The Lower Rio Grande Valley of southernmost Texas is as venerable a birding area as any in the country. Iconic species like Plain Chachalaca, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Great Kiskadee, and Green Jay headline a list of specialty birds found here and nowhere else north of the U.S.-Mexico border. It is the unique nature of the region’s avifauna, with its hint of the Tropics, that draws birders and naturalists from all over. Yet, this magical area has more to offer than the usual delights most birders think of when considering a trip here, for the “Valley” is also rife with historical and cultural attractions and a cuisine that exemplifies the area’s remarkably varied influences.

In January 2025, VENT will debut a brand-new tour: South Texas in Style—an innovative program that offers a new way, a fuller way, to experience the pleasures of the Rio Grande Valley. Our creative itinerary emphasizes all of the area’s specialty birds and the famous places in which they are found, but unlike most traditional tours here, this program is balanced with cultural and other highlights. Stays in fine hotels, gourmet food, visits to museums and historical sites, and two private boat trips are among this trip’s many attributes. Whether coming to the Valley for the first time or as a returning visitor, this wintertime tour with its incredible birding, cultural high points, lovely accommodations, diverse cuisine, and generally pleasant weather conditions is a must!

Please join us for the next installment in the VENT Webinar series as VENT tour leader Brad McKinney showcases South Texas in Style: A New Way to Experience the Rio Grande Valley. Brad is a longtime resident of the Valley and knows the birds, locations, and culinary secrets of this dynamic region as well as anyone. He is the ideal person to lead this outstanding new tour.

The webinar will begin Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 11:00 am PDT/12:00 pm MDT/1:00 pm CDT/2:00 pm EDT.