Rare and Beautiful Bird Spotted in Broomfield, Colorado
From the tiniest feathered fledglings to bigger birds of prey, like majestic bald eagles and Great-Horned owls, Colorado is home to over 400 different species of birds. Some of these avian species are more commonly seen than others, so it can be extra exciting when a rare bird is spotted somewhere within the state.
During the past few months, residents of Colorado have been witnessing way more Bohemian Waxwings throughout the region. These beautiful birds won't be around for much longer though - once winter ends, they too will make their exit from Colorado.
Another rare bird sighting recently took place at a park in Broomfield.
Last week, Broomfield's Open Space and Trails staff received photos of an uncommon bird that was seen at the Broomfield County Commons. Local photographer Tim Seibert snapped several fantastic pictures of what's believed to be an “intergrade bird." This unique classification identifies an offspring who is the product of parents from two different subspecies.
Local Audubon expert, Ski Szymanski, explained that the bird seen in Broomfield appears to have features common to both a Krider’s Red-tailed Hawk as well as an Eastern Red-tailed Hawk.
Several other residents mentioned they too have seen this beautiful bird flying around at the same location.
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Nine different types of hawks can be found in Colorado: the Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, and the Ferruginous Hawk. It's pretty unusual to encounter a bird that's cross-bred, like the raptor photographed in Broomfield.
Spring is typically the best time of year for hawk sightings in the Centennial State. These roadside raptors are often seen perching atop telephone poles, light posts, and trees.
Red-tailed hawks are the most commonly observed species both in Colorado and North America. They are also the largest.
Take a gander at some of the other rare birds seen in Colorado below.