

deadly spills as well as the threat of

natural disasters. Fortunately,

intensive efforts are slowly

establishing a new non-migratory

flock in Florida and a migratory flock

in the eastern United States.

In fact, Aransas NWR hosts the

largest flock of wintering whooping

cranes in North America with around

200 birds. By mid-April,

they depart in pairs or small family

groups for a hazardous journey 2,400

miles north to nesting grounds at

Wood Buffalo National Park in

Northwest Territories, Canada.

Why So

Many Birds?
Whooping Crane Stats

Height: 5 feet

Wingspan: 7 feet

Weight: Males 16 lbs;

females 14 lbs

Call: A trumpeting kerloo

ker-lee-oo

Flight Speed: 35-45 mph

Did you know? Cranes mate for

life. Courtship dances appear to

keep the pair bond strong.

Whooping Cranes

Photograph by Tom Stehn

From late October to mid-April,

crane families feed in the saltwater

marshes. Boat tours offer the best

views. Often, you can see a family of

whooping cranes from the 40-foot

Observation Tower, which is

equipped with telescopes. For

information about commercial boat

tours to see the cranes and other

birds, call the Rockport Chamber of

Commerce at 1-800/242-0071.

Additional birding information is

available from Port Lavaca Chamber

of Commerce at 1-800/556-7678.

When and Where

to Watch Cranes
Observation Tower

Photograph by John Magera

Freshwater

Ponds:

Alligator Abode

Take a 16-mile

Auto Tour Loop

E

Things to do

at the Refuge

You are invited to take the auto tour,

walk the trails, stop by our Visitor

Center, walk up the observation

tower, wander along a boardwalk

through a marsh, and picnic

overlooking San Antonio Bay.

A 16-mile, paved auto tour loops

through brushlands, grasslands, oak

mottes, and brackish and freshwater

marshes. Look for trailhead signs and

exhibit panels along the way.

As you drive inland from coastal

waters, salty flats give way to

freshwater ponds fed by rains.

Alligators, turtles, frogs, snakes,

and birds find havens in ponds of

all sizes.

Notice how slight changes in

elevation help determine which

plant communities exist. Bluestem

and other prairie grasses dominate

the grasslands you see rising above

the marshes.
Wildlife Watching Tips

Dawn and dusk are the best

times to see wildlife.

In warmer climates, little

is moving on hot summer

afternoons or on windy days.

Observe from the sidelines.

Leave “abandoned” young

animals alone. A parent is

probably close by waiting for

you to leave. Don’t offer snacks;

your lunch could disrupt wild

digestive systems and reduce

the animal’s natural wariness

of people.

Cars make good observation

blinds. Drive slowly, stopping

to scan places wildlife might

hide. Use binoculars or a long

lens for a closer look.

Try sitting quietly in one good

location. Let wildlife get used to

your presence. Many animals

that have hidden will reappear

once they think you are gone.

Walk quietly in designated

areas, being aware of sounds

and smells. Often you will hear

more than you will see.

Teach children quiet

observation. Other wildlife

watchers will appreciate your

consideration.

Look for animal signs. Tracks,

scat, feathers, and nests left

behind often tell interesting

stories.
Prescibed Burn

FWS photograph

Live Oaks

Photograph by

John Magera

The refuge protects these meadows

from invading scrub species through

controlled or prescribed burning.

Fire, while often considered

destructive, can be used as a management tool to rid areas of invasive

species and rejuvenate grasslands.

A motte simply describes a grove or

clump of trees. Along the tour loop,

you’ll see mottes of live oak and

redbay. You may wonder why these

trees growing in old sand dunes

appear stunted and gnarled. They are

warped by the prevailing gulf winds

that shape the entire landscape.

Mottes form thickets that hide deer,

javelinas, and feral hogs. Coyotes,

bobcats, and raccoons stalk the

mottes looking for prey.

Burning

Meadows

to Save Them

What’s a Motte?

