Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2011-23
| Common name: |
Northern Parula |
| Scientific name: | (Parula americana) [Setophaga americana] |
| Date: | May 14, 2011 |
| Time: | 8:30 A.M. |
| Length of time observed: | 20 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | male |
| Location: | West side Provo Airport Dike |
| County: | Utah |
| Latilong: | Salt Lake City-Provo |
| Elevation: | 4,500 feet. |
| Distance to bird: | 4 feet |
| Optical equipment: | Celestron 8x42 binoculars |
| Weather: | partly cloudy with mix of sun and overcast. |
| Light Conditions: | good lighting conditions |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small, reminder of a ruby crown kinglet in size when flying. |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Slender warbler shaped type bird. |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | yellow and blue gray stuck out at first |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | sharp bill |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
When first saw species fly I thought of Yellow-rumped warbler, upon second
glance the yellow-green patch on it's back clued Eric Huish and myself that we
were looking at something different. Noticing the eye/arcs or incomplete eye
rings were the next field mark I noticed.It had an over all blue/gray to it. It
had a white outer tail feathers when flying. Bold white wing bars were noticed
as well. It also had dark loral stripe. It had a yellow breast with some orange
mixed in around the neck area. Also a lil smudge of black around neck. It had a
white on belly and around base of tail. It had a sharp bill, but we did not pay
attention to the bi-color of it. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Bird sang several times. The song was a buzzing rising sound. Compared nicely to a bird recording we listened to after observing bird. He was perched when singing, did not hear him sing in flight. |
| Behavior: | Bird was active mostly staying in the middle of the trees he would go between. He would sing while moving around. |
| Habitat: | Lake side, small trees and shrubs, large corkscrew willow, marsh, russian olives. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Tropical Parula, this was eleminated based on lack of the incomplete eye ring on this bird and also white belly on bird, instead of yellow. Virginia's Warbler was eliminated by the lack of yellow/green color patch on it's back, the black lorals are not found on Virginia's Warbler. Also a prominent yellow throat on the bird seen.Yellow-Warbler was eliminated again by the yellow/green back and lack of yellow on breast. And this did not have a yellow rump. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have seen this species one other time, last year in the East Bay part of Provo, Utah. |
| References consulted: | The Sibley Guide to Birds |
| Description from: | Notes made later |
| Observer: | KC Childs |
| Observer's address: | 731 w. 580 s. [Orem] |
| Observer's e-mail address: | utahguy058@yahoo.com |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Eric Huish |
| Date prepared: | May 14, 2011 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional_Comments: |