Rare painted bunting spotted in Philadelphia
A rare Southern bird has taken up its winter residence at Bartram's Garden.
Why it matters: The region has seen shifts in bird populations in recent years likely fueled by global warming, habitat changes and other factors.
What's happening: Amateur bird watchers spotted an adult male painted bunting at the West Philly gardens earlier this month.
- The discovery lit up local active birding chat groups and social media.
- Eager crowds have since gathered at the gardens to catch a glimpse of the colorful avian, Bartram's Garden spokesperson Caroline Winschel tells Axios.
Between the lines: Painted buntings are migratory birds native to the Southern U.S.
- They typically winter in southern Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America.
Zoom in: Painted buntings are rare but not uncommon for this area, Jason Weckstein, curator of ornithology at the Academy of Natural Sciences, tells Axios.
- They're known to be vagrants, or species known to appear outside of their normal geographic habitat.
- These bright-colored birds have also been spotted in Cape May, New Jersey, during their migration period.
The intrigue: A painted bunting was reportedly seen around Bartram's Garden last year too.
- The birds are known to return to winter in the same location.
The big picture: As climate change has led to rising temperatures in the Philly metro during the summer and winter, some bird species like black vultures, red-bellied woodpeckers and northern mockingbirds have moved northward over the decades to nest in our region.
- Meanwhile, some northern bird species like the common raven are now in Philly and New Jersey.
By the numbers: Birders have identified 218 different species of birds at the gardens, per eBird.org.
🧠 Pro tips: Most people have spotted the painted bunting in the north end of the gardens along Bartram's Mile trail near the Schuylkill River.
- You can borrow binoculars from the welcome center.
What they're saying: "It's a damn colorful bird," Weckstein said, who caught sight of it last week.
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Ndege wa kusini asiye wa kawaida amechukua makazi yake ya majira ya baridi kali katika Bustani ya Bartram. Kwa nini ni muhimu: Eneo hilo limeshuhudia mabadiliko katika idadi ya ndege katika miaka ya hivi karibuni, uwezekano wa kuchochewa na ongezeko la joto duniani, mabadiliko ya makazi na sababu nyingine. Wanasayansi wa ndege wa amateur waliona ndege wa kiume aliyepakwa rangi katika bustani za magharibi mwa Philadelphia mapema mwezi huu. - Ugunduzi huo ulichochea vikundi vya mazungumzo ya ndege na mitandao ya kijamii. "Watu wengi wamekusanyika katika bustani hiyo ili kuona ndege huyo mwenye rangi nyingi,"" alisema Caroline Winschel, msemaji wa bustani hiyo." Ndege aina ya Painted Bunting ni ndege wa kusafiri wa asili wa kusini mwa Marekani ambao kwa kawaida huishi kusini mwa Florida, Karibea, Mexico na Amerika ya Kati. "Kama vile tunavyojua, ""mchoro wa ndege wa kawaida ni wa kawaida, lakini sio wa kawaida katika eneo hili,"" Jason Wexstein, msimamizi wa ornithology katika Chuo cha Sayansi ya Asili, anawaambia Axios." - Wao ni inayojulikana kuwa vagrants, au spishi inayojulikana kuonekana nje ya mazingira yao ya kawaida ya kijiografia. - Ndege hao wenye rangi nyangavu wameonekana pia huko Cape May, New Jersey, wakati wa kipindi chao cha kuhama. Jambo la kushangaza ni kwamba, mwaka jana pia, kulikuwa na picha ya mnyama huyo akiwa karibu na Bustani ya Bartram. - Ndege hao wanajulikana kurudi mahali palepale wakati wa majira ya baridi kali. "Kama mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa yamesababisha kuongezeka kwa joto katika eneo la jiji la Philadelphia wakati wa majira ya joto na majira ya baridi kali, baadhi ya spishi za ndege kama vile vultures nyeusi, woodpeckers nyekundu-bellied na mockingbirds kaskazini wamehamia kaskazini kwa miongo kadhaa ili kufanya kiota katika mkoa wetu. """ - Wakati huohuo, baadhi ya spishi za ndege wa kaskazini kama vile kunguru wa kawaida sasa wako katika Philly na New Jersey. Kwa mujibu wa tovuti ya eBird.org, wataalamu wa ndege wamegundua aina 218 za ndege katika bustani hiyo. <unk> Pro vidokezo: Watu wengi wameona bunting rangi katika mwisho wa kaskazini ya bustani kando Bartram ya Mile njia karibu na Mto Schuylkill. - Unaweza kukopa darubini kutoka kituo cha kukaribisha. "Wakati wa tukio hilo, ndege huyo aliandika: ""Nilikuwa na wasiwasi sana, lakini niliona kwamba ndege huyo alikuwa na rangi nzuri sana,"" alisema Weckstein, ambaye aliona ndege huyo wiki iliyopita." Habari za kila siku za Axios Philadelphia: Ukipata habari za kila siku za bure za habari muhimu zaidi katika bustani yako ya nyuma na Axios Philadelphia.