Cullen Ondracek

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Cullen Ondracek graduated from Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 2009 with a B.S. in Range and Wildlife Management. Cullen’s work history includes positions at the Texas Coastal Watershed Program, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Armand Bayou Nature Center, and Sheldon Lake State Park where he focused on natural resource management including prescribed burning, wetland/prairie management and restoration, and conducted numerous biological surveys. In his current position as the Natural Resources Manager for the City of Pearland, Cullen works to conserve, restore, and enhance the city’s natural resources for the benefit of native plant and animal communities.

His birding career was sparked in 2007 while enrolled in Ornithology at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. From there he went on to work on various bird related projects such as Least Tern nest surveys, Black-capped Vireo habitat and nest monitoring study, Mottled Duck banding, conducting colonial waterbird surveys and compiling data, various point-count bird surveys, and participating in multiple Christmas Bird Counts.

In his free time, Cullen enjoys birding, hunting, wildlife photography, and spending time with his wife and two kids.

Upcoming Events

April 2026
$40

Pearland’s Natural Spaces: Wetlands, Woods, and Wildlife

April 15 @ 7:30 am - 11:30 am

The City of Pearland has a mission, “To protect, manage, and enhance the City’s natural resources, provide citizens with outdoor recreation opportunities, and to further the public’s understanding and appreciation of its natural resources through education and hands-on experiences.” This trip highlights how Pearland is taking that mission to the next level. From 50 acres of constructed storm water wetlands to 140 acres of parkland managed entirely for nature and wildlife, the concept of bringing nature to everyone comes home.

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$90

High Island & Other Hotspots by Bus

April 17 @ 6:30 am - 3:30 pm

Join us on this trip to Boy Scout Woods, Smith Oaks, The Rookery, and more! Location:  From under an ancient sea, a salt dome emerged. After a few thousand years the dome reached 38 feet above a pancake-flat coastal plain; the highest point-of-land on the immediate coast from Mobile Bay to the Yucatan Peninsula. This is High Island, which is now a wooded beacon amongst the coastal marshland providing food, water, and places to rest for weary Gulf migrants. A…

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$75

Bluewater Highway/Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge

April 18 @ 5:30 am - 12:30 pm

Don’t miss this popular field trip to the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, which is designated an Internationally Significant Shorebird site and contains more water than land within its 44,000+ acres. We’ll leave dark and early on our bus trip to the refuge, crossing San Luis Pass at sunrise. As we continue westward along the Bluewater Highway, we’ll keep an eye out over the wetlands for raptors.

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$50

Chasing Birdies at Moody Gardens Golf Course

April 19 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am

This trip is an easy 3-hour drive around the 270-acre course by golf cart. If you are looking for a unique birding experience, this might just be the trip for you! We will stop and take closer looks at some of the habitats that historically have attracted more birds, but there will be very little walking on this activity.

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