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FRESNO, Calif. — A rare duck normally only seen in Asia has somehow turned up in California, drawing excited bird watchers from all over the U.S. and Canada to a wildlife refuge in the state’s Central Valley.
Wildlife officials say a male falcated duck, a bird common in China, was first spotted at the refuge Dec. 8. Since then, thousands of birders have observed it paddling among mallards, pintails and geese, said Lora Haller, who works at the Colusa Wildlife Refuge’s visitor center.
More than 2,000 cars packed with visitors have streamed into the refuge over the last month — double the usual visitor numbers.
