Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Neotropic Cormorant
Scientific name:	Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Date:	February 25, 2013
Time:	3:27 P.M.
Length of time observed:	30 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Adult
Sex:	?
Location:	Willow Pond (urban fishery pond) Murray, UT
County:	Salt Lake
Latilong:
Elevation:	4300 ft
Distance to bird:	500 yds
Optical equipment:	Nikon D5100, Nikon 300mm AFS f.4,, 1.4teleconverter
Weather:	Cloudy
Light Conditions:	cloudy to the point that shadows were almost non existant.
Description: Size of bird:	1/3 smaller than typical D.C. cormorant
(Description:) Basic Shape:	cormorant shape
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	brown-black adult
(Description:) Bill Type:	cormorant
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Distinctive facial features: specifically a dull yellow gular which came to a sharp V shape at the back of the bill. Small cormorant, the accompanying photos show distinctive size difference between it and Double-Crested side-by-side. (SEE PHOTOS)
Song or call & method of delivery:
Behavior:	Standing in water; also on land, with a group of 3 DCCOs alongside. The bird was not tolerated well by the DCCOs; and eventually flew from the pond alone.
Habitat:	A man-made pond (urban fishery)stocked with game fish.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Double Crested Cormorants, standing side-by-side to this NECO.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Yearly accepted records for this species, beginning April 2009.
References consulted:	Extensive Personal experience
Description from:	From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Richard B. Young
Observer's address:	Holladay, UT
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	NONE
Date prepared:	March 1, 2013
Additional material:	Photos
Additional_Comments:	This is the first time NECOs have been documented on this body of water (Willow Pond). To my knowledge, this is the earliest recorded sighting of NECOs in Northern Utah!