Wildlife of Proto-Town/Birds - Revision history

Admin: Protect Proto-Town mascot from hunting and harm

2026-07-19T08:29:32Z

Protect Proto-Town mascot from hunting and harm

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:29, 19 July 2026
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	\|regional=Whistler; black-bellied whistling-duck		\|regional=Whistler; black-bellied whistling-duck
	\|origin=Native; range has expanded northward in Texas		\|origin=Native; range has expanded northward in Texas
	\|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas regulations apply		\|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas regulations apply. Proto-Town mascot animal; additionally protected by site policy from hunting and intentional harm.
	\|edibility={{Wildlife edibility\|game}} Duck meat. ~~Current~~ ~~waterfowl~~ ~~seasons,~~ ~~licenses,~~ ~~stamps~~, ~~HIP~~ ~~certification~~, ~~methods~~, ~~bag~~ ~~limits~~, ~~and~~ ~~land~~ ~~authorization~~ ~~apply~~.		\|edibility={{Wildlife edibility\|game}} Duck meat is conventionally eaten where lawful. '''Proto-Town exception:''' As Proto-Town's mascot animal, this species must not be hunted, captured, harassed, or intentionally harmed on Proto-Town property, regardless of any otherwise applicable hunting season.
	\|risk=yellow		\|risk=yellow
	\|danger=Large roosting or feeding flocks can foul roofs, paths, and water features with droppings.		\|danger=Large roosting or feeding flocks can foul roofs, paths, and water features with droppings.
	\|description=These long-legged chestnut ducks have a black belly, gray face, bright pink bill, and a bold white wing patch visible in flight. Their whistled calls carry at night, and they often perch in trees, nest in cavities, and travel in tight groups between water and feeding areas.		\|description=These long-legged chestnut ducks have a black belly, gray face, bright pink bill, and a bold white wing patch visible in flight. Their whistled calls carry at night, and they often perch in trees, nest in cavities, and travel in tight groups between water and feeding areas.
	\|encounter=Do not feed them. Secure grain and food waste, and coordinate persistent roost or sanitation concerns with land management.		\|encounter=Observe without chasing, cornering, handling, or disturbing nests. Do not feed them. Secure grain and food waste, and coordinate persistent roost or sanitation concerns with land management using non-harmful methods.
	}}		}}

Admin: Removed flight-operations guidance pending pilot-authored replacement

2026-07-19T07:57:53Z

Removed flight-operations guidance pending pilot-authored replacement

Show changes

Admin: Added conditional edibility guidance

2026-07-19T07:19:05Z

Added conditional edibility guidance

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:19, 19 July 2026
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	__NOTOC__		__NOTOC__
	{{Wildlife navigation}}		{{Wildlife navigation}}
			{{Wildlife edibility disclaimer}}

