In 2011, Audubon Texas partnered with The Nature Conservancy to identify the Yoakum Dunes property in Yoakum and Terry counties (near Lubbock) a Global Important Bird Area. The Katy Prairie Conservancy site (in Austin & Colorado Counties) is also pending approval as an IBA. These 2 sites represent 24,599 acres of prioritized prairie habitat with Lesser Prairie Chicken and Attwater’s Prairie Chicken as the main species of focus.

In Central Texas the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge – a partnership with Travis Audubon Society - was designated as a Global IBA for Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo. A similar effort to designate Northwest Bexar County as an IBA for Golden-cheeks is currently pending with the National Audubon technical committee.