Texas is home to 10 different Gould’s ecoregions as seen on the map below. Ecoregions are areas of land that share similar climate, topography and soils. In this series, we will dive into each of Texas’ 10 ecoregions one Critter Connections issue at a time. Next up – the Gulf Prairies!
Just under 3% of Texas' land area is covered in surface water, but don't let that fool you. Texas' waterways are full of life - from fish, to salamanders, to turtles and sharks, and even humans. In the spring and summer, you can find Texans passing the time on our state's waterways through activities like fishing, swimming, kayaking, and photography. Texas has many different waterways like streams and rivers, swamps and marshes, bayous and lakes, and even the deep open water of the Gulf of Mexico. No matter how big or small, each water body has different features and characteristics that make up an ecosystem for different plants and wildlife. The critters that live in these waters have certain adaptations that allow them to survive in their environments.
Our backyards can be home to many different species of wildlife. There are over six hundred species of birds native to Texas, many of which take advantage of the mild climate, where it is not too hot and not too cold most of the year, and stay here year-round, although many will fly to warmer or cooler climates during winter and summer. When a bird flies to a warmer or cooler climate, it is called migration. Most migratory birds will fly south to warmer climates in Central and South America when it is fall and winter in North America, and then they will fly north again when North America is warmer here. Many people can enjoy observing birds that visit their own backyards throughout the year. Some people choose to provide the birds with food, water and shelter to help replace native habitat that is lost when new neighborhoods are built.
Migration is the seasonal movement of animals from one place to another. Animals migrate for different reasons. As temperatures drop in winter, food availability may become scarce so they will migrate to a region with more food and warmer temperatures. Animals also migrate to find a mate and some migrate to have babies.
There are two species of pelican in Texas, the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican. They are similar in some ways and different in others. Pelicans are aquatic birds that are found near water in coastal habitats, such as the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas.
Texas is home to one species of otter called the North American River Otter. They are found in Eastern Texas and much of the Eastern United States and throughout Canada. Otters are mammals related to and in the same scientific family as badgers, ferrets and weasels.
Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from one flower to another so the plant can produce fruit. This is an important step in a plant’s life cycle. Flowers rely on something called a vector to transfer pollen. Plants can be pollinated by non-living factors such as wind and water, but most plants are pollinated by animals. These are all examples of vectors.
The roadrunner is a bird named because of its ability to run quickly. Roadrunners are in the cuckoo family. In Latin, the scientific name Geococcyx californianus actually means Californian earth-cuckoo. In Texas we have the Greater Roadrunner, one of two species or types of roadrunners found in the world. The other type, the Lesser Roadrunner, lives in Central America and Mexico. Greater Roadrunners live year-round in the southwestern part of the United States, across Texas and Oklahoma and into Mexico.
Texas is home to 10 different Gould’s ecoregions as seen on the map below. Ecoregions are areas of land that share similar climate, topography and soils. In this series, we will dive into each of Texas’ 10 ecoregions one Critter Connections issue at a time. Next up – the Gulf Prairies! 
Just under 3% of Texas' land area is covered in surface water, but don't let that fool you. Texas' waterways are full of life - from fish, to salamanders, to turtles and sharks, and even humans. In the spring and summer, you can find Texans passing the time on our state's waterways through activities like fishing, swimming, kayaking, and photography. Texas has many different waterways like streams and rivers, swamps and marshes, bayous and lakes, and even the deep open water of the Gulf of Mexico. No matter how big or small, each water body has different features and characteristics that make up an ecosystem for different plants and wildlife. The critters that live in these waters have certain adaptations that allow them to survive in their environments. 
Our backyards can be home to many different species of wildlife. There are over six hundred species of birds native to Texas, many of which take advantage of the mild climate, where it is not too hot and not too cold most of the year, and stay here year-round, although many will fly to warmer or cooler climates during winter and summer. When a bird flies to a warmer or cooler climate, it is called migration. Most migratory birds will fly south to warmer climates in Central and South America when it is fall and winter in North America, and then they will fly north again when North America is warmer here. Many people can enjoy observing birds that visit their own backyards throughout the year. Some people choose to provide the birds with food, water and shelter to help replace native habitat that is lost when new neighborhoods are built. 
Migration is the seasonal movement of animals from one place to another. Animals migrate for different reasons. As temperatures drop in winter, food availability may become scarce so they will migrate to a region with more food and warmer temperatures. Animals also migrate to find a mate and some migrate to have babies. 
There are two species of pelican in Texas, the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican. They are similar in some ways and different in others. Pelicans are aquatic birds that are found near water in coastal habitats, such as the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. 
Texas is home to one species of otter called the North American River Otter. They are found in Eastern Texas and much of the Eastern United States and throughout Canada. Otters are mammals related to and in the same scientific family as badgers, ferrets and weasels. 
Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from one flower to another so the plant can produce fruit. This is an important step in a plant’s life cycle. Flowers rely on something called a vector to transfer pollen. Plants can be pollinated by non-living factors such as wind and water, but most plants are pollinated by animals. These are all examples of vectors. 
The roadrunner is a bird named because of its ability to run quickly. Roadrunners are in the cuckoo family. In Latin, the scientific name Geococcyx californianus actually means Californian earth-cuckoo. In Texas we have the Greater Roadrunner, one of two species or types of roadrunners found in the world. The other type, the Lesser Roadrunner, lives in Central America and Mexico. Greater Roadrunners live year-round in the southwestern part of the United States, across Texas and Oklahoma and into Mexico.