Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2012-46
| Common name: |
Eastern Phoebe |
| Scientific name: | Sayornis phoebe |
| Date: | Oct. 12, 2012 |
| Time: | 4:30PM |
| Length of time observed: | 10 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Probable HY Bird |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | Found along Canyon Road (the southern route to Fish Springs NWR via the paved powerplant road) about two miles north of the end of the powerplant road. |
| County: | Juab |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | ~6000 feet |
| Distance to bird: | 5-20 meters |
| Optical equipment: | 10x42 Leica Bins |
| Weather: | Light rain and cloudy |
| Light Conditions: | diffuse flat light |
| Description: Size of bird: | Sayornis |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | plump |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | grayish back, light belly and underparts, with dark head |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | flycatcher type |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
All the field marks shown below can be observed in accompanying photographs and
movie. -Dark eye with no eye-ring -Blackish head (darkest on crown and forehead) -Black legs -White underparts from the throat to the undertail coverts w/yellow wash on the belly -Grayish wash at sides of breast -Bill was black, small, and pointed -Back was mostly gray (w/some brown tones) contrasting with the dark tail and head -Tail was long, notched at tip, black, and moved with downward circular motion (see attached video) -Weak wing bars -Primaries dark with thin white edging -Secondaries dark with more noticeable white edging (see Photos and Video) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none heard |
| Behavior: | foraging low in rabbitbrush; appeared 'puffed' possibly due to cooler temperatures (~45 F) and rain. |
| Habitat: | Utah West Desert; mostly small juniper trees and hillsides with rabbitbrush and other desert shrubs. |
|
Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Other Sayornis species: Black Phoebe has all black
head, throat, and upper breast; Say's Phoebe has extensive rufous from belly to
undertail coverts. Western Peewee is smaller, more slender, has some yellow at base of lower mandible, and is darker from the throat to the lower belly. Similar flycatchers are generally smaller, lack a dark head and tail, have stronger wing-bars, have eye-rings, all have some yellow in the bills, and habitually flick their tails. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Considerable experience for JJS Life bird for HB |
| References consulted: | Sibley |
| Description from: | Notes made later |
| Observer: | Jack Skalicky & Huyen Bui |
| Observer's address: | PO BOX 58886 Salt Lake City, UT 84158-0886 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other Observers: | HB found the bird and JJS helped to identify |
| Date prepared: | November 10, 2012 |
| Additional material: | Photos and Video |
| Additional_Comments: | Photographs and a video will be sent separately. |