Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2010-23
| Common name: |
Neotropic Cormorant |
| Scientific name: | Phalacrocorax brasilianus |
| Date: | April 18, 2010 |
| Time: | 9:44 A.M. |
| Length of time observed: | 50 minutes |
| Number: | 2 |
| Age: | Ist Year |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | Sandy Pond, aka "Sandy City Urban Fishery," 900 West Shields Land, Sandy Utah |
| County: | Salt Lake |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | Est: 30 yards |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon 300 DSLR camera;Nikon 80-400 VR Lens |
| Weather: | Warm, calm |
| Light Conditions: | Sunny, bright |
| Description: Size of bird: | smaller than DCCO (see photo with American Avocet to compare) |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Cormorant |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | brown/black |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | cormorant type bill |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Noticeably smaller than Double Crested cormorants. Small size can be seen by
comparison to an American Avocet (see photo C). Long tails relative to overall body proportion (Sibley) Lores are brown/feathered, no yellow. Developing white border beneath the gular patch Distinctive facial features
setting these birds apart from DCCO |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | |
| Behavior: | Aside from resting in the warm April sun, these birds successfully caught and ate trout, to the dismay of fishermen lining the pond. |
| Habitat: | An "Urban Fishery" opened for trout fishing in September 2009, several hundred yards east of the Jordan River |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Double Crested Cormorants which are significantly larger, with tails proportionally shorter. DCCO facial features are distinctively different from these birds. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Sighting with photos at Winchester Park/Murray Ut./Jordan River on April 29,
2009. Sighting with photos at "Kennecott Nature Center", Murray UT. (approx 5000 South) August 24, 2009. Sighting with Photos at Taylorsville/Millrace Park on May 2,2010 |
| References consulted: |
Sibley:Field Guide Personal observation/experience with this species |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Richard B. Young |
| Observer's address: | Sandy, Utah |
| Observer's e-mail address: | richbyoung@isp.com |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | None at the time of this sighting |
| Date prepared: | May 18, 2010 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional_Comments: |