Whilst common over much of the USA, this can be difficult to catch up with in Britain. When I photographed the right-hand bird on Scilly in 1988,
I was the sole observer, since it was thought to have gone the previous day. An easily identified bird, the double breast band and orange rump and uppertail being obvious. Unlike the bird photographed in Texas,
most have two feet. An alligator was the most likely culprit, but it seemed to be surviving OK. The other bird was taken in Colorado.
