Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park is mainly famous for the different variety of birds that it contains. It is a 600-acre area in order to preserve native flora and fauna of lower Rio Grande Valley. Many people come to this park in winter mainly to enjoy its diverse bird life and subtropical climate.

The 760-acre Bentsen-RGV State Park, together with over 1,700 acres of adjoining federal refuge land, promises all the year around nature adventures in the richest birding area north of the Mexican border. This park is exactly situated in southern Texas, adjacent to the Mexico border and it is now considered the best of the Rio Grande Valley parks. It is also the Headquarters of the World Birding Center.

Flora and Fauna
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park features more than 325 species of birds and over 250 species of butterflies on 760 acres of riparian woodland. The neo-tropical varieties such as Ferruginous Pygmy-owl and Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet are also likely. Virtual clouds of migrating Swainson’s and Broad-winged Hawks are a popular spring and fall spectacle.

Some other varieties of birds that can be seen in this place are Ringed kingfisher, hook-billed kite, tropical parula, broad-winged hawk, red-billed pigeon and green kingfisher.

Activities
The park provides a chance to study unique plants, animals and birds of the region. You can witness amazing hawk migrations, and enjoy bird walks and natural history tours at this key migratory stopover. Visitors to the park have opportunities to enjoy camping, hiking along nature trails, picnicking, bird watching, nature study, boating and fishing. There is also a new Hawk Preservation Tower which you must visit while you are staying at this park.

Facilities
This place provides a number of facilities to the visitors. The park features nature trails, a hawk tower, birding blinds and viewing stations, primitive camping sites, tram tours and numerous opportunities for bird and wildlife photography. Here you will also find an exhibit hall, gift shop, coffee bar, meeting room and administrative offices. The two-story observation tower gives visitors a bird’s-eye view of the canopy as well as a peek into Mexico.

Some other amenities are restrooms with showers, picnic sites with tables, grills and water, pull-through campsites with water, electricity and sewer hookups.

If you really want to get up close and personal with wildlife then this is the place for you. The beauty of this park is very pure that would surely help you to carry back good memories.

Tags: activities, bentsen-rio grande valley, flora and fauna