In addition, Texas' large resident bird population is augmented by hosts of migrating species. The Panhandle Plains is home to Horned Larks, Kites and Prairie Chickens. Lakes attract Mallard, Baldpate and Pintail migrants. Rare Colima Warblers, eagles, Canyon Wrens, desert-dwelling Flycatchers and tiny Verdins make their nests out west. The Hill Country hosts large flocks of wild turkeys, almost countless resident and migrant species, and is the nesting place of rare Golden-cheeked Warblers.
Open terrain is habitat for fleet-footed Roadrunners.
The East Texas Piney Woods is home to several eastern species, including the Wood Thrush, Acadian Flycatcher and Kentucky Warbler. Numerous shorebirds populate the region - gulls, pelicans, egrets and Roseate Spoonbills, plus the world's few remaining Whooping Cranes, which winter at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. The Lower Rio Grande Valley hosts tropical birds and is the only place in the nation where such species as White-fronted Doves, Chachalacas and Green Jays may be observed. The Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and coastal communities teamed up to develop the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail to assure a rich and varied birding experience.