“Is this a penguin on Platte River?”

A black and white bird, spotted near the Platte River in Denver on Monday left one Reddit user scratching their head.

See the post here.

Though Colorado has a diverse array of wildlife, including 400 bird species, wild penguins have never called the state home. But to be fair, the bird does share a striking resemblance with the species in question. 

So what is it?

According to the ‘What is this bird’ subreddit, where the photo was shared, the mystery bird is a black-crowned night heron.

Black-crowned night herons are common in North America and often live near water. The species is considered endangered in Colorado, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. 

Thankfully for Denver’s penguin fans, they don’t have to travel far to see an actual penguin in Colorado. The Denver Zoo has their flock of African penguins that you can even schedule personal encounters with. 

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