	This page is a practical starter guide to conspicuous birds around Proto-Town and the Lockhart area. It is not a complete county checklist: Central Texas lies on the Central Flyway, and migration, weather, habitat, and season can change the bird community rapidly. Dated photographs and sound recordings are much more useful than undated claims of “a little brown bird.”		This page is a practical starter guide to conspicuous birds around Proto-Town and the Lockhart area. It is not a complete county checklist: Central Texas lies on the Central Flyway, and migration, weather, habitat, and season can change the bird community rapidly. Dated photographs and sound recordings are much more useful than undated claims of “a little brown bird.”
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	\|origin=Native		\|origin=Native
	\|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas seasons and licenses apply		\|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas seasons and licenses apply
			\|edibility={{Wildlife edibility\|game}} Dove meat. Harvest is lawful only under current migratory-game-bird seasons, licenses, endorsements, methods, and bag limits, with land authorization.
	\|risk=yellow		\|risk=yellow
	\|danger=Extremely common around open ground and the most frequently identified exact species in U.S. civil-aircraft wildlife strikes; individual birds are small but repeated activity near a runway matters.		\|danger=Extremely common around open ground and the most frequently identified exact species in U.S. civil-aircraft wildlife strikes; individual birds are small but repeated activity near a runway matters.
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	\|origin=Native; range expanded northward in Texas		\|origin=Native; range expanded northward in Texas
	\|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas seasons and licenses apply		\|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas seasons and licenses apply
			\|edibility={{Wildlife edibility\|game}} Dove meat. Harvest is lawful only under current migratory-game-bird seasons, licenses, endorsements, methods, and bag limits, with land authorization.
	\|risk=yellow		\|risk=yellow
	\|danger=Flocks feeding or crossing low over open areas can create a bird-strike hazard.		\|danger=Flocks feeding or crossing low over open areas can create a bird-strike hazard.
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	\|origin=Native		\|origin=Native
	\|status=State-regulated game bird; not federally listed		\|status=State-regulated game bird; not federally listed
			\|edibility={{Wildlife edibility\|game}} Turkey meat. Current county season, license, upland-game endorsement, tagging, reporting, method, and land-authorization rules apply.
	\|risk=orange		\|risk=orange
	\|danger=Large, heavy bird capable of damaging vehicles or aircraft. A habituated or breeding male can chase, strike, or spur people.		\|danger=Large, heavy bird capable of damaging vehicles or aircraft. A habituated or breeding male can chase, strike, or spur people.
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	\|origin=Native; range has expanded northward in Texas		\|origin=Native; range has expanded northward in Texas
	\|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas regulations apply		\|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas regulations apply
			\|edibility={{Wildlife edibility\|game}} Duck meat. Current waterfowl seasons, licenses, stamps, HIP certification, methods, bag limits, and land authorization apply.
	\|risk=orange		\|risk=orange
	\|danger=Large, noisy flocks near ponds, rooftops, fields, and runways are a significant aircraft-strike hazard.		\|danger=Large, noisy flocks near ponds, rooftops, fields, and runways are a significant aircraft-strike hazard.
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	* [https://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/wildlife Federal Aviation Administration: wildlife-hazard mitigation and strike reporting]		* [https://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/wildlife Federal Aviation Administration: wildlife-hazard mitigation and strike reporting]
	* [https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/vulture.pdf USDA APHIS: managing black-vulture damage]		* [https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/vulture.pdf USDA APHIS: managing black-vulture damage]
			* [https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/game_management/dove_summary/ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: doves as regulated game birds]
			* [https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course/wildlife-conservation/game-birds/ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: upland and migratory game birds]
			* [https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/animals/turkey Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: wild-turkey regulations]
			* [https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course/hunting-skills-1/field-care Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: field care of game birds]

	[[Category:Wildlife of Proto-Town]]		[[Category:Wildlife of Proto-Town]]

Admin: Added dedicated Central Texas bird guide

2026-07-18T05:18:32Z

Added dedicated Central Texas bird guide

New page

__NOTOC__
{{Wildlife navigation}}

This page is a practical starter guide to conspicuous birds around Proto-Town and the Lockhart area. It is not a complete county checklist: Central Texas lies on the Central Flyway, and migration, weather, habitat, and season can change the bird community rapidly. Dated photographs and sound recordings are much more useful than undated claims of “a little brown bird.”

Most native birds, their eggs, and active nests are protected by federal or state law. Do not capture, poison, relocate, destroy an occupied nest, or improvise harassment. House sparrows and European starlings are notable introduced exceptions to federal migratory-bird protection, but any control still has to follow applicable law and site policy.

<div style="border:2px solid #c77c00; background:#fff4d6; padding:0.8em 1em; margin:1em 0;">
'''Flight-operations note:''' A bird that is harmless on a fence can be hazardous near an active runway or low-flying vehicle. Report flocks, large soaring birds, birds on movement areas, repeated crossings of an approach path, carcasses, exposed food waste, standing water, and actual strikes through the site wildlife-hazard procedure. Do not conduct ad hoc dispersal during flight operations. FAA identifies waterfowl, vultures, hawks, egrets, blackbirds, and starlings among the groups of greatest concern because of size, abundance, or flocking behavior.
</div>

