Welcome
The crown jewel of Rio Grande Valley parks, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park well deserves its status as headquarters of the World Birding Center. Birders across the nation know “Bentsen” as a treasure trove of “Valley specialties” – those birds found nowhere else in the United States but deepest South Texas – and “Mexican vagrants” – rare visitors from across the Rio Grande. The 760-acre Bentsen-RGV State Park, together with over 1,700 acres of adjoining federal refuge land, promises year-round nature adventures in the richest birding area north of the Mexican border.

The Land
Constructed layer on layer by centuries of Rio Grande floods, the land at Bensten-RGV State Park is rich and fertile, shaded by Cedar Elm, Sugar Hackberry, Rio Grande Ash, Texas Ebony and Anaqua. As a remnant of the once heavily wooded Lower Rio Grande Valley, Bentsen is especially valuable. Re-creating the periodic flooding that built and nourished this land in past centuries is a major goal of the World Birding Center.

The Birds
As one of the larger tracts of Rio Grande floodplain forest remaining in this area, Bentsen is a magnet for the “Valley specialties” that make this park famous. Green Jays and Plain Chachalacas congregate regularly at feeding stations within the park. Other neo-tropical varieties such as Ferruginous Pygmy-owl and Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet are also likely. Virtual clouds of migrating Swainson’s and Broad-winged Hawks are a popular spring and fall spectacle.

Learn & Discover
Bentsen is base camp for many birding adventures within the park and elsewhere in the WBC system. Bird walks are a great opportunity for visitors to meet the wildlife in the park. Workshops and other seminars are also offered periodically by World Birding Center Staff and visiting ornithologists.

What’s Here
The newly constructed visitor’s center has a bilingual (English/ Spanish) exhibit hall, gift shop, coffee bar, meeting room and administrative offices - all of which are surrounded by butterfly gardens and hummingbird feeders. Visitors can take our transportation shuttle, ride bikes or walk through the park. A two-story observation tower gives visitors a bird’s-eye view of the canopy as well as a peek into Mexico. Two enclosed bird blinds and a birding wall allow visitors to see birds up close and watch their behaviors. Over six miles of trails with bird feeding stations and water features offer a variety of opportunities to encounter wildlife inside the park.