Bird watchers in Texas were thrilled on Sunday, Sept. 14, after a rare double-striped thick-knee was spotted in Wilson County — the first sighting of the species in the state in more than six decades.
The bird was discovered on private property near Nixon, about 40 miles southeast of San Antonio. The family who found it contacted Ginger Coleman, who then shared a photo in a local birding Facebook group, sparking excitement among Texas birding enthusiasts. The sighting was first reported by Chron.
Birder Dania Sanchez told the outlet she rushed out with two other local birders as soon as she heard the news. When she finally located the bird, Sanchez said, “This one was alert, maybe a little confused, but healthy and able to vocalize and fly.”
As more enthusiasts arrived, the bird became harder to spot, hiding in a nearby mesquite thicket. “It flew over us to an open field where the remainder of the birders who stayed late got a treat and saw it for 20 minutes, then we all left,” Sanchez explained.
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For her, the sighting was among the most remarkable in her birding experience. “Definitely one of the top six mega rarities in Texas,” she said, noting her previous encounters with the Mercedes southern lapwing, the Galveston yellow-headed caracara, the Anahuac Amur stonechat, the Brownsville gray-collared becard, and the Corpus Christi cattle tyrant.
While Sanchez and a lucky few got to witness the bird, many birders from Texas and beyond weren’t able to catch a glimpse.
According to eBird, the double-striped thick-knee is native to southern Mexico, Central America, and parts of northern South America. It typically inhabits dry pastures and open spaces, preferring grasslands over coastal areas. The bird is tall with long legs and a neck, large eyes, and a short, sturdy bill.
The last documented sighting of the species in Texas was back in 1961 in Kleberg County.
