A rare purple gallinule has drawn hundreds of birdwatchers to a wetland in Irvine, California, after the tropical species was spotted thousands of miles from its usual range.
The juvenile bird was first reported at the Irvine Ranch Water District’s San Joaquin Marsh on 13 August. Its appearance is believed to be the first documented sighting of a purple gallinule in Orange County and only the eighth recorded in California.
The species, known scientifically as Porphyrio martinica, is typically found around the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America. It is also known to wander well beyond its normal habitat.
News of the sighting spread rapidly through birdwatching forums, prompting visitors to arrive with binoculars and long camera lenses. Ian Swift, the water district’s natural resources manager, said the usually quiet marsh had attracted “literally hundreds of people” since the bird was discovered.
The bird was identified after a photograph taken by visitor Charles Baker was posted on eBird, an online database used by birdwatchers. It has since been seen feeding and moving across floating vegetation at the marsh.
Juvenile purple gallinules are less vividly coloured than adults, with pale brown plumage and bronze and green tones. The species is recognisable for its bright yellow legs and unusually long toes, which help it walk across lily pads.
The San Joaquin Marsh is a 300-acre network of ponds managed by the Irvine Ranch Water District. It was created to treat urban runoff and protect nearby Upper Newport Bay, but has also become a significant wildlife sanctuary, with more than 300 bird species recorded there.
The sighting must still be formally accepted by the California Bird Records Committee, which reviews unusual bird records in the state. For now, the unexpected visitor continues to attract birders eager for a glimpse of one of California’s rarest avian arrivals.
