Rare Bird Spotted In Southwest
There is a frenzy erupting in the birding world over a colorful, chicken-sized bird not usually seen in the Southwest. The Rufous-Necked Wood-Rail is typically found along the coasts and in the tropical forests of Central and South America, but for the first time, it has been spotted in the United States.
For the last two weeks, one of the birds has made itself at home at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in southern New Mexico. The sighting has prompted emergency plane reservations and impromptu road trips reminiscent of "The Big Year," the comedy that brought to life the annual competition among birders to identify the most species of birds in North America in a year's time,
“There is going to be major fallout in a few hours. Nuclear fallout? Bird fallout," as said in the movie trailer.
Refuge officials said the marsh boardwalk has been getting crowded during sunrise and at sunset as birders try to get a glimpse of the Rufous-Necked Wood-Rail.
