Expand / Collapse search
☰

First bat falcon spotted in US at Texas wildlife refuge

By Chris Williams
Updated  February 22, 2022 4:49pm EST
Pets and Animals
FOX TV Digital Team
Image 1 of 2
▼

The country's first bat falcon sighting happened at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge last December in Texas.  (Peter Witt )

ALAMO, Texas - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the country’s first recorded bat falcon sighting happened at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, Texas last December.

"Everyone that can catch a glimpse is looking at this bat falcon right now," officials recently posted on its Facebook page. "This is the first recorded time that a bat falcon has ever been seen in the U.S.!"

Seventy-eight-year-old Peter Witt of College Station took a trip earlier this month just to spot the rarity and snap a photo. The couple recently picked up an interest in spotting birds, with enthusiasts known as "birders." 

What is rabies?

Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.

"My wife (Joyce Nies) and I went to SA NWR specifically to see the Bat Falcon since this is the first time it has been reported to be in the U.S," he told FOX Television Stations. 

RELATED: US had 5 rabies deaths last year, highest total in a decade

According to ebird, the bat falcon is a small, carnivorous bird with a white throat and a rust-colored belly. They are known to mostly live in Mexico and Central America. 

It’s not known how the bat falcon migrated to the U.S., but a spokesperson with the wildlife service told FOX Television Stations it’s anybody’s guess if the country could see another one.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.