13 Once-in-a-Lifetime Photos of Rare Birds

By Emily Hannemann

Reviewed by Kenn And Kimberly Kaufman

Fact-checked by Megan White

Birds & Blooms Editorial Policies

Published on Mar. 23, 2026

Birds & Blooms readers captured extraordinary photos when some unusual, rare birds showed up in unexpected places.

12 Kenneth Stevenson Bbxspring26, rare birds — Courtesy Kenneth Stevenson

White Ibises in New York

“Two young white ibises flew into a small pond in Freeport, New York. It was exciting because these rare birds are uncommon in our area,” says Birds & Blooms reader Kenneth Stevenson.

309402890 1 Jannah Lee Bnb Pc 2022 — Courtesy Jannah Lee

Brown Booby in Kentucky

“This brown booby was a very rare find because it’s not a typical bird found throughout the United States, much less 30 minutes from my home. The bird stuck around for a few days at Lake Malone in Kentucky. After a slow birding season, I was thrilled to spot this beauty,” says Birds & Blooms reader Jannah Lee.

12 Trisha Snider Bbxspring26 — Courtesy Trisha Snider

Sage Thrasher in Canada

“It’s always so exciting to see a new species. This sage thrasher was in Lambton County, Ontario, a long way from home. I was thrilled to spot this rare visitor,” says Birds & Blooms reader Trisha Snider. Learn about the types of thrashers found in North America.

12 Amber Favorite Bbxspring26, rare birds — Courtesy Amber Favorite

This male yellow cardinal made headlines in March 2022. Scientists think a genetic mutation caused his sunshine-colored feathers.

Yellow Cardinal Sighting

“I heard that a yellow cardinal had been spotted on the University of Florida campus. It’s a rather large campus, so I had no idea if I would be able to find him. When I got there, I listened for a cardinal’s chirps and, sure enough, I found him. Luckily, he flew to some open limbs, which allowed me to capture a clean shot,” says Birds & Blooms reader Amber Favorite. See more rare bird photos of white cardinals.

12 Trevor Ruff Bbxspring26, rare birds — Courtesy Trevor Ruff

Once almost extinct, the whooping crane has reached a wild population of about 700 but it’s still an incredibly rare North American species.

Endangered Whooping Cranes

“Watching whooping cranes has become a biannual tradition of mine. They visit a specific field in late spring and mid-autumn, and I pass by them on my way home from work. To me, they are a sign that the seasons are changing. Their appearance on one particular field is about as predictable as salmon filling the rivers each fall or maple trees showing colors in October. A bird this rare deserves everyone’s attention,” says Birds & Blooms reader Trevor Ruff.

12 Debbie Parker Bbxspring26, rare birds — Courtesy Debbie Parker

Commonly found in only a few southeastern states, the wood stork is the only stork native to North America.

Wood Stork Visits Ohio

“Once in a while, a bird ends up in a place it isn’t usually spotted. This young wood stork must have followed the wrong group to Ohio. Several years ago, it spent a summer in Sandusky, Ohio. Many birders in the area enjoyed watching this bird, and I enjoyed photographing it as it caught and ate crawfish,” says Birds & Blooms reader Debbie Parker.

12 Ashley Buckler Bbxspring26, rare birds — Courtesy Ashley Buckler

Glossy Ibis in Ohio

“This glossy ibis showed up in the pond at Abby’s Farm in Bethel, Ohio. It is extremely rare to see these birds in our area, so we believe it got lost during migration. We felt so privileged and blessed to witness such a beautiful bird feeding along the pond’s shoreline,” says Birds & Blooms reader Ashley Buckler.

