Little bird draws big crowd

First Colo. sighting gives local birders tale to crow about

By Amy Speer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Friday, December 14, 2007

Bill Schmoker

A streak-backed oriole, nicknamed Pedro, has made regular morning visits to Connie Kogler's backyard in Loveland since Saturday. It is the first Colorado sighting of the species, which is native to Mexico. Hundreds of enthusiasts from across the country have come to view the bird.

Loveland resident Connie Kogler is happy to feed the birds that visit her backyard, but when it comes to the hundreds of people who've traipsed through her home in the past week, it's a different story.

"They can fend for themselves," she jokingly said of her two-legged visitors.

Since the appearance of just one little yellow bird, Kogler's home has become a hot spot for bird enthusiasts, some traveling from as far as New York, Iowa and Washington.

The bird, a streak-backed oriole, nicknamed Pedro, is common along the southern Pacific coast of Mexico but rarely seen farther north than Arizona.

There have been no previous reported sightings of the bird in Colorado, and if the Colorado Birds Records Committee agrees, this will be one for the record books.

"There's no question, it's a streak-backed oriole," said Larry Semo, committee chairman. "There's no question in my mind that the species will be added to the state list, but I haven't spoken to the other committee members yet."

Six of the seven committee members have visited Kogler's home to see Pedro. The one member who has yet to see it is in Chile, viewing - well - birds.

"Usually, when the committee members go to see the bird, they believe it to be legitimate," Semo said.

The committee will wait until Pedro ends his tenure in Kogler's backyard before the sighting is recorded in the permanent archive of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. After the archival, the committee will review the bird's identity.

"Colorado is not a location you would expect the species to show up," Semo said. "And if it was going to occur, winter is a very odd time. It's amazing it has been able to survive through some very cold nights.

"It's awakened the bird community at a time of the year that can be pretty lackluster."

The streak-backed oriole is known to make small movements north from the thorn- scrub habitat it prefers in Mexico, but this one pushed much farther north than normal, Semo said.

Still, there may be more to its visit than just bad directions, said Bill Schmoker, of Longmont, president of Colorado Field Ornithologists.

"Several Mexican species have shown up in Colorado over the last few years," Schmoker said. "Maybe it's part of a bigger trend. Maybe it's connected to climate."

Pedro has made regular morning visits at Kogler's home since Saturday. Since then, bird enthusiasts have flocked to her home, where Pedro can be seen from a bay window.

"I have 11 children, which helped me with crowd control," joked the 35-year bird enthusiast and member of the Colorado Field Ornithologists board of directors.

And while Kogler plays the happy host, the bird gets to enjoy a little fine dining. After realizing she had a unique guest, Kogler splurged on grape jelly, mealworms and suet, little bits of beef fat - all the right fixings for a tropical bird.

speera@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2367

Gotta see it to believe it?

If you want to see the streak-backed oriole, go to cfo-link.org and click on the "Birding" tab. Under the COBirds link, the Colorado Field Ornithologists can arrange for a viewing at the home of Connie Kogler. Kogler and other bird experts are unsure how long the oriole will stay in Loveland, so if you want to see the bird, arrange a visit soon.

More rare sightings

Other subtropical birds seen in Colorado in the past few years:

* White-eared hummingbird

* Hooded oriole

* Tropical parula

• December 14, 2007

  9:19 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Friend writes:

  In these days of psycho mall and church shootings and unending war in Iraq, this beautiful story about a beautiful little bird is a godsend. Please give us more good news.

• December 14, 2007

  9:27 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  lefkogt writes:

  Great bird, got to see it the other day! Connie should be commended for allowing us birders to flock and roost in her home.

  Thanks
  Gary Lefko, Nunn/CO
  I am a Colorado Birder, are you?
  http://ColoradoBirder.ning.com/ -- Home of NunnCAM