Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge24518 FM 1431, Box 1Marble Falls, Texas 78654512/339-9432512/339-9453 FAX

Texas State Relay Service1 800/735-2989

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicehttp://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/texas/balcones/index.htm

For Refuge Information1 800/344-WILD

Revised July 2003

Cover photograph of a Golden-cheeked Warbler© M. Lockwood. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

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If future generationsare to remember usmore with gratitudethan with sorrow, wemust achieve morethan the miracles oftechnology. We mustalso leave them with aglimpse of the world asit was created, not justas it looked when wegot through with it.

Lyndon B. Johnson

This blue goose, designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, hasbecome a symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Welcome:EndangeredSongbirdDestination

Wildlife:Melting Pot ForRarities

I hear him…over there!”Birdwatchers exclaim in hushedwhispers as a Black-capped Vireopops up from the shin oak thicket.Hidden within the observation deck,the visitors gaze through binocularsat their first sighting of the raresongbird—only 20 feet away.

Balcones Canyonlands NationalWildlife Refuge offers some of thebest birdwatching and habitat left inTexas for two endangeredsongbirds—the Black-capped Vireoand the Golden-cheeked Warbler.Less than an hour from bustlingAustin, the Texas Hill Countryinvites visitors to slow down andenjoy the tranquil beauty.

When you enter BalconesCanyonlands NWR, you may notrealize that these hills carpeted injuniper and hardwood trees fall atthe juncture of the Great Plains andthe Gulf Coast bioregions. Life atnature’s intersections tends to berich and unusual. Add the unusuallimestone geology of the EdwardsPlateau and it’s not surprising to findplants and animals adapted to livehere and nowhere else.

Juniper-Oak Woods at BalconesCanyonlands NWR

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The more than 700 plant speciesinclude the Texabama Croton,discovered here only in 1989. Atleast a third of the state’s threatenedand endangered species live ormigrate through the area.

If you surveyed BalconesCanyonlands NWR from theviewpoint of a circling turkey vultureyou’d see that the refuge alsostraddles the divide between theColorado and Brazos watersheds.

Mountain PinkChuck Sexton/FWS

Post Oak Ridge

An Aerial View

Photograph by Larry Narcisse, FWS

The canyons facing Austin are deeplyetched by erosion from the ColoradoRiver tributaries. This ruggedterrain features old Ashe juniper andoak woodlands that constitute someof the best Golden-cheeked Warblerhabitat.

The Brazos River tributaries to thenorth cut only wide valleys. Here,the refuge foothills ease intosavannahs. The open countrysupports oak shinneries (head-highthickets) that are vital to the Black-capped Vireo.

Both endangered songbirds face acommon dilemma. They depend onvery specialized habitats to make aliving, and those places grow fewerby the day in the wake ofdevelopment and human activity.That’s why this refuge has a criticalrole to play in both preserving andrestoring their homes.

Beneath the homes of songbirds liesa mysterious labyrinth of cavesinhabited by other creatures living inperpetual darkness. The caves,cracks, fissures, sinkholes anddisappearing streams form alandscape known as “karst.” Thinkof karst as a honeycomb sculpted bywater gradually dissolving thecalcium carbonate bedrock oflimestone.

Ringtails and raccoons retreat intocave entrances for shelter. Cliffchirping frogs and whitethroat slimysalamanders squeeze into moistcrevices. Cave crickets and daddylonglegs live within caves, but leaveto feed and return. Some spiders,beetles and pseudoscorpions nevercome out to the light, living all theirlives in reclusive darkness.

UndergroundWorld

Mid-MarchMale Golden-cheeked Warblers trillfrom the Spanish and live oaks,tirelessly courting femalesthroughout the day. No matter thatthe tiny birds have just flown fromthe highlands of Mexico and CentralAmerica. When the females arrive afew days later, they barely catchtheir breath before choosing a mate.Listen for the male’s courtship tuneof bzz-bzz-bzz-bzz-up!

Mid-April to Late MayMales shift to defending territorieswith a LAY-zee-DAY-zee song,warming up before sunrise, and thenagain in mid-morning. Femalesweave nests of Ashe juniper barkstrips (found only on the maturetrees) and downy cobwebs, cocoonsand animal hair. The three to fourcreamy eggs hatch in close to12 days.