12 Gail Suberbielle Bbxspring26, rare birds — Courtesy Gail Suberbielle

Broad-billed hummingbirds are usually found in Mexico and southeastern Arizona but their range is expanding.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird in Louisiana

“In October 2020, a rare-to-Louisiana broad-billed hummingbird visited Baton Rouge, causing a stir among local birders. Then a few winters later, another broad-billed came to stay for three months, surviving a snowstorm and delighting us with frequent baths in our fountain,” says Birds & Blooms reader Gail Suberbielle. While these are rare birds in Louisiana, broad-billed hummingbirds have been expanding their range in recent years.

17 Edward Boos Bbxspring26 — Courtesy Edward Boos

Of the two reddish egret color morphs, the white morph is less common. Sometimes white morph reddish egrets are confused for snowy egrets.

Reddish Egret With Unique Plumage

“Reddish egrets have two color morphs, either all dark or all white, but it’s rather rare to see one with a mixture of feathers. We spotted this one in a lagoon that was close to Bradenton Beach, Florida,” says Birds & Blooms reader Edward Boos.

Kodak Digital Still Camera, rare birds — Courtesy Bailey Byrd

American Flamingos in Florida

“In March 2024, I had an opportunity to see wild American flamingos off Black Skimmer Island in Fort Myers, Florida. According to tour guides, a hurricane blew many of them to Florida in August 2023, and some of these rare birds stayed. This sighting was very special, as wild flamingos had been rare in Florida for the previous 100 years,” says Birds & Blooms reader Bailey Byrd.

12 Layli And Yasimine Fardin Bbxspring26 — Courtesy Layli And Yasimine Fardin

Scaly-Breasted Munia in San Francisco

“One chilly day in San Francisco, San Francisco, my sister and I picnicked in our favorite park. Working our way around the lake, we saw the usual birds: red-winged blackbirds, black-crowned night herons and the occasional egret. But as we took a tea break, we noticed a few tiny, scruffy brown birds roosting in the tall reeds. If a fellow birder hadn’t pointed them out as a rare species, we would have never have gotten out a camera for a closer look. The birds were scaly-breasted munias. Native to southern Asia, they have only recently become established in San Francisco!

Our spirits soared at the sight of these rare birds. We watched a male nibble away at little seeds from the reeds, digging his tiny claws into the grasses to keep from blowing away in the strong breeze. His iconic scaly breast rippled like that of a fish,” say Birds & Blooms readers Layli And Yasimine Fardin.

12 Kevin Brockley Bbxspring26 — Courtesy Kevin Brockley

Purple Gallinule in Arizona

“While at Arivaca Lake, we found a rare visitor, a purple gallinule, feeding along the shoreline,” says Birds & Blooms reader Kevin Brockley. Gallinules can resemble ducks — as can these other water birds.

12 Ian Mcdonald Bbxspring26, rare birds — Courtesy Ian McDonald

Rare Kirtland’s Warbler

“While hawk-watching, we got notified of a Kirtland’s warbler sighting. So we took our first impromptu birding trip to Valle Crucis, North Carolina, about two hours away, to see this endangered migrating bird. After a half-hour of walking around the beautiful park full of various warblers, my wife spotted the Kirtland’s as she walked down the pathway,” says Birds & Blooms reader Ian McDonald.

Psst—like Kirtland’s warblers, these birds have limited ranges in the United States.

Author

Emily Hannemann

Emily Hannemann is a digital editor for Birds & Blooms. She holds a master's degree in magazine journalism from the University of Missouri - Columbia, as well as undergraduate degrees in journalism and English. In her spare time, she enjoys researching fun facts about corvids.

Reviewer

Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman

As a teenager in the 1970s, Kenn Kaufman hitch-hiked all over North America in pursuit of birds, an adventure later chronicled in his cult-classic book Kingbird Highway. After several years as a professional nature tour leader, taking groups to all seven continents, he transitioned to a career as a writer, editor, and illustrator. His 14 books incl...

Fact Checker

Megan White

Megan is the senior editor of Birds & Blooms and has over 10 years of publishing experience. She is a member of the Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter and enjoys volunteering in various birding and wildlife initiatives.