Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2007-12
| Common name: |
Northern Parula |
| Scientific name: | Parula americana |
| Date: | 05/22/2007 |
| Time: | 1:15 pm |
| Length of time observed: | 30 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | adult |
| Sex: | male |
| Location: | 700 West just south of Red Hills Golf Course |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 3000 feet |
| Distance to bird: | 50 - 100 feet |
| Optical equipment: | 10x42 NIkon Binocs and Canon camera with 400mm camera lens |
| Weather: | Clear Skies and war |
| Light Conditions: | Conditions: birght sunny afternoon |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small Warbler size |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Warbler-like |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | gray-blue, yellow, olive and white |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | small pointed bill |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Typical adult male Northern Parula. The bird was gray blue on the head and
cheeks, with blue wings, and two slight white wing bars. It had slight
spectacles above and below the eye that were white as well. The throat and breast were yellow with a darker "olive-brown" breast band running from shoulder to shoulder. The belly and under tail were white. The bird had a tiny pointed bill that appeared dark above, and yellowish below, something no other warbler has. See picture... |
| Song or call & method of delivery: |
The bird was delivering what I believe was an alternate song. It was similar to
it's normal song, but seemed more buzzy than usual. Rick Fridell had mentioned
this to me in a phone call before I visited the area. |
| Behavior: | Was initially heard near the south edge of the golf course, and flew into a large cottonwood on the course where it was singing and feeding from the top of the trees. |
| Habitat: | Residential area on the edge of a golf course. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Any number of wood warblers have blue-gray back and heads with yellow and white
on the body, however none have the pattern this bird showed. Tropical Parula
would be the nearest candidate, but lacks the white spectacles and dark breast band. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Lived in Wisconsin for 4 years and Indiana for almost a year where I saw and heard numerous Parula's. |
| References consulted: | None. |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Tim Avery |
| Observer's address: | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Observer's e-mail address: | tanager@timaverybirding.com |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Rick Fridell found this bird the day before and let me know about it. |
| Date prepared: | 05/26/2007 |
| Additional material: | Photo |
| Additional comments: |