Fort Lancaster, TX

These birds were photographed at Fort Lancaster in West Texas.  Fort Lancaster was one of a line of forts established on the Texas frontier to protect travelers.  The fort is now an interesting historic site. 

These first two birds are Pyrrhuloxias, a cousin of the Northern Cardinal, which prefers drier habitats and has a more limited range than the cardinal.  Note the top knot on the bird in the second photo.  The birds can either lay these feathers close to their head or project them into the air. 

This bird is of course the White-crowned sparrow, a bird with a very wide range which stretches all the way from Texas to the PacNW in the West.