City protects Golden-cheeked Warblers during nesting season

The City of San Marcos’ Parks Department has closed trails to protect an endangered native bird during its nesting season.

City of San Marcos Parks Department has posted signage warning hikers to avoid Spring Lake and Upper Purgatory Creek trails where the Golden-cheeked Warbler (GCWA) nests and breeds from March 1 to May 31.

GCWA migrated from South America to Central Texas and only breeds in the Hill Country’s mature oak and juniper woodlands. Rapid population growth and development has encroached on the peaceful green-space that is home to GCWA during the spring and summer and has contributed to habitat loss.

“The GCWA is on the endangered species list and is unique to our area, “San Marcos Arborist Kelly Eby said. “We want to protect diversity here and the integrity of the ecosystem. It’s difficult to lose a native species because of how it contributes to our ecosystem as whole and connects our region to other places. We have a responsibility to preserve native species for future generations.”

Only eight male GCWAs were detected in a Texas State University study of San Marcos parks.

Noise from traffic, construction and hikers disturb the GCWA and contribute to declining population growth in addition to habitat loss. Parasites like cowbirds put their eggs in the GCWA’s nests and once they hatch as much larger birds, they push the GCWA offspring out of the nest to hoard all the food.

Some cities have cage systems for managing cowbird populations, although San Marcos does not at this time. The City of San Marcos has however acquired additional properties in an attempt to preserve more of their habitat with the help of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Daily Record infographic by Colton Ashabranner

Developers also have to adhere to certain habitat conservation plans when developing in the region.