A Third State Record Crissal Thrasher that was documented at Wild Horse Mesa in Colorado was the only new record documented recently, but there have been a wealth of exceptionally rare bird sightings that included a Cuban Pewee in Florida, a Baikal Teal in Ontario, a Mexican Duck in Colorado, a Whooper Swan in Alaska, a Ruff in Nebraska, a Little Stint in California, a Common Black Hawk and Tricolored Heron in Colorado, and the Kelp Gull has returned to the nesting colony in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and there are many continuing rare birds:
STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS
Third State Record Crissal Thrasher – near San Luis, Colorado
REALLY RARE BIRDS
Cuban Pewee – Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Baikal Teal – Hillman Marsh, Ontario
Mexican Duck – near Parshall, Colorado
Tufted Duck – Merrick, Long Island, New York
Taiga Bean Goose – near Quebec City, Quebec
Whooper Swan – Delta Junction, Alaska
Common Black Hawk – near Swissvale, Colorado
Kelp Gull – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Ruff – Omaha, Nebraska
Little Stint – San Diego Bay Refuge, California
Tricolored Heron – Denver, Colorado
CONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS
Steller's Sea Eagle – Newfoundland
Mottled Owl – Texas
Whooper Swan – Washington
Taiga Bean Goose – British Columbia
Eurasian Bullfinch – Yukon
Cattle Tyrant – Texas
Brown Jays – Texas
Crimson-collared Grosbeak – Texas
For more information, you can refer to the American Birding Association's Rare Bird Alert at Rare Bird Alert: April 17, 2026 - American Birding Association. Special Thanks to the ABA for permitting us to use the Rare Bird Alert as the basis to prepare this replay.
You can often find more information about individual rare bird sightings from the ABA regional and state rare bird alert listserves that you can access at Birding News brought to you by American Birding Association - (aba.org) or at ABA Rare Bird Alert | Facebook.