Rare 'dinky' bird migrates to US for first time

CHOKE CANYON, Texas -- Birders with binoculars and cameras are flocking to a remote state park in search of a small yellow-chested bird that apparently crossed the U.S. border for the first time from its high-mountain habitat in Mexico in Guatemala.

At 5 inches (13 centimeters) with beige and yellow markings, the pine flycatcher doesn't look like much, but its unprecedented migration from Mexico and Guatemala is exciting birders all over the country.

"It's not a thrilling bird visually. It's thrilling because it's a first U.S. record," said Wes Biggs, who flew to Choke Canyon State Park from Orlando, Florida, to catch a glimpse.

The bird, which appears to be alone, was first spotted last month and as recently as Friday. The sightings have been confirmed by photographs and recordings of its chirping. The bird, with a solitary nature, usually stays at high elevations but made its winter home in the low Texas scrubland about 200 miles north of its usual habitat.

For the bird to be added to the official checklists of American birders, it will first have to be accepted by the Texas Bird Records Committee, then the American Birding Association. But expert birders are convinced the bird drawing the masses is a pine flycatcher.

"It's a very unexpected discovery, but this is a bird we don't much know about," said Mark Lockwood, a state parks conservation biologist and secretary of the Texas Bird Records Committee.

The committee will review the photos, written descriptions and recordings, but "there is no dispute it's a pine flycatcher," Lockwood said.

Other types of flycatchers have been seen in South Texas, but the pine flycatcher apparently traveled hundreds of miles to get to the hackberry and mesquite trees near a large reservoir.