Veteran birdwatchers were initially stumped when they spotted a unique songbird with a dark face and crest, buff abdomen, white tail tip and bright red undertail coverts in New Mexico, until they realized it is a red-vented bulbul. According to the Silver City Sun-News, the bird has been flitting around Silver City, New Mexico, since mid-September. Because the bird is relatively tame and has a leg band, it is most likely an escaped pet.Red-vented bulbuls are native to India, Asia and Australia, with established populations in Hawai'i as well. While some feral bird populations do become established from escaped pets, it is unlikely to happen in this case because there is just one bird, with no possibility for mating.
Birders interested in building their life list face a dilemma: do they add an escaped pet to their life list, even if it seen in the wild? Or is it more suitable to see the bird in its natural habitat first? Share your opinion in the comments!
Red-Vented Bulbul
Photo © Lip Kee Yap
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