==Everyday residents and building-associated birds==

===Northern mockingbird===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Northern mockingbird
|image=Mockingbird_in_Bay_Ridge_(85082).jpg
|type=Bird; songbird
|scientific=''Mimus polyglottos''
|regional=Mockingbird; Texas state bird
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=yellow
|danger=Territorial adults may dive at people, dogs, cats, or equipment near a nest, but contact injuries are unusual.
|description=This slim gray-and-white bird is conspicuous on rooftops, utility lines, fences, and open lawns. White wing patches flash in flight, and its long song strings together repeated imitations of other birds, alarms, machinery, and local noises. It may sing at night near bright lighting.
|encounter=Give an active nest a wider path and do not remove it while eggs or dependent young are present. Temporary swooping normally ends after the young leave.
}}

===Northern cardinal===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Northern cardinal
|image=Male_northern_cardinal_in_Central_Park_(52612).jpg
|type=Bird; songbird
|scientific=''Cardinalis cardinalis''
|regional=Cardinal; redbird
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=none
|description=Males are brilliant red with a black face, while females are warm brown with red in the wings, tail, and crest. Cardinals live year-round in brush, woodland edges, gardens, and dense landscaping and give clear whistled songs. A bird repeatedly striking a window is usually fighting its reflection rather than trying to enter.
|encounter=Break up a persistent window reflection with exterior screening, film, or temporary markings; moving an indoor decoration usually does not solve the reflected image on the outer glass.
}}

===Blue jay===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Blue jay
|image=Blue_jay_in_PP_(30960).jpg
|type=Bird; corvid
|scientific=''Cyanocitta cristata''
|regional=Blue jay
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=none
|description=Blue jays are large blue, white, and black songbirds with a crest, loud calls, and complex social behavior. They eat acorns, insects, fruit, and many other foods and may imitate hawks. Their habit of carrying and caching acorns helps disperse oak trees.
|encounter=Ordinary observation requires no action. Secure trash and avoid concentrating seed near work areas if jays or other birds become a sanitation or equipment problem.
}}

===Carolina wren===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Carolina wren
|image=Carolina_wren_(14391).jpg
|type=Bird; songbird
|scientific=''Thryothorus ludovicianus''
|regional=Carolina wren
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=yellow
|danger=Frequently nests in boots, shelves, toolboxes, vehicles, machinery recesses, and other inconvenient cavities.
|description=This small warm-brown bird has a bold white eyebrow, an upturned tail, and an improbably loud teakettle-like song. It searches bark, leaf litter, sheds, and porches for insects and spiders. Pairs remain in a territory through the year and investigate almost any sheltered cavity.
|encounter=Inspect equipment that has sat unused during nesting season. If a nest contains eggs or young, stop using the object and contact the site wildlife lead before moving anything.
}}

===House sparrow===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=House sparrow
|image=House_sparrow_male_in_Prospect_Park_(53532).jpg
|type=Bird; Old World sparrow
|scientific=''Passer domesticus''
|regional=House sparrow; English sparrow
|origin=Introduced; invasive
|status=Not protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act; other laws and site rules still apply
|risk=yellow
|danger=Colonies can foul structures, contaminate stored material, and nest in vents, signs, and machinery; flocks can contribute to bird-strike risk.
|description=House sparrows are compact brown-and-gray birds closely associated with people. Males have a gray crown, chestnut nape, and black throat; females are plainer brown with a pale eyebrow. They compete aggressively for nest cavities and readily use gaps in buildings.
|encounter=Use exclusion and repair openings before nesting begins. Do not seal a cavity until it has been checked for eggs, young, or trapped birds, and coordinate any control with facilities and the wildlife lead.
}}

===European starling===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=European starling
|image=Common_starling_(Sturnus_vulgaris)_breeding_male_Marken.jpg
|type=Bird; starling
|scientific=''Sturnus vulgaris''
|regional=Starling; European starling
|origin=Introduced; invasive
|status=Not protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act; other laws and site rules still apply
|risk=orange
|danger=Dense flocks are a significant bird-strike and sanitation hazard. Roosts can produce heavy droppings and contaminated dust.
|description=Starlings are stocky, short-tailed birds that appear black from a distance but show iridescent green-purple feathers and pale speckles up close. Their pointed bill turns yellow in breeding condition. They imitate many sounds, gather in large flocks, and compete with native cavity-nesting birds.
|encounter=Report large roosts or concentrations near flight and work areas. Exclude birds from structures early, remove food and water attractants, and use an approved integrated wildlife-management plan rather than improvised noise or poisoning.
}}