June to Mid-JulyYou won’t hear much singing as theadults keep busy feeding insects totheir young for about a month,despite the nestlings’ ability to flyat nine days. By mid-July wholefamilies are winging south againtowards Mexico and CentralAmerica.

Golden-cheekedWarblerA Watcher’sCalendar

Golden-cheeked Warbler withcowbird chick

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Look for lone birds and familygroups; warblers flock with otherspecies after nesting. Your chances ofseeing a Golden-cheeked Warbler aremuch higher if you learn their song.

Late-March to Mid-AprilThe shin oaks brim with the bubblingsongs of fresh arrivals from the westcoast of Mexico. Male Black-cappedVireos set up territories they willdefend throughout the breedingseason.

Mid-April to Mid-MayUnlike the Golden-cheeked Warblers,both male and female construct asingle nest. The low-slung, thick-walled nest lined with cocoons,spider webs and fine grasses is soonready for the female to lay usuallyfour eggs. Visit the Shin OakObservation Deck for a great view ofexcellent vireo habitat.

Mid-May to SeptemberNestlings hatch after a couple ofweeks and can leave the nest inanother two weeks. The youngstersstick close to their nests and adultsthroughout the summer until thevireos migrate south.

Black-cappedVireoA Watcher’sCalendar

Black-capped Vireo male at nest

BalconeswildflowersChuck Sexton/FWS

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Viewing Tip

Miss the Golden-cheeked Warblerseason? Slow down and enjoyseasonal highlights and everydaylife at the refuge, from monarchbutterflies sipping fall wildflowersto white-tailed deer browsing inmeadows.

A visitor catching their first glimpseof a male painted bunting on atreetop is often pleasantly startled.The refuge harbors a healthypopulation of these dazzling birdshere in the heart of their range,along with more than 215 birdspecies part or all year. Almost halfare neotropical migrants that breedin the U.S. and winter south of theborder.

Fiery Skipper onfrostweedChuck Sexton/FWS

Wildlife In EverySeason…

Painted Bunting© Greg Lasley

Birdwatching

Roadsides and prairies transform tobrilliant wildflower gardens eachspring and fall, accenting theemerald, olive and forest green ofthe Hill Country woods. The flowersin turn attract a myriad ofbutterflies. In summer, at least30 species of dragonflies zip acrossponds, streams and meadows in hotpursuit of their insect prey.

Thousands of monarch butterfliesand hawks migrate south throughthis refuge in fall, the butterfliesfinding fuel from wildflowers, thehawks riding thermals and warmupdrafts along sharp ridges. If youare lucky you might spot a speedyperegrine falcon or a Mississippi kite.

Hairstreak onTexabamaCroton FlowerChuck Sexton/FWS

Wildflowers andHill CountryScenery

Fall Flocks

Prescribed burn on the refuge.FWS Photograph

As the refuge staff diligently work torestore nature’s cycles to prairie andsavannah, visitors can expect to seeand enjoy more Hill Country wildlife.Work crews prune and conduct a burnin the oak shinnery to match theneeds of the Black-capped Vireo.They plant shin oaks to establish newvireo habitat in suitable areas, andencourage native grasses, such aslittle bluestem, that will becomenesting, feeding and wintering areasfor many birds.

Scientists now know that all fire isnot bad for nature. Beforesettlement, lightning stormsfrequently sparked fires thatrejuvenated both grasses and theshin oak community. Today,grasslands and savannah are startingto thrive again, thanks to a carefullymanaged prescribed burningprogram. Fire, too, keeps the shinoak in the brushy, low-growing statethe vireos require for nesting. Gazeacross a sea of wild prairie and it’seasy to imagine the days when herdsof bison thundered by.

Enhancing habitat for vireos is astart, but brown-headed cowbirdscan wreak havoc. Cowbirds lay theireggs in other birds’ nests, whichproved an excellent strategy for atraveling lifestyle following bisonherds. Today, cowbirds thrive in thecompany of livestock and people.Combine their abundance with thestruggling Black-capped Vireos andthe result spells trouble.

