Rare South American bird spotted in Illinois

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Associated Press

Story Created: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:01 PM

Story Updated: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:01 PM

CHICAGO — Bird watchers are flocking to Chicago to catch a glimpse of a rare bird.

     
Two teens spotted what appears to be a White-crested Elaenia early last week. If the American Birding Association confirms the sighting, it would be only the second one in the United States. The first was in Texas in 2008.
     
The tiny green-and-white bird with a white splotch on its crown is native to South America, some 7,000 miles away.
     
Word of the bird has spread quickly through social media, and binocular-toting tourists are rushing to Douglas Park.
     
Greg Bretz told the Chicago Tribune (http://trib.in/IwOnal) he hopped a plane Saturday from Orlando, Fla., after he received an alert from a bird watchers' group. He says this is "one bird short of being the rarest sight ever."