BURLINGTON – A group of birdwatchers in Burlington discovered a previously unknown type of metallic bird this week after using sensitive listening devices to track its song over two miles from where they first heard the calls. They were looking for birds at the Ethan Allen Homestead when they heard an unfamiliar warble and followed the sound all the way downtown.
“It’s really incredible,” said group member Doug Ling, who had brought his mother Trulia Swann with him for the first time that day. “I turned to Mom, and I said, ‘I can’t believe you’re going to have this on your first day.’ Most birdwatchers never get to experience what we did. A new species of bird, and not like anything I’d ever seen.”
According to the team of intrepid discoverers, these new creatures prefer roosting on street corners and will often make their infamous calls when touched by humans, possibly as a defense mechanism. This silver-crested walkcrosser, as they have dubbed it, is exceedingly rare in Vermont, and has only been seen in the most recent decade, leading experts to conclude that it is an entirely new type of bird.
“We weren’t able to observe it eating, so we’re not sure what type of food it might prefer,” Ling said, “and we certainly haven’t seen its eggs, although more of them seem to be popping up, and they must be coming from somewhere! Further study is needed, of course, and we’ve already filed with the city to protect their habitats. Hopefully no construction or improvements will be made downtown for a very long time.”
Also now commonly seen in Burlington: the Hairy Chested Nut Scratcher. A loud bird that roosts in groups in city parks during the day and emits an obnoxious, repeated squawking call, although certain passersby perceive the call as a catcall-like sound. Its numbers seem to be increasing.