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Maine Winter

Don't Be Surprised If You See An Unusually Bright Bird In Maine This Winter

By Michelle | Published February 13, 2021

When you live in a state where moose can be spotted at the side of the road, you tend not to be surprised by tales of unexpected run-ins with wildlife. From mysterious snakes named Bessie to hummingbird and butterfly migrations, this is certainly the place for animal lovers. And if you love birds you’ll be happy about what you could spot here in the next few months.

Around here, we're used to things like seagulls. Even a rare snowy owl isn't too surprising. But the purple gallinule is not what most bird-lovers are looking for!

Back in January a peculiar bird was spotted in southern Maine. Then, just a few weeks later, the same strange visitor was spotted in Bar Harbor.

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Known as purple gallinules, the birds are typically found in southern Florida, the Caribbean, and on the coast of Mexico and Central America.

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While the birds are used to tropical climates, those who study the birds and migration believe they likely got stuck in strong winds during an early 2021 storm. And this is not the first time this has happened. The birds have been identified here since around 1869!

By the end of January, two different birds had been spotted and sent to a local wildlife rehabilitator. But experts believe there are more here.

While we hope they survive the harsh winter, many do not.

Have you spotted the purple gallinule this year? If so, share your story with us in the comments so we can try to track one down ourselves!

Spotting one of these tropical beauties would certainly be a memorable treat! Here are 14 other moments everyone born in Maine will always remember.

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