The Sabinal
Birdhouse is natural Bird habitat. This site took years of
planning to keep the environment as natural as possible. Texas
Bird watching is great outdoor fun for whole family. Wear
comfortable clothing, bring your bird book, your check list and
camera. Be prepared to run into other wildlife. Some may not be
so friendly. Location is on the Sabinal River 3 miles northwest
of Sabinal and 60 miles west of San Antonio, TX. For details,
call Judy at 713-252-6883.
After several
years of careful planning, The Birdhouse is finally open! Sited
the first day were the Bewicks wren, black crested titmouse,
cactus wren, common ground dove, golden fronted woodpecker, house
finch, lark sparrow, long billed thrasher, mockingbird, northern
cardinal, northern harrier, orange crowned warbler, pyrrheloxia,
and white crowned sparrow.
In addition to the birds, deer, a fox, javalena, roadrunner and
an armadillo were startled to see humans in their
habitat.
The Texas
armadillo is about the size of a large cat; its overall length is
about 2½ feet, and adults weigh from twelve to seventeen
pounds. Mature females mate in late summer and autumn and give
birth to identical quadruplets the following spring. The
armadillo's diet consists chiefly of insects, grubs, and
spiders, though it also eats such foods as earthworms, small
amphibians, and reptiles.
Before the mid-1850s the
armadillo was known only along the lower Rio Grande valley. By
1880 it had extended its range across South Texas, and it reached
the Hill Country before 1900. Armadillos 2 minutes of fame at
YouTube.
Armadillos are adaptable
animals. They have few natural enemies: hunters, dogs, coyotes,
and automobiles are among the chief agents of mortality.
Armadillos have excellent senses of hearing and smell. However,
their eyesight is poor, and they frequently come out on the
losing end of encounters.
During the Great Depression,
East Texans stocked their larders with armadillos, which they
called "Hoover hogs" because of the animal's
supposed pork-like flavor (some say chicken-like) and because
they considered President Herbert Hoover responsible for the
depression.
Recent medical research
suggests that people who regularly handle armadillos may be
increasing their exposure to Hansen's disease
(leprosy). Recent medical research suggests that people who
regularly handle armadillos may be increasing their exposure to
Hansen's disease (leprosy). They are fairly easy to catch,
but I would encourage children not to touch the cute
critters. (Find out more at
Handbook of Texas Online)
