This weekend, Alabama Audobon volunteer Greg Harber was out looking for birds along the Cahaba River. Instead, he sighted—and caught on videotape—an elusive American mink.

“I’ve been birding in the Trussville area for 35 years, as this is my area for the Alabama Audubon Spring and Fall Bird Counts. Saturday, I tabulated 73 different species of birds, but this American mink was by far my best bird of the day!”
Greg Harber, Compiler, Alabama Audubon

Check out Harbers’ video:

Mink are not rare, just elusive

American mink are not rare in Alabama, but they are elusive primarily because they are nocturnal. Semi-aquatic in nature, minks can usually be spotted near wetlands and creek banks late in the evening or early in the morning.

People also confuse them regularly with river otters. The difference? Size. The mink is much smaller than a river otter. Here is a photo gallery from the National Park Service to help you tell the difference.

How rare is it to spot a mink on the Cahaba River? We asked Randy Haddock, former staff biologist for the Cahaba River Society, how often he saw them while working on the river.

He told us only once in his 30 years.

Have you seen a mink along the Cahaba River lately? Tell us your favorite story about this wonderful critter by tagging us on Instagram at @bhamnow!