Rare 'fancy-looking' Northern Jacana bird spotted at Texas wildlife refuge

ALAMO, Texas – A water bird any avid birder would like to check off their list was recently spotted at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Texas , according to officials.

The Northern Jacana was spotted at the refuge near Alamo in the Pintail Lakes, just a short half-mile to a mile hike from the visitor center, according to a post from the Santa Ana and Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuges . The last time a Northern Jacana was seen in Santa Ana was about nine years ago, in November 2016.

This bird could not be mistaken for any other, with its "fancy-looking, chicken-like" appearance. Photos show the distinctive brown body, yellow patches on its bill and a yellow wattle on its forehead.

According to the Audubon Society , these birds can be spotted along marshy ponds fr