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8 Rare Birds With Limited Ranges in the United States

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Great Kiskadee:

Common throughout Central and South America, localized in southern Texas; large-bodied flycatchers known for their loud kis-ka-dee calls, often seen in the Rio Grande Valley along with green jays, Altamira orioles, and rare butterflies.

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Rivoli s Hummingbird:

Found year-round from Nicaragua to Mexico, breeds in southeast Arizona and New Mexico; large hummingbirds with iridescent green and purple feathers, formerly called magnificent hummingbird, known for their regular feeding routes.

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Whooping Crane: 

Tallest North American bird at nearly 5 feet; population rebounded from 21 in the 1940s to about 700 wild and 100 captive birds; migrates between Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas

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Kirtland s Warbler: 

Habitat specialist nesting in young jack pine forests in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ontario; large warblers best seen at their breeding grounds, with brief migration sightings to and from the Caribbean.

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Island Scrub-Jay:

Limited to Santa Cruz Island in California s Channel Islands National Park; larger and bluer than the mainland California scrub-jay, monogamous and territorial, with nonbreeding jays waiting for suitable breeding areas.

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Atlantic Puffin: 

Restored to coastal Maine by the National Audubon Society s Project Puffin; recognizable by their oversized bills, nest in burrows and crevices, affected by warming ocean temperatures impacting fish populations.

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Elf Owl:

Smallest owl in North America and the world, size of a large sparrow; breeds in southern U.S. border states, insect-eating specialists migrating to Mexico in winter, identifiable by their short tails and blurry feather streaking.

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Lucifer Hummingbird:

Named for its bright purple throat, found in the Big Bend region of Texas and along the Arizona and New Mexico border during breeding season; males display at nest sites, unlike most hummingbirds that perform courtship flights near feeding areas.