If you can, take time to stretch your

legs along several miles of walking

trails. You’ll find observation

platforms, telescopes, a photo blind,

and stunning panoramas of the bay.

The trails are listed below in the

order you encounter them along the

auto tour loop.

Walking Trails

h
Giant Swallowtail

FWS photograph

Oystercatcher

FWS photograph

Waterbirds, from rails to bitterns, lurk in

the reeds lining Thomas Slough. This

grassy trail parallels the long, narrow

pond that is home to alligators as well.

Listen for the kuk-kuk-kuk of yellowbilled cuckoos along the way.

A very short walkway leads to a section

of Thomas Slough where alligators live

and can be readily observed. On sunny

days alligators will come out of their

dens to bask on the bank.

Freshwater sloughs, shell ridges, oak

forests, and tidal flats harbor both

common plants as well as unique plant

communities. There are two observation

platforms equipped with telescopes.

If you are lucky, you might see a crane

family feeding in the marshy salt flats.

Watch, too, for egrets, roseate spoonbills,

pelicans, and possibly a raccoon.

Rail Trail

(.3 mile)

Heron Flats

Trail

(1.4 miles)

Alligator

Viewing Area

(<.1 mile)
Dagger Point

Photograph by John Magera

Listen to a spring songbird serenade

as you wander this short, woodland

loop. Look for painted buntings, black

and white warblers, prothonotary

warblers, and summer tanagers.

 This trail offers a breathtaking view

of San Antonio Bay.

Choose from a short loop or a longer

hike winding through an oak/redbay

forest. One of the few hills on the

refuge offers an excellent bay vista.

This trail crosses a mixed grassland,

home to loggerhead shrikes, and

savannah and white-throated sparrows.

Enter an oak woodland next, a haven for

songbirds. To the right, the trail leads to

a pond with a nearby photo blind. To the

left, it winds through the woods along

the bay.

A very short, paved walkway leads to a

platform overlooking the lake and

alligator hangout. Look for great egrets,

snowy egrets, little blue herons, purple

gallinules, and coots. You might even see

white-tailed deer swimming across the

lake.

Birding Trail #2

(.6 mile)

Dagger Point

Trail (1 mile)

Birding Trail #1

(.1 mile)

Bay Overlook

(.1 mile)

Jones Lake

(< .1 mile)
Javelinas

Photography by Tom Stehn

Alligator. FWS photograph

Big Tree Trail

(.7 mile)

Encounter some of the refuge’s largest

live oak trees along this woodland loop

that connects to the observation tower

boardwalk.

A short walk leads to a platform

overlooking the lake. Look for alligators,

night herons, black-bellied whistling

ducks and purple gallinules here.

Walk up the

Observation Tower

Birdwatch from

a Boardwalk

k

In addition to crane watching, the

tower offers a panoramic view of

San Antonio Bay and Mustang Lake.

A boardwalk made of environmentally

friendly recycled “plastic lumber” leads

you through a salt marsh to the shore—a

terrific spot for watching waterbirds.

Look for blue crabs in the water below

the boardwalk. This is the whooping

cranes favorite food. The boardwalk

connects to Big Tree Trail.

Hog Lake Trail

(<.1 mile)
Annual Permits

Fishing

t

Picnic in a Motte

e

The Claude F. Lard Visitor Center offers

refuge information, exhibits, and wildlife

programs. The Friends of Aransas and

Matagorda Island NWR’s operate a

nature bookstore. The center is open

daily 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (closed

Thanksgiving and Christmas).

A picnic area with tables, barbecue

grills, potable water and restrooms

nestled in an oak motte overlooking

San Antonio Bay. This is one of the

best places to view spring warblers.

Set up a scope for the best views of

shorebirds and waders along the

shoreline. Survey the bay for

waterfowl.

Individual - $3.00

Two people or more in a vehicle - $5.00

Commercial vehicle up to 20

passengers - $25.00

Commercial vehicle 21 or more

passengers - $50.00

The refuge honors the annual or lifetime

entrance permits listed below; however,

all visitors are required to register daily

at the Visitor Center.