When a cowbird drops an egg in avireo’s nest, the tiny songbirdincubates that egg along with her’s.When the chicks hatch, the heartiercowbird often gets fed the most atthe expense of the vireo chicks. Therefuge solves the problem byremoving cowbirds from vireonesting areas to give the endangeredbirds a better chance for recovery.

Lending a Handfor Wildlife

Returning Fire

Cowbird Capers

Layers of limestone, up to 1,000 feetthick in some places, underlie therefuge lands. These layers wereformed over 60 million years agowhen central Texas was a shallowsea thriving with primitive fish andother wildlife. Fossils from thatperiod are found throughout theHill Country.

Arrowheads and chipped rocks serveas reminders of the aboriginalpeople who hunted and lived here forthousands of years, relying on bison,deer, small game and wild harvests.The Tonkawa and Jumano peopledwelled in this region prior to thearrival of the Apaches andComanches in the late 1600s andearly 1700s. These Plains tribes soondominated life on the EdwardsPlateau until overwhelmed by thethousands of settlers who migratedto Texas after 1848, at the end of theMexican War.

Isolated communities cropped up intoday’s Balcones Canyonlands NWRby the end of the 1800s. These “cedarchoppers” and cotton farmers earneda subsistence living until the late1940s, when a ranching economytook hold. Paved roads drew visitorsto the reservoirs formed by ColoradoRiver dams.

Doeskin Ranch Corn CribRob Iski/FWS

History

Things to Do atthe Refuge

As you drive the refuge perimeter,you’ll pass by weathered, leaninghomesteads. Imagine the stories ofthe families who cultivated the landand sent their children to one-roomschoolhouses. When exploring,please leave all artifacts where youfind them and help preserve acultural legacy.

For a Balcones Canyonlands NWRoverview, take a Hill Country tourstarting at the gateway refugecommunity of Lago Vista and hikethe nearby trails of Warbler Vista.Afterwards, head north to the townof Liberty Hill. Drive slowly alongscenic Cow Creek, enjoying views of750-foot thick Cretaceous limestoneand terraces that gave the refuge itsname, translated from the Spanishword for “balconies.” Halfwaythrough your trip, stop at DoeskinRanch for hikes along a stream andup the hillside into Golden-cheekedWarbler country. The Shin OakObservationDeck rests at thenorthern tip, about nine miles westof Liberty Hill. Allow a leisurely fullday.

A corn crib, water trough, cattlepens and a stock pond hint at earlierdays when horses kicked up dust,cows grazed and families plantedgardens and cotton. Today, the oldranch offers a place to experienceboth the culture and nature of therefuge on foot. Towering live oaksrise above frostweed that flowers infall, just in time for the monarchs tofind the nectar they need for theirflight to Mexico.

Foot trails weave through the forest,allowing visitors to enter primeGolden-cheeked Warbler habitat.Hikers will be rewarded with viewsof Lake Travis and the surroundinghills.

Doeskin Ranch

Warbler Vista

Viewing Tips

Dawn and dusk are the besttimes to see wildlife. Activity islowest on hot summerafternoons and on windy days.

Remember, some animals can bedangerous when cornered orthreatened. For your safety,view wildlife from a safedistance and never try to handlean animal. Leave “abandoned”young animals alone; the parentis probably nearby waiting foryou to leave.

Do not feed wildlife; your lunchcould disrupt wild digestivesystems.

Cars make good observationblinds. Drive slowly, stopping toscan brushy areas and otherplaces wildlife might hide. Usebinoculars or a long lens for acloser look.

Try sitting quietly in one spot.Animals will come out of hidingonce they think you are gone.Walk quietly in designatedareas, keying in on sounds andsmells.

Teach children quietobservation. Other wildlifewatchers will appreciate yourconsideration.

Look for animal signs, such astracks, scat, feathers and nests.

Watch for birds along the flowingwaters of Doeskin Branch. Walkthrough waist-high native grassesin the meadows. Climb up a ridgethrough the forest home of theGolden-cheeked Warbler. Emergeon a windswept plateau overlookingthe refuge.

