Gray Fox

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Abilene, Guadalupe River, Inks Lake, Monahans Sandhills, Hueco Tanks, Kickapoo Cavern

Texas is home to four types of foxes, but the gray fox is the one you’ll likely see. They’re found in almost every park and are active from twilight to just after sunrise. They’re the only fox that can climb , so you may spot one napping in the crook of a tree.     

Roseate Spoonbill

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Sea Rim, Goose Island, Galveston Island  

When you first see a roseate spoonbill you might mistake it for its cousin, the flamingo. Spoonbills feed in shallow water, and their striking pink color comes from shrimp and other food they find using their spoon-shaped bill. They’re found in all coastal parks and often nest in colonies with great egrets and other waterbirds.  

Raccoon

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Abilene, Tyler, Inks Lake, Village Creek, Mother Neff, Goose Island, Copper Breaks, Mission Tejas, Meridian, Lake Mineral Wells 

Raccoons are found at almost every park. Their front paws are loaded with nerve endings so they have a remarkably sensitive sense of touch. If you hear chittering sounds outside your tent at night, it’s likely raccoons searching for food. Don’t leave food or trash out overnight — it’s unsafe for you and them.   

Porcupine

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: South Llano River, Kickapoo Cavern, Pedernales Falls, Garner

The docile porcupine can be seen climbing trees or ambling about on the ground. Keep your sweat-soaked belongings out of reach because porcupines find them irresistible — sweaty backpack shoulder straps? Yummy! These quill-covered mammals are found mostly in parks in the western half of the state,including the Panhandle.  

Turtle

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: McKinney Falls, Palmetto, Galveston Island, Mustang Island, Martin Creek Lake, Bonham, Atlanta

Many types of turtles live in state parks. Look for red-eared sliders (pictured)sunning on rocks near fresh water. If you spot a turtle with a yellow starburst pattern walking down a trail, that’s an ornate box turtle. Green sea turtles (their shells are actually brown and yellow) are found around coastal parks. Watch for them in the water near seagrass, one of their favorite snacks.

Armadillo

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Lake Whitney, Lake Colorado City, Guadalupe River, Colorado Bend, Lost Maples, Fort Boggy, Buescher, Ray Roberts Lake

Texas is one of the few states where you’ll find armadillos. They have long, sticky tongues like their cousin, the anteater, and bony armor. Nine-banded armadillos always have identical quadruplets — watch for the pups tagging along with mom as she digs for insects. You’ll see them in parks across most of the state.   

Beaver

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Village Creek, Bonham, Ray Roberts Lake, Huntsville, Purtis Creek 

These furry lumberjacks usually come out at night to work on the dams they build out of sticks and mud. They also build lodges in the middle of ponds, where they live. Beavers use their flat tails for swimming and communication. They’re found in parks in the eastern half of Texas, mostly north of Austin.  

Woodpecker

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Atlanta, Martin Dies Jr., Lake Tawakoni, Bastrop, Palo Duro Canyon, Davis Mountains, Caddo Lake, Daingerfield, Goliad 

Woodpeckers are found in parks across the state, but two of the largest, the 18-inch-tall pileated woodpecker and the red-headed woodpecker (pictured), are found in forested state parks east of Interstate 35. Listen for them drumming on tree trunks and watch for a bright red cap.

Roadrunner

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Palo Duro Canyon, Cleburne, Abilene, Choke Canyon, Kickapoo Cavern  

Roadrunners are easy to spot because they have long legs, and you’re more likely to see them on the ground than in the air. While they don’t harass coyotes like their cartoon counterpart, they do eat rattlesnakes, other reptiles and rodents. You’ll find them in parks statewide, though they are more abundant in South and West Texas.

Owl

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Caddo Lake, Lockhart, Cedar Hill, Tyler, Brazos Bend, Government Canyon, Lake Brownwood, Bastrop, Big Bend Ranch, Choke Canyon 

A variety of owls live in parks all over the state. Listen for calls at night to help you find one. Great horned owls are about 2 feet tall, have feather tufts on their head and call hoot-hoot. The much smaller Eastern screech owls also have the tufts, but their call is like a horse whinny. Barred owls (pictured) are mid-sized with large black eyes, and they call whoo cooks for you?

Monarch

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: San Angelo, LBJ, Seminole Canyon, Brazos Bend, Lake Arrowhead

Millions of monarchs travel through Texas each spring and fall during their migration. In spring, you’ll find individual monarchs in parks throughout Texas. In fall, they pit-stop in parks mostly west of Interstate 35 and along the coast. If you’re lucky, you may witness hundreds resting together. Watch parks’ social media (tpwd.texas.gov/socialmedia) for sightings.

Hummingbird

LOOK FOR THEM AT THESE PARKS: Davis Mountains, South Llano River, Falcon, Estero Llano Grande, Bentsen-Rio Grande, Inks Lake 

From spring through early fall, hummingbirds hang out at parks across the state, drinking nectar from tubular flowers or at special feeders. These tiny aerial acrobats hover like helicopters, then zip off quickly. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the most common, but you might spot the rufous — a beautiful orange hummingbird.