A rare tropical bird has shown up on Colorado’s Front Range, with records showing just two other local appearances of the species – one in 1902 and another in 1934.
Reporting from Denver’s KDVR indicates that a wood stork has been spotted in the area of Alexx & Michael’s Pond in Broomfield, with this pond located near the intersection of W. 132nd Avenue and Zuni Street. According to KDVR, the presence of the tropical bird has brought dozens of local birders to the area for the chance of a glimpse.
The wood stork is the only true stork species that breeds in the United States, with its breeding range typically limited to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Non-breeding wood storks have been known to travel elsewhere, but rarely make it to Colorado. According to the Colorado Bird Records Committee, there was a Littleton-area sighting in 1902 and a Denver-area sighting in 1934 – that’s it…