Groups ponder fate of bird with a fowl reputation

By Andrew Marra

The purple swamphen looks positively chicken-esque as it stalks through the marsh: feathered, feckless and full of wide-eyed chicken innocence.But is it fowl or foe?

Maybe both, experts say. The exotic bird, which is quickly gaining prominence in Palm Beach County wetlands, has some environmentalists worrying about its international reputation for eating bird eggs and ducklings.

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Ridgefield is one of my favorite places to go birding. Several years ago, a friend took me there early in the morning. Edi was my birding mentor if you will. It was early spring and cool. I was beginning to get a little bored - I wanted to see something new!

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something stir…and then it was gone…but was it? I stood looking at the stand of reeds for the longest time…and then I saw it…an American Bittern. Normally they stay well hidden amoung the cattails and bullrush, so I was delighted to see one.

Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge | American Bittern