===Great-tailed grackle===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Great-tailed grackle
|image=Great-tailed_grackle_(Quiscalus_mexicanus_mexicanus)_male_Copan.jpg
|type=Bird; blackbird relative
|scientific=''Quiscalus mexicanus''
|regional=Grackle; great-tailed grackle
|origin=Native; greatly expanded its range with human development
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=orange
|danger=Large communal flocks can create bird-strike, noise, and sanitation hazards around parking lots, fields, food waste, and roost trees.
|description=Males are glossy black with a very long keel-shaped tail and staring yellow eyes; females are smaller and brown. Great-tailed grackles walk confidently through lawns and parking areas and use an extraordinary range of whistles, clacks, squeaks, and mechanical-sounding calls.
|encounter=Do not feed them. Secure waste, eliminate standing water and spilled food, and report persistent concentrations near aircraft or sensitive work areas for coordinated management.
}}

==Fields, roadsides, and open country==

===Mourning dove===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Mourning dove
|image=Av_Mourning_Dove_JG.jpg
|type=Bird; dove
|scientific=''Zenaida macroura''
|regional=Mourning dove
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas seasons and licenses apply
|risk=yellow
|danger=Extremely common around open ground and the most frequently identified exact species in U.S. civil-aircraft wildlife strikes; individual birds are small but repeated activity near a runway matters.
|description=This slender tan-gray dove has black wing spots, a long pointed tail edged in white, and a soft, mournful coo. Its wings make a sharp whistling sound at takeoff. It feeds on seeds on bare ground, roadsides, fields, and beneath feeders.
|encounter=Report repeated runway or movement-area activity and remove seed spills and unnecessary bare-ground food sources. Do not disturb an active nest.
}}

===White-winged dove===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=White-winged dove
|image=Zenaida_asiatica_-Tuscon_-Arizona_-USA_-8a.jpg
|type=Bird; dove
|scientific=''Zenaida asiatica''
|regional=White-wing; white-winged dove
|origin=Native; range expanded northward in Texas
|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas seasons and licenses apply
|risk=yellow
|danger=Flocks feeding or crossing low over open areas can create a bird-strike hazard.
|description=White-winged doves are heavier than mourning doves and show a bold white stripe along the folded wing and a red eye surrounded by blue skin. Their emphatic who-cooks-for-you call is common in towns, groves, fields, and feeding areas.
|encounter=Do not feed near flight operations. Report regular flock movements across approach or departure paths and manage spilled grain or seed.
}}

===Eastern bluebird===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Eastern bluebird
|image=Sialia_sialis_-Michigan,_USA_-pair-8c.jpg
|type=Bird; thrush
|scientific=''Sialia sialis''
|regional=Bluebird; eastern bluebird
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=none
|description=Males have bright blue upperparts and a rusty orange chest; females are grayer with subdued blue wings and tail. Bluebirds hunt insects from low perches in open fields, golf-course-like lawns, and woodland edges and readily use properly designed nest boxes.
|encounter=Monitor nest boxes regularly with an established protocol rather than opening them casually. Keep boxes away from active vehicle and flight areas and use predator guards where appropriate.
}}

===Painted bunting===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Painted bunting
|image=Male_Painted_Bunting_Singing.jpg
|type=Bird; seed-eating songbird
|scientific=''Passerina ciris''
|regional=Painted bunting; nonpareil
|origin=Native summer resident and migrant
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=none
|description=Adult males combine a blue head, red underparts, and green back; females and young are bright yellow-green. Painted buntings favor brushy edges, weedy fields, and dense thickets and are present mainly during the warmer breeding season before migrating south.
|encounter=Observe from a distance and preserve dense native cover. Do not broadcast recorded calls repeatedly around a territorial bird merely to obtain a photograph.
}}

