Plain Chachalacas are quite common and easy to see at Santa Ana NWR, my home base for my week long fact finding tour of the LRGV.
The predominant habitat community at Santa Ana NWR has been described as Mid-valley riparian woodland, this is essentially a bottomland hardwood community dominated by cedar elms, Berlandier ash and sugar hackberry, all draped in Spanish Moss.
The managed oxbow wetlands, known locally as Resacas, are important habitat for many wetlands birds, like this Tricolored Heron.
More examples of the great diversity of butterflies found in the LRGV, from top, Tawny Emporer, Carolina Satyr, Clouded Skipper, Fiery Skipper, Teleas Longtail, Western Pygmy Blue (probably the worlds' smallest butterfly, and Clytie Ministreak.
The LRGV is home to several species of native cats. The Ocelot and Jaguarandi are both federally endangered and extremely difficult to see. Bobcats however are quite a lot more common, I actually saw them on multiple occassions on my evening hikes around Santa Ana.
Everywhere in the valley you are reminded that Mexico is literally only just across the river. This is of course both a blessing and a curse. Just another one of the many issues in a complicated land.
Black Mangroves along the mouth of the Rio Grande provide the farthest south habitat for Seaside Sparrows, as well as habitat for Mangrove Warblers, a distinctive race of the Yellow Warbler, that may warrent species status.
The LRGV national wildlife refuges and associated Word Bird Centers, provide some of the best remainging habitat in the United States for many birds of more tropical origins. These include the above Groove-billed Ani, as well as the Gray Hawk, adult and nest with nestlings pictured above. Without these areas, many of the birds that draw thousands of birders and millions of ecotourism dollars in the LRGV region each year would lose their foothold in the United States.