MITCHELL, Indiana — A seabird commonly found in tropical oceans around the world has somehow made its way to southern Indiana.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources said Thursday a juvenile Sula leucogaster, commonly known as a brown booby, was recently seen diving into the lake at Spring Mill State Park to catch fish.
Interpretive naturalist Wade LaHue first spotted the bird on Monday.
Assistant State Ornithologist Amy Kearns said because the seabird is a juvenile, he has different colorations than an adult bird.
"This species is not normally found in the United States, let alone Indiana," Kearns said.
It's unclear how the bird wandered out of its normal range.
Officials said the brown booby has remained near the Lakeview Activity Center at the park, fishing and resting on fallen trees and the park's newly built floating dock.
Park staff ask guests who go out to catch a glimpse of the special bird to give it plenty of space to rest and feed so it can stay healthy and eventually find its way back home in the ocean.
"It could leave at any time," Kearns said.
This is the second time the species has been found in Indiana, officials said.
The last time a brown booby was seen in Indiana was in May 2019 when one was spotted on a private lake in Zionsville. That bird stayed for less than a day.
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