===Scissor-tailed flycatcher===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Scissor-tailed flycatcher
|image=Tyrannus_forficatus_on_branch.jpg
|type=Bird; tyrant flycatcher
|scientific=''Tyrannus forficatus''
|regional=Scissortail; scissor-tailed flycatcher
|origin=Native summer resident and migrant
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=none
|description=This pale gray flycatcher has salmon-pink flanks and an unmistakably long, forked black-and-white tail. It perches on fences and utility lines, then makes agile flights after insects over pastures and roadsides. It is one of the characteristic warm-season birds of the Blackland Prairie.
|encounter=No special action is normally needed. Avoid unnecessary mowing or brush removal around a known active nest until the young have fledged.
}}

===Eastern meadowlark===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Eastern meadowlark
|image=Eastern_meadowlark_(Sturnella_magna_mexicana)_Orange_Walk.jpg
|type=Bird; grassland songbird
|scientific=''Sturnella magna''
|regional=Meadowlark; eastern meadowlark
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed; populations have declined with grassland loss
|risk=none
|description=Meadowlarks are stocky brown-backed birds with bright yellow underparts crossed by a black V. They walk through pasture and prairie, singing clear flutelike notes from fence posts. Their nests are concealed on the ground beneath grass.
|encounter=Delay mowing around a confirmed active nest where operationally possible, and maintain patches of native grassland. Do not approach repeatedly to force a hidden bird to flush.
}}

===Killdeer===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Killdeer
|image=Killdeer_Heislerville.png
|type=Bird; plover
|scientific=''Charadrius vociferus''
|regional=Killdeer
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=yellow
|danger=Nests and chicks are extremely difficult to see on gravel, bare soil, roofs, parking areas, and work sites; adults may perform an apparently injured “broken-wing” distraction display.
|description=Killdeer are brown-and-white shorebirds with two black chest bands, orange rump feathers, and loud kill-deer calls. They often live far from shorelines and favor short grass, gravel, mud, and disturbed ground. Eggs resemble stones and newly hatched chicks leave the nest quickly.
|encounter=If an adult performs a broken-wing display, stop and back away in the direction you came. Mark a safe buffer around a nest through the wildlife lead; never follow the adult, which is deliberately drawing you away.
}}

===Barn swallow===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Barn swallow
|image=Rauchschwalbe_Hirundo_rustica.jpg
|type=Bird; swallow
|scientific=''Hirundo rustica''
|regional=Barn swallow
|origin=Native summer resident and migrant
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=yellow
|danger=Mud nests on beams, hangars, porches, and equipment can create droppings and operational conflicts; active nests cannot simply be knocked down.
|description=Barn swallows are fast aerial insect hunters with blue backs, warm orange faces, pale underparts, and deeply forked tails. They build open mud-cup nests on sheltered ledges and return to successful sites. Their presence can reduce flying insects but may conflict with doors, aircraft, or sanitary areas.
|encounter=Exclude access before nesting begins and install approved alternate structures where appropriate. If eggs or young are present, protect the area and consult the wildlife lead before any work near the nest.
}}

===Purple martin===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Purple martin
|image=PurpleMartin_cajay.jpg
|type=Bird; swallow
|scientific=''Progne subis''
|regional=Purple martin
|origin=Native summer resident and migrant
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=yellow
|danger=Large pre-migration roosts can create local sanitation and bird-strike concerns, although ordinary nesting colonies are not dangerous.
|description=Purple martins are the largest North American swallows. Adult males are glossy blue-black; females and young are grayer below. In eastern North America they depend heavily on human-provided multiroom houses or gourds and gather into large communal roosts after breeding.
|encounter=Manage martin housing as a long-term commitment with regular cleaning and monitoring. Do not install colonies beside runways, aircraft movement areas, or sensitive air intakes.
}}

===Wild turkey===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Wild turkey
|image=20260428_tom_wild_turkey_matthaei_botanical_gardens_PD08952.jpg
|type=Bird; large ground bird
|scientific=''Meleagris gallopavo''
|regional=Turkey; wild turkey
|origin=Native
|status=State-regulated game bird; not federally listed
|risk=orange
|danger=Large, heavy bird capable of damaging vehicles or aircraft. A habituated or breeding male can chase, strike, or spur people.
|description=Wild turkeys travel through woodland edges, pastures, creek corridors, and open fields, feeding on seeds, insects, and mast. Males are large and dark with bare red-blue heads and may fan their tails during courtship; females are smaller and browner. They fly strongly for short distances despite spending much time on the ground.
|encounter=Do not feed or corner one. Give a displaying male space, keep pets away, and report birds repeatedly entering roads, runways, or work areas.
}}

