BRAINERD — A purple gallinule — an exotic bird native to southern wetlands — recently landed in Chicago, making a rare appearance in this part of the world.
Unfortunately, it left the city with a bum leg but with its dignity intact.
How this colorful, swamp-dwelling bird known to nest in Florida found its way this far north is a mystery — but nobody's ruling out a wrong turn near St. Louis.
The bird was rescued and taken to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center. [Photos by Bird Collision Monitors]
On Monday morning, 18-year-old William LaGrone saw the bird sitting on a patch of grass near a vacant house in the 9300 block of South Loomis.
It was about 10 a.m., and LaGrone was on his way to work.
When he inched closer, the gallinule turned its head, revealing its colorful hues.
The sight surprised LaGrone: “I saw an array of colors.” he said.
The bird had a turquoise and purple head and body, red beak and yellow legs.
The teen thought the bird was just resting and drove out of the neighborhood.
Returning from work in the late afternoon, LaGrone saw the purple gallinule was in the same spot as in the morning
"I knew something was wrong," LaGrone said.
LaGrone’s mother, Yvonne, got a hold of Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, a group that rescues birds all over the city.
Within the hour, a bird rescue volunteer was on the scene to pick up the bird.
“This bird is an unexpected visitor to the Chicago region that seldom appears this far north,” said Annette Prince, the group’s director. “We wonder if the strong winds and storm systems of the past week swept this bird up to the Chicago region.”
Prince learned from Josh Engel, an ornithologist with the Field Museum, that there was a movement of purple gallinules into the Midwest in the spring of 1999.
The bird’s history in the country's midsection suggests a similar movement might be happening now.
The rescued South Side gallinule ended up at the the Willowbrook Wildlife Center, where veterinarians discovered the bird had fractured its right femur.
After a minor surgery to place pins in the bone to stabilize the leg and allow the fracture to heal, the purple gallinule appeared to be on its way to recovery.
The staff of Willowbrook Wildlife Center sent out an update in an email to Bird Collision Monitors: “This bird has impressed us with its response to rehab so far; it's eating, feisty, and has the use of both feet/legs after surgery. Prognosis is guarded, but optimistic!”
After its leg heals, the purple gallinule will be released.
A purple gallinule in the wild. [Getty Images]
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
