With Valeri Ponzo and Brian Ahern; a successful visit to see the Gray Crowned-Crane (we visited earlier today and did not see it).

eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S19081120

Note: this bird, which escaped 12 years earlier, was NOT pinioned, so please do not mark it as "Captive."

Seen while completing plant monitoring with Steve W in the Hole-in-the-Donut, Restoration Area 1998 in Everglades National Park. We walked through res. area 1997 to reach 98. Location is accurate.

More info about this amazing area here: https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/hidprogram.htm

Project that includes most of the restoration areas: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/everglades-national-park-hole-in-the-donut-restoration

All my observations from the HID today: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?on=2023-03-05&order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=any&user_id=joemdo

I think this bird is albino rather than leucistic due to its red eye. The light-colored bill suggests that this is a juvenile.

There is a nice discussion of the terminology for birds lacking some or all melanin on David Sibley's website.