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Welcome to Texas Century Club
What is the Texas Century Club PDF Print E-mail
Written by David Sarkozi   
Monday, 24 March 2008 16:05

What is the Texas Century Club?

Blackburnian Warbler at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

The Texas Century Club is a challenge sponsored by the Texas Ornithological Society to its members to record 100 species of birds in 100 Texas counties. Texas is big (254 counties) and most birders probably spend the majority of their time in less than 20 Texas counties. This is just under 8% of Texas counties!.

To stimulate the exploration of the birdlife in the other 92% of Texas counties The Texas Century Club was created. The idea is to get birders to record the birds in more than the traditional hot spots. To "bird your own patch". To explore the road less traveled.

There are several levels of award; 5, 10, 25, 50 and 75 counties before you reach the ultimate goal of 100 species in 100 counties. The five county award level is open to all birders. The higher levels of awards are open only to Texas Ornithological Society Members

Achieving 100 counties will take hard work and dedication, but its going to be fun. You'll find all birds become important to you, no more "trash birds". You'll see more and explore more of the state than you ever dreamed.

Join me, it's going to be fun!

David Sarkozi

Last Updated on Tuesday, 19 May 2009 12:07
 
County Totals PDF Print E-mail
Written by John B / David S   
Friday, 28 March 2008 22:41

How Many Birds Have been Reported in Each County?

Full Update 6/24 (Click on More)

eBird is just about the only source of recent consolidated records available to everyone.  A record 7,719 lists were submitted in Texas to ebird in Jun 2008. Over 7,000 lists were submitted in April, 2009. eBird also does a very good job of keeping your personal county records.

Above are 2 maps of Texas colored by number of species reported to Ebird. Counties in Blue have 200+ species reported. Counties in Green have 100-199 species reported. Counties in   Yellow have 25-99 species reported. Counties in White have 0-24 species reported. Top map is as of 3/22/09, Bottom map is as of 7/3/08.

Below is a table of the total species reported to each of the 254 counties through eBird. Added species between Apr - Dec 2008 in red) (Increases in 2009 in Blue). At bottom see list of counties categorized by number of species reported.

249 Counties (98% of Texas Counties) have added species since Mar, 2008!

Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 June 2009 22:59
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Most and Least Birded Counties PDF Print E-mail
Written by David Sarkozi   
Wednesday, 02 April 2008 10:23
Partial Update May 19, 2009-JB  

What are the most birded counties in Texas?

Twenty-Three (as of 3/23/09) counties have more than 300 species reported to ebird; Hildalgo, Cameron, Nueces, Travis, Bexar, Galveston, Brazoria, Harris, Aransas, Brewster, Chambers, Van Zandt, Tarrant, Starr, Calhoun, Kleberg, Hunt, Rains, Williamson, El Paso, Jefferson, Kenedy, Dallas. No surprise that most of these are population centers or major birding areas.  Hunt, Van Zandt and Rains Counties are the the three that don't fit that pattern. Looking at the the eBird first records for those three counties I see that one super birder (Richard Kinney) has imported more than 20 years of records. It's a great tribute to the value of keeping records.

What are the least birded counties in Texas?

There are now ZERO counties (as of 5/7/09) with fewer than 25 species reported to eBird:  Camp County in NE Texas was the last (Thanks Janie Henderson, Linda Wilkins, Anthony Hewetson, Charles Smith,Dan Symonds, Bill Lupardus for eliminating the last few)

However there are still 66 63 (as of 5/19/09) counties (including Camp) with fewer than 100 species reported. See totals by county in article above.

What's Possible?

I think that's a very interesting question. I've no doubt that 100 species is possible in every county. 191(upd 5/19/09) counties have more than 100 species reported already. Is 200 possible in all counties? 85 (upd 5/11/09) counties already have more than 200 species reported.

It really boils down to someone going there and birding and then reporting the results. I'm eyeing these under-birded counties for  a future trip to pad the records for these counties.

Last Updated on Thursday, 21 May 2009 21:19
 
254 County List Leaders PDF Print E-mail
Written by John Berner   
Thursday, 03 July 2008 17:25

Below is the top lister for each county in Texas. Texas' 254 counties are separated below into 8 Regional Groups. Please go the Regions Tab or click on an individual region below for other top listers in each county along with total species observed and birding locations.  Jan-Feb 2009 County List Leader Changes in Blue. Mar-Apr 2009 Leader Changes in Red. May-Jun changes in Green. July Changes in Purple. (Updated 7/1/09).

Please send updates and corrections to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

1.PANHANDLE  
CountyLeader#
Andrews Breden150
Armstrong Pierce106
Bailey Hewetson260
BordenHewetson103
BriscoeHewetson151
CarsonSare79
CastroHewetson111
ChildressDillon53
CochranHewetson146
Collingsworth Dillon122
Cottle Dillon33
Crosby Hewetson263
Dallam Pierce133
Dawson Hewetson131
Deaf Smith Hewetson85
Dickens Hewetson218
Donley Pierce216
Fisher Hewetson106
Floyd Hewetson187
Gaines Hewetson70
Garza Hewetson201
Gray Sare125
Hale Hewetson171
Hall Hewetson96
Hansford Sare111
Hartley Pierce154
Hemphill Sare147
Hockley Hewetson179
Howard Bumgardner148
Hutchinson Pierce172
Jones J.Packer182
Kent Hewetson190
King Hewetson78
Lamb Hewetson179
Lipscomb Dillon30
Lubbock Hewetson371
Lynn Hewetson175
Martin Lupardus85
Mitchell Hewetson126
Moore Sare126
Motley Hewetson191
Nolan Ruffin107
Ochiltree Hewetson55
Oldham Sare79
ParmerHewetson96
Potter Sare163
Randall Sare255
Roberts Farnsworth63
Scurry Hewetson138
Sherman Hill44
Stonewall Little49
Swisher Hewetson92
Taylor J.Packer255
Terry Hewetson154
Wheeler Sare46
YoakumHewetson170

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2.NO._CENTRAL  
CountyLeader#
ArcherLofland205
Baylor Currie/Little102
CallahanCurrie/Little106
ClayHewetson116
CollinGuernsey212
Cooke Little104
Dallas Little217
Denton Hodne195
Eastland Currie/Little102
Ellis Little121
Erath Currie/Little101
Fannin Trelc Jr.84
Foard Rustay36
Grayson Carnes206
Hardeman Kaspar100
Haskell Symonds54
Hood Currie/Little105
Hunt Kinney301
Jack Currie/Little105
Johnson Easley317
Kaufman Little131
Knox Hewetson87
Montague Currie/Little101
Palo Pinto Currie 111
ParkerLittle110
Rockwall Ringer68
Shackelford Little89
Somervell Easley217
Stephens Little104
Tarrant Hodne273
Throckmorton Currie/Little111
Wichita Lofland211
Wilbarger Currie103
Wise C&M Curry179
Young Little/Sullivan104
**************************************************

3.PINEYWOODS  
CountyLeader#
AndersonLittle140
Angelina Barnes85
Bowie Dillon201
CampDillon51
CassDillon182
CherokeeBarnes107
Delta Baltzegar165
Franklin Dillon66
Gregg O'Brien85
Hardin Cassidy139
Harrison Dillon206
Henderson Belssner187
Hopkins Dillon106
Houston Pierce61
Jasper Frank148
Lamar Hewetson65
Liberty Kessler202
Marion Dillon180
Montgomery Hodne