===Greater roadrunner===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Greater roadrunner
|image=Greater_Roadrunner_Tingley_Beach.jpg
|type=Bird; ground cuckoo
|scientific=''Geococcyx californianus''
|regional=Roadrunner; chaparral cock
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=none
|description=Roadrunners are long-legged, streaked brown birds with a shaggy crest, very long tail, and flashes of blue-orange skin behind the eye. They run across open ground and hunt insects, lizards, snakes, rodents, and small birds. Their low cooing song may carry from brushy edges.
|encounter=Slow down and allow it to clear a road or work area. Do not feed it or attempt to handle an apparently tame individual.
}}

==Raptors and scavengers==

===Black vulture===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Black vulture
|image=Coragyps-atratus-001.jpg
|type=Bird; vulture
|scientific=''Coragyps atratus''
|regional=Black buzzard; black vulture
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally endangered
|risk=orange
|danger=Large flocking bird and significant bird-strike hazard to low-flying aircraft; groups can damage rubber, vinyl, and exposed equipment.
|description=Black vultures are broad-winged black birds with short tails, bare gray heads, and white patches near the wingtips. They soar on thermals and gather around carcasses, roosts, dumpsters, and structures. Unlike turkey vultures, they rely heavily on sight and often travel in groups.
|encounter=Do not feed, harass, trap, or kill protected birds without authorization. Around flight operations, report concentrations promptly, stop attractants such as exposed waste or carcasses, and follow the site wildlife-hazard procedure.
}}

===Turkey vulture===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Turkey vulture
|image=Turkey_vulture_(Cathartes_aura)_Orange_Walk.jpg
|type=Bird; vulture
|scientific=''Cathartes aura''
|regional=Turkey buzzard; turkey vulture
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=orange
|danger=Large soaring bird and significant aircraft-strike hazard, especially around thermals, carcasses, and communal roosts.
|description=Turkey vultures have long wings held in a shallow V, silvery flight feathers, a long tail, and an adult’s bare red head. They locate carrion largely by smell and often rock unsteadily while soaring. They are essential scavengers and normally avoid healthy people and animals.
|encounter=Report concentrations near flight paths and remove carcass and waste attractants through approved procedures. Never approach a grounded bird closely; a frightened vulture may regurgitate defensively.
}}

===Crested caracara===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Crested caracara
|image=Schopfkarakara.jpg
|type=Bird; falcon relative and scavenger
|scientific=''Caracara plancus''
|regional=Caracara; Mexican eagle
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed in Texas
|risk=orange
|danger=Large bird that feeds on roads and open ground and can create a vehicle or aircraft-strike hazard.
|description=Crested caracaras are striking black-and-white raptors with a black cap, pale neck, orange facial skin, and long yellow legs. They walk on the ground more than most raptors and eat carrion, insects, reptiles, and small animals. In flight they show white at the wing tips and base of the tail.
|encounter=Slow down around birds feeding on roadkill and report repeated activity near movement areas. Remove carcasses promptly through the site procedure rather than trying to chase the bird by vehicle.
}}

===Red-tailed hawk===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Red-tailed hawk
|image=Red-tailed_Hawk_(45812546121).jpg
|type=Bird; buteo hawk
|scientific=''Buteo jamaicensis''
|regional=Red-tail; chickenhawk
|origin=Native resident with additional winter migrants
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=orange
|danger=Large raptor and aircraft-strike hazard around poles, thermals, open fields, and runway prey concentrations. Talons can seriously injure anyone attempting capture.
|description=This broad-winged hawk commonly perches on poles and trees overlooking open ground. Adults usually show a rusty red upper tail, though plumage varies greatly; the pale underside often has a dark belly band. Its descending scream is widely reused as a generic “eagle” sound in media.
|encounter=Do not approach or handle an injured hawk. Secure the area and contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator; report repeated hunting or perching within flight movement areas.
}}

