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Rare Purple Gallinule Stuns California Birdwatchers
16 Oct
Summary
- A rare juvenile purple gallinule was spotted in Irvine, California.
- This species typically migrates through Florida, Mexico, and South America.
- Only eight purple gallinule sightings have been reported in California since 1961.
A juvenile purple gallinule, identifiable by its brown feathers, was recently sighted at the San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, California, drawing significant attention from bird enthusiasts. This rare visitor typically inhabits wetlands in Florida and migrates towards Mexico and South America, making its presence in California highly unusual. Biologists believe unusual weather patterns, potentially linked to El Niño, may have caused the bird to stray significantly off its usual migration path.
This sighting is particularly noteworthy as it represents only the ninth documented instance of a purple gallinule in California since 1961. Previous sightings have been scattered across the state, with the most recent being in November 2023. The juvenile bird was last observed at Pond C on September 3, 2026, and has not been sighted since early October 2026, suggesting it has moved on from its Southern California stopover.
