Rare Bird From Florida, Texas, Mexico Reported in Poughkeepsie

"Something amazing has come to visit." A very rare bird that's native to Florida, Texas and Mexico has been spotted in the Hudson Valley!

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A reader named Eric from the town of Poughkeepsie, who is the husband of longtime WPDH listener known on WPDH as "Klaire with a K," sent Hudson Valley Post photos of a rare bird that's been enjoying time in a small pond outside his home.

"There is a small pond in front of the house that I live in and something amazing has come to visit. A Rosie spoonbill bird. They are indigenous to Florida and Mexico," Eric told Hudson Valley Post in an email. "They get a pinkish color as they grow older much like a flamingo because of eating all the shrimps much like a flamingo."

Eric, Klaire with a K’s husband from the town of Poughkeepsie

In the United States, Roseate Spoonbills are typically only found in southern Florida, coastal Texas and southwestern Louisiana, according to the National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. In Mexico, the bird is found in the coastal regions.

Their breeding range extends south from Florida through the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.

Roseate Spoonbills are large wading birds known for their pink feathers and distinctive spoon-shaped bill.

"Its upper neck and back are colored white, while the wings and feathers underneath display the more recognizable light shade of pink, the National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute states. "The wings and tail coverts are deep red, along with the legs and the iris of the eyes. Part of the spoonbill's head is a distinct yellow-green. When they are young, the birds are duller in appearance, brightening as they mature.

It uses its spoon-like bill to scoop prey up from shallow water, officials say. The bird's diet mostly includes minnows, small crustaceans, insects and bits of plants, the National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute reports.

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As of Thursday morning, the bird is still enjoying its time in the Poughkeepsie pond. It's unclear why or how this bird was spotted in Poughkeepsie. But Eric has a theory that does make sense.

"I guess that with the Florida-type weather here that it decided to come up," Eric said.

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Categories: Dutchess County, Hudson Valley News