Logo design by Javier Salas
Mark your calendar!
September 19–26, 2026
Are you with an organization that's interested in participating in Houston Bird Week? Submit an application by August 1st!
Join us at the 8th annual Houston Bird Week!
Did you know that over 500 bird species rely on Houston and the Upper Texas Coast for their survival? This is because of our vital location along the journey for hundreds of thousands of birds traveling from South and Central America during spring migration. Every year, these birds undergo a strenuous 600+ mile non-stop trip over the Gulf, and the first land they reach is the Upper Texas Coast. By that time, they're exhausted from a 20+ hour flight and in desperate need of rest and sustenance to refuel. That's why habitat protection is so critical to wildlife.
Conserving habitat is essential—but rallying our community is just as critical. That’s why we launched Houston Bird Week in 2019! It’s a week-long celebration designed to bring everyone together for the love of birds. Whether you're interested in guided bird walks, birding on bikes, or trivia night, there’s something for everyone.
Mark Your Calendar:
- September 19: Kickoff Party at Frost Town Brewing: Join us for the reveal of this year's official Bird Beer! Plus, for the first time ever, take part in our tattoo fundraiser (temporary tattoos available for a lower commitment option!)
- September 26: Family-Friendly Community Party: Help us wrap up the week with a huge celebration—including the exciting launch of our new name and brand!
Follow us on social media and be sure to use #HoustonBirdWeek when you post! @HoustonAudubon.
What is a Bird City?
In 2020, Houston was proud to be certified as one of the inaugural four Texas cities honored with the Bird City designation by Audubon Texas and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
This community-focused certification recognizes cities taking bold steps to protect birds and their habitats. Houston earned this honor through widespread community efforts, including habitat protection and restoration, bird-friendly educational programming, and leading the Lights Out for Birds initiative to protect night-migrating species.
If you have any questions, please email birdweek@houstonaudubon.org.
History of Houston Bird Week
Houston Bird Week was started in 2019 by Houston Audubon's inaugural Young Professionals Advisory Council (YPAC) to commemorate Houston Audubon's 50th anniversary. As the group brainstormed ideas for their annual project, the consensus was that they could do it all in one week. In addition to a week of events, the group successfully executed a city-wide competition to determine the Bird of Houston, which was made official with a proclamation by the City of Houston Mayor's Office. That is how the beautiful Yellow-crowned Night-Heron became the official Bird of Houston! They also launched a wonderful partnership with Bakfish Brewing Co. to have a custom "bird beer" whose sales would support Houston Audubon's mission of bird conservation. Our YPAC has continued to coordinate a very exciting Houston Bird Week every September since then.
Pictured L-R: Wes Gapp, Alex Kneubehl, Hannah Muegge, Andrew Martinez, Amanda Woomer, Stuart Nelson, Dana Scanes, Tony Dang, Taylor Rhoades, Daniel Crump, Zineera Seth Chong, Anna Vallery, Patrick Bolgren
Inaugural YPAC (2019):
Patrick Bolgren
Daniel Crump
Tony Dang
Claire Everett
Wes Gapp
Cassidy Kempf
Alexander Kneubehl
Andrew Martinez
Hannah Muegge
Stuart Nelson
Christina Neveu
Andy Newman
Carl Nooteboom
Shantelle Patterson
Taylor Rhoades
Dana Scanes
Amanda Woomer
Staff Co-Founders (2018): Zineera Seth Chong & Anna Vallery