Viewers are welcome to stay andwatch and listen for Black-cappedVireos from the comfort of a gazebo-style viewing deck set in the oakshinnery. The deck opens in lateApril, after the birds have set upnesting territories. Yellow-breastedChats, Painted Buntings and othercolorful songbirds add to the visualand sensory feast.

Shin OakObservationDeck

Cactus RocksTrail at WarblerVista offers ashady place towalk in Golden-cheeked Warblerhabitat.Rob Iski/FWS

The refuge offers limited hunting forbig game and game birds. Youthhunts for 16 years old and youngerare also offered. Contact the Refugedirectly for more information.Firearms may only be brought ontothe refuge during these legal hunts.

Balcones Canyonlands NWR is ayoung refuge in need of growingspace. The refuge set a proposedborder that could encompass 80,000acres of Texas Hill Country. The taskof acquiring more land is far fromfinished. Tracts of refuge lands rangefrom 16-acre to 7,800-acre parcels.The challenge remains to link thetracts and protect as many pieces aspossible. The Refuge ComprehensiveConservation Plan features a numberof protection strategies, including

Hunting

Future of theRefuge

acquiring parcels from willing sellersonly, purchasing conservationeasements and offering privatelandowner initiatives.

The Refuge is open from sunrise tosunset. However, some areas may betemporarily closed to the public toallow for other activities likeprescribed burning or hunting.Visitors may pick up information atthe Refuge Office on FM 1431 or fromthe Lago Vista Chamber ofCommerce on FM 1431 and Bar-KRoad (next to the school). To reachthe Refuge Office from Lago Vista, gowest on FM 1431 for 5 miles pastthe intersection with Bar-K Road.If you are coming west on FM 1431,the office will be one mile from theintersection with Cow Creek Road.The office is on the north side of thehighway.

Guided nature walks are availableduring special events.

Meeting YourNeeds

View of refugefrom Cow CreekRoadFWS Photograph

Bill Reiner/FWS

When visiting the refuge, nearbyLower Colorado River Authoritysites offer camping, picnicking andboating. Lago Vista, on the shoresof Lake Travis, offers both foodand lodging.

Please help us take care of our TexasHill Country heritage. To safeguardthe endangered wildlife and uniquehabitats of Balcones CanyonlandsNWR, we do not allow camping,fishing, pets, alcoholic beverages,firearms, open fires and collecting ofplants, animals, fossils or artifacts.The use of electronic devices to callbirds is strictly prohibited.

Friends of Balcones CanyonlandsNWR is a non-profit organizationwhose mission is to support,complete, and enhance the refuge andits diverse ecology, and promote itsuse for recreational, educational, andscientific purposes.

To find out how to participate as aFriend, or to learn about othervolunteer opportunities, contact therefuge or the Friends group directlyat www.friendsofbalcones.org.

Help Us Protectthe Refuge

Friends ofBalconesCanyonlandsNWR

Guided nature walks are availableduring special events.Bill Reiner/FWS

The refuge is about 45 minutes fromAustin. Take U.S. Highway 183 northfrom Austin, then go west on FM1431 to Lago Vista to reach thesouthern end. Warbler Vista PublicUse Area is just a couple minuteswest of Lago Vista on the north sideof FM 1431.

Or continue north on Highway 183ten more miles to Seward Junctionand follow Texas Highway 29 twomiles to Liberty Hill. Take FM 1869west approximately 9 miles to reachthe Shin Oak Observation Deck.

The hiking trails at the DoeskinRanch Public Use Area are locatedon FM 1174. After visiting theobservation deck, continue west onFM 1869 about 1 mile, turn left at theintersection with FM 1174 and gosouth for about 2.3 miles. DoeskinRanch is on the east side of the road.

1992

20,000 acres as of 2003

To conserve nesting habitat for theendangered Golden-cheeked Warblerand Black-capped Vireo.

BalconesCanyonlandsNWRFacts

Where is it?

When was itestablished?

How big is it?

Why is it here?

Pond and PrairieTrail Overlook atDoeskin Ranch.Rob Iski/FWS