DEER RIVER — A songbird rarely seen in Minnesota is drawing avian enthusiasts from all over after it was spotted visiting a feeder at a Lake Winnibigoshish resort.
The Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch typically lives in the mountains of the western U.S., according to the Cornell Lab or Ornithology, and is the highest-altitude nesting bird in North America. Featuring pink and brown plumage, the birds are hardy — foraging with ease on steep slopes and in high winds or snowstorms.
This particular rosy-finch is frequenting bird feeders at Bowen’s Lodge, and birders are noticing. KAXE Staff Phenologist John Latimer was lucky enough to see the bird himself last week, and others are sharing their sightings in the KAXE-KBXE Season Watch Facebook group.
Why is it here?
According to a post by bird enthusiast Jack North, just two other sightings of the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch have ever been recorded in Itasca County, both in the 1970s.
How it ended up here right now is an open question.
“That will remain a mystery,” Latimer said. “Whether it came on the head of a weather system or if it’s just a finch that got its directions confused and went marching about looking for food, one never knows.
“But it’s a pretty reliable source of food up there: they have a wonderful spread of suet and seeds. A bird at Bowen’s Resort is a well-fed bird.”
How to see it
The folks at Bowen’s Lodge gave permission for KAXE to publicize the sighting and offered to let interested visitors come see the finch.
“Just follow the road to the end and the feeder is right there,” Latimer said. “You can stop there and have a look.”
“I would say, ‘Don’t be a bother,’ but most of you birders know better than to be a bother,” he continued.
Do you have sightings to share? Join our KAXE-KBXE Season Watch Facebook group!
