A handy guide to a few critters that should be avoided in the park.

One of the most commonly seen raptors at Phil Hardberger Park, the Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) frequents heavily wooded areas, periodically making appearances at clearings in search of food. 

You may have noticed plastic tarps on the ground in the West side of the park in the grassy drainage channel near the parking lots. These have been put down as part of a project that aims to control invasive grass species in and around the park’s native grasslands.

Have you ever noticed these blue-purple berries on cedar trees (also known as Ashe junipers) around the park? Although small, they play a huge role in the park’s ecosystem and greater surrounding area.

The Birds of Bexar County Seasonal Field Checklist has 31 species of native sparrows in the Emberizidae family. Of those, nine species are listed as being “common” in Bexar County in the winter.

In 2009, a massive savanna restoration project began. The vision: to create a unique ecosystem, in the heart of San Antonio.

Kidneywood trees (Eysenhardtia texana) are small trees species that prefer to grow in full sun to light shade. Due to their palatability, this makes them highly susceptible to being over-browsed by deer, and, in some cases need to be protected by tree fencing