A one-in-a-million bird was just spotted at this Florida university: ‘A showstopper’
One in a million.
One of the rarest birds along the East Coast was spotted in a wooded area at the University of Florida in Gainesville last week, reports The Gainesville Sun. It’s a yellow cardinal.
The bird, usually known for its bright red plumage, likely got its unusual color due to a genetic mutation.
“Tweets,” one of its nicknames, is one of just about 10 to 15 of these yellow beauties flying around North America.
“I don’t know how many cardinals I have seen, maybe thousands,” Andy Kratter, the ornithology collections manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History, told the news outlet. “This is the first yellow cardinal I have seen.”
So how did this Alachua County campus get so lucky?
Experts believe the bird hatched near UF’s Natural Area Teaching Laboratory last year. Cardinals have a life span of about three years.
You’re most likely to see the adorable creature, with a black mask and beak, in the early morning hours.
The bird is quite the popular attraction.
“It’s been non-stop talking about the bird in the local community,” Kratter said. “It’s a showstopper.”
This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 2:07 PM.
