Rare Visitor Seen In Texas Again For The First Time Since 1961! Birders Are Calling It One of The Rarest Sightings In State History.
— By Ariana Garcia, Assistant News Editor | September 17, 2025
A Double-Striped Thick-Knee was spotted in Texas on Sunday, marking its second recorded appearance in the state since 1961. Dania Sanchez
Birders across Texas dropped everything this past weekend when a once-in-a-lifetime sighting was reported in Wilson County: a double-striped thick-knee—a rare and strange-looking shorebird not seen in the state since 1961.
The bird was spotted on Sunday on private land near the town of Nixon, where it was first noticed by the property owner's grandchildren. Sensing it was something out of the ordinary, the family alerted Ginger Coleman, who shared a photo of the bird in a local birding Facebook group. What followed was a statewide scramble.
The Double-Striped Thick-Knee was spotted on a private property in Wilson County. Dania Sanchez
"I was sitting at home when I saw the message and quickly got dressed and got on the road with two other local birders," local birdwatcher Dania Sanchez told Chron. She wasn't alone. Birders traveled from across the state—Sanchez and her companions drove in from Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Harlingen—to try and catch a glimpse of a bird that had appeared in Texas only once before, more than six decades ago.
Native to a swath of territory stretching from Southern Mexico through Central America and parts of Northern South America, the double-striped thick-knee typically inhabits dry pastures and open spaces. It's a striking bird—tall, with long legs and a neck, large eyes, and a short, thick bill. Though considered a shorebird, it favors grasslands over coasts and is most active at night. By day, it often shelters in shady spots, eyes half-lidded against the sun.
This particular thick-knee appeared healthy, alert, and vocal—though perhaps a little bewildered by the sudden attention. Those who arrived early in the day got the best views. "This one was alert, maybe a little confused, but healthy and able to vocalize and fly," Sanchez noted.
As the day wore on and crowds grew—over 40 birders in total—the bird became harder to spot, remaining mostly hidden in a mesquite thicket. As darkness fell, it took flight, offering those who stayed late a final reward: "It flew over us to an open field where the remainder of the birders who stayed late got a treat and saw it for 20 minutes, then we all left," Sanchez said.
Birders from all over Texas headed to Nixon on Sunday to try and catch and glimpse of the Double-Striped Thick-Knee. Dania Sanchez
Others weren't so lucky. Birders from across Texas and even other states made the pilgrimage to Nixon, but many missed their chance. For Sanchez, though, the long drive paid off. The thick-knee became her 531st "lifer" for Texas, and No. 604 for the Lower 48. She considers it one of the most significant birds she's ever seen in the state.
"Definitely one of the top six mega rarities in Texas," she said, listing it alongside legends like the Mercedes southern lapwing, the Galveston yellow-headed caracara, the Anahuac Amur stonechat, the Brownsville gray-collared becard, and the Corpus Christi cattle tyrant.
The Double-Striped Thick-Knee has long legs and a neck, large yellow eyes, and a short, thick bill. Dania Sanchez
The only previous Texas record was from 1961 on the King Ranch in Kleberg County. The thick-knee sighting isn't the only birding surprise this month. Earlier this month, a snail kite—another species native to Central and South America—was spotted in Fort Bend County. Typically found only in Florida within the U.S., this marked just the sixth time the endangered raptor had been recorded in Texas.
