Birding communities are exhilarated by an image snapped by a photographer of a distinctive bird found far from home.
Native to South America, the bird has traveled far; experts believe it made its way to Texas by ship either accidentally or intentionally.
The bird is a cattle tyrant, named for populating around cattle pastures, according to Wyatt Egelhoff, the sanctuary manager of Houston Audubon. Many are hopeful that the bird can populate in Texas; however, experts warn that its survival is slim.
Nancy Malke spotted the bird while walking her dog. After snapping photos, the image made its way to experts at the Houston Audubon Society and Moody Gardens, allowing them to educate Texans on where the bird is from and its likelihood of staying around.
"The species is quite social, so the fact that this is a single bird makes for a lonely learning process," Greg Whittaker, a bird expert and animal husbandry manager at Moody Gardens in Galveston, told The Daily News. "It appears to be a younger bird, so its learning curve will be critical to it surviving here on its own."
Cattle tyrant is facing difficult living environments in its native habitat. Egelhoff explained that the species has begun to migrate north due to the forests in South America facing deforestation. Now, within a sub-tropical/temperate area, as opposed to its native tropical land, the cattle tyrant will have to face colder weather, which could impact how it sources insects and food. Predatory birds like falcons could further reduce their chances of survival.
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As only two sightings of the species in Texas have been made in the last two years, experts are hesitant to register it with the Texas Bird Records Committee. Its population will be monitored to see if it becomes a more frequent inhabitant of Texas.
Keeping track of wildlife movements is crucial to effective conservation practices. Without doing so, research on species is nearly impossible. Any sightings recorded offer another chance for further investigation from experts to establish the bird's survival and the ways it will mesh with the native landscape.
One member of the Houston Audubon voting committee, Mel Cooksey, said that "If, in the future, other cattle tyrants are found in the U.S. or nearby, this record could be reevaluated."
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