About Us
This rugged terrain has spared old Ashe juniper and oak woodlands from logging and shelters some of the best golden-cheeked warbler habitat. The Brazos tributaries to the north cut only shallow canyons. Here, the refuge foothills ease into savannahs where the open country supports oak shinneries (head-high thickets) vital to the black-capped vireo. These songbirds and their rapidly diminishing habitats are why Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1992.
Both the endangered golden-cheeked warbler and the recently de-listed black-capped vireo share a common problem. They depend on very specialized habitats to make a living, and those places grow fewer by the day in the wake of development and human activity. That's why this refuge has a critical role to play in both preserving and restoring their homes.
Beneath the homes of songbirds lies a mysterious world of caves, rivers and sinkholes called "karst." Over time, naturally acidic water dissolved the limestone and sculpted a labyrinth inhabited by night creatures. Ringtail cats and raccoons retreat into cave entrances for shelter. Cliff chirping frogs and whitethroat slimy salamanders squeeze into moist crevices. Cave crickets and daddy longlegs live within caves, but leave to feed and return. Some spiders, beetles and pseudoscorpions never come out to the light, living all their lives in reclusive darkness. Still deeper lies the Trinity Aquifer, the source of many Central Texas springs and beautiful Hill County rivers. These same rivers eventually flow into the marshes, estuaries and bays along the Texas coast.
But here on the refuge, well above the surface, the deep, clear-water pools are not only important sources of water for wildlife during a drought, they are often the last refuge for the hardy fish that remain. An occasional flash flood will sweep through wiping out much of the vegetation but the standing sycamore, elm, oak and hackberry trees that remain provide important habitat for many wildlife species, including many migratory birds.
The refuge harbors 245 bird species for part or all of the year. Almost half are neotropical migratory birds that breed in the U.S. and winter south of the border. Because of its importance to birds, this refuge is officially designated a Globally Important Bird Area (IBA), meaning that it is a significant site for world bird conservation. The American Bird Conservancy recognized Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge as an IBA for its significant role in conserving the golden-cheeked warbler, the black-capped vireo, and their habitats.
Our Mission
The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Our Purpose
Every national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge was created for a special purpose. Some were created to protect migratory birds, others to protect threatened or endangered species or unique habitats, while others fulfill another special purpose. Refuges are special places where wildlife comes first. All activities allowed on refuges must be evaluated to make sure each activity will not conflict with the reason the refuge was founded.
Specifically established to protect the breeding grounds of the now recovered black-capped vireo and the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife refuge also serves as home to other native wildlife and plants. An additional focus of the refuge is to protect watersheds and water quality in the Texas Hill Country.
Our History
March 1992 – The refuge is established to protect the breeding habitat of the endangered black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler.
April 2018 – The black-capped vireo is removed from the endangered species list.
December 2021 – The Mobile Ranger Station makes its debut. Funded by donations through the Friends of Balcones group, this interactive education trailer is the first of its kind in the National Wildlife Refuge system.