Federal Duck Stamp $15

Aransas Annual Pass $15

Golden Eagle Passport $65 or

National Park Pass Hologram $15

Golden Age Passport $10

(age 62 or older)

Golden Access Passport

(free with written proof

of permanent disability)

Archery and firearms hunts for

white-tailed deer and feral hogs

may be held in late fall or winter.

Contact the refuge in early

summer for information.

From April 15 - October 15 wade

fishing is permitted in San Antonio

Bay from the five fishing access

points identified on the Refuge map.

Fee Schedule

Hunting

 E 

Stop by the

Visitor Center
u

U

Pay fees and register each day.

Fees collected at the refuge are

used to improve public use services

and facilities.

Walking off trail creates erosion and

damages native vegetation. Please walk

only on the established trails and use

shoreline access points to enter the

water.

Feeding animals is prohibited and causes

them to become aggressive towards

humans. Aggressive animals must be

relocated. Help keep animals in their

natural habitat.

The Refuge Public Use Area is open

daily 30-minutes prior to official sunrise

and 30-minutes after official sunset.

There is no public camping on the refuge.

Pets must be leashed at all times.

Observe speed limit of 25 mph and

watch for wildlife crossing roadways.

No firearms are permitted (except for

legal hunting).

Bicycles are permitted on the

16-mile paved tour loop only.

No off-road bicycle use.

Alligators and poisonous snakes

are present; watch your step.

We recommend insect repellent.

Stay on trails. Otherwise, you may

encounter ticks, bees, chiggers, and

poison ivy.

The closest place for fuel is Tivoli

(14 miles). You’ll find food, motels, and

campgrounds 35 miles away in Rockport,

Port Lavaca, and Refugio. There are

also campgrounds and RV sites in

Austwell (6 miles) and at Hopper’s

Landing (3 miles).

Help us Protect

the Refuge

HPL

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For Your Safety

and Comfort
The Friends of Aransas and

Matagorda Island National Wildlife

Refuges are dedicated to supporting

and assisting the Aransas and

Matagorda Island National Wildlife

Refuge Complex in its goal of

enhancing wildlife and its habitat

and encouraging compatible wildlife

dependent public uses of the refuges

through educational, interpretive,

scientific and other activities

appropriate to the mission of

these refuges.

Applying for federal and private

grants to be used for specific projects

on the refuges.

Developing and conducting

interpretive tours and workshops.

Assisting the refuges in wildlife

census and related management

projects.

Increasing public and governmental

awareness of the sensitive and

unique nature of the refuges, and

their vital roles to both wildlife

and people.

Recruiting volunteers to help refuge

staff with a variety of projects.

Working with local educators and

civic groups to foster appreciation

and support of the natural history and

science of the refuge.

You may help the Friends with

your annual membership dues or

you may choose to be more active

by participating in membership

meetings and work projects.

Join us to make a difference!

For more information:

Friends of Aransas and

Matagorda Island NWRs

P.O. Box 74

Austwell, Texas 77950

Friends of

Aransas and

Matagorda Island

NWRs

Mission

Statement

What You Can

do to Help

What Are We

Doing?
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Whooping Crane chick and adult.

FWS photograph

Where is it?

When was it

established?

How big is it?

Why is it here?

Aransas

NWR Facts

From the north, take Texas Highway

35, S to Texas Highway 239E.

Proceed 5.5 miles via Highway 239E

and FM 774W to Highway 2040E.

Left on FM2040E and proceed 6.5

miles to Refuge gate.

From the south, take Texas Highway

35N to FM 774E. Proceed 9 miles to

FM2040E. Right on FM2040E and

proceed 6.5 miles to Refuge gate.

December 31, 1937

59,000 acres.

To protect saltmarsh, coastal prairie and

woodland for migratory birds and the

vanishing wildlife of coastal Texas.