The Rio Grande Valley is a storied land, both in history and nature. The Spanish arrived here in the sixteenth century. The first battle of the Mexican War and the last of the Civil War were fought here. This is where the Texas Rangers and border bandits roamed and cattle ranching first developed. At this southernmost tip of Texas, climate and geography create a paradise of wildlife diversity. No other region in the United States has recorded as many birds, over five hundred species. This number increases every year. As a result, the world visits South Texas to see species like Green Jays, Hook-billed Kites and White-collared Seedeaters, and the rarities that wander north across the river. Visitors include an amazing number of experts in many fields of natural history. Within these pages, writers like Jimmy Carter, Pete Dunne, Kenn Kaufman and Bill Clark tell their stories about a legendary Valley.