===American kestrel===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=American kestrel
|image=American_Kestrel_(53468230687).jpg
|type=Bird; small falcon
|scientific=''Falco sparverius''
|regional=Kestrel; sparrow hawk
|origin=Native resident and winter visitor
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=yellow
|danger=Small aircraft-strike risk; an injured bird can puncture skin with its talons.
|description=American kestrels are small, colorful falcons that perch on wires or hover over open ground while hunting insects, lizards, and mice. Both sexes have two dark vertical marks on the face; males have blue-gray wings, while females are more uniformly rusty brown.
|encounter=Observe from a distance. For an injured bird, contain access to the area and call a permitted rehabilitator rather than attempting bare-handed capture.
}}

==Ponds, creeks, and wet ground==

===Great blue heron===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Great blue heron
|image=GreatBlueHeronInARiver.jpg
|type=Bird; large wading bird
|scientific=''Ardea herodias''
|regional=Blue heron; great blue heron
|origin=Native
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=orange
|danger=Very large bird and substantial aircraft-strike hazard near ponds, ditches, and flight paths. A cornered or injured heron can drive its spear-like bill toward the eyes.
|description=Great blue herons are tall gray-blue birds with long legs, an S-curved neck, and a heavy yellowish bill. They stand motionless at water edges before striking fish, frogs, snakes, and rodents. In flight the neck is folded back and the legs trail well behind the tail.
|encounter=Never attempt bare-handed rescue or crowd an injured bird. Keep people away and call a permitted wildlife rehabilitator; report repeated use of water features near flight operations.
}}

===Green heron===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Green heron
|image=Green_heron_(Butorides_virescens),_South_Padre_Island,_Texas,_USA_(cropped).jpg
|type=Bird; small wading bird
|scientific=''Butorides virescens''
|regional=Green heron
|origin=Native summer resident and migrant; some may remain through mild winters
|status=Federally protected migratory bird; not federally listed
|risk=yellow
|danger=Usually secretive, but any concentrated bird activity around drainage ponds or movement areas deserves attention for flight safety.
|description=Green herons are compact, short-legged herons with a dark green-black cap and back, chestnut neck, and thick daggerlike bill. They crouch along pond and creek edges and sometimes drop insects, feathers, or other bait to attract fish.
|encounter=Give it space and preserve vegetated water edges where compatible with operations. Do not approach a nest colony or try to catch an injured bird without professional direction.
}}

===Black-bellied whistling-duck===
{{Wildlife entry
|name=Black-bellied whistling-duck
|image=Whistling_duck_flight02_-_natures_pics-edit1.jpg
|type=Bird; tree duck
|scientific=''Dendrocygna autumnalis''
|regional=Whistler; black-bellied whistling-duck
|origin=Native; range has expanded northward in Texas
|status=Federally protected migratory game bird; Texas regulations apply
|risk=orange
|danger=Large, noisy flocks near ponds, rooftops, fields, and runways are a significant aircraft-strike hazard.
|description=These long-legged chestnut ducks have a black belly, gray face, bright pink bill, and a bold white wing patch visible in flight. Their whistled calls carry at night, and they often perch in trees, nest in cavities, and travel in tight groups between water and feeding areas.
|encounter=Do not feed them or allow grain and standing-water attractants near flight operations. Report regular flock routes, roosts, and movement-area incursions through the wildlife-hazard procedure.
}}

==Sources==
* [https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_p4505_0047h.pdf Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Lockhart State Park bird checklist]
* [https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0869.pdf Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Birds of the Oaks and Prairies and Osage Plains of Texas]
* [https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/resources/texas-junior-naturalists/regions/prairies-and-lakes Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Prairies and Lakes wildlife]
* [https://www.fws.gov/story/bird-nests U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: legal protection of bird nests]
* [https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap7_section_5.html Federal Aviation Administration: bird hazards and flight safety]
* [https://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/wildlife Federal Aviation Administration: wildlife-hazard mitigation and strike reporting]
* [https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/vulture.pdf USDA APHIS: managing black-vulture damage]

[[Category:Wildlife of Proto-Town]]