Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2014-022
| Common name: |
Blue-headed Vireo |
| Scientific name: | Vireo solitarius |
| Date: | 09-01-2014 |
| Time: | 12:30pm |
| Length of time observed: | 5 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | ? |
| Sex: | Not an adult male |
| Location: | Garr Ranch, Antelope Island |
| County: | Davis |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 4200ft |
| Distance to bird: | 5m |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon 10x50 Binoculars |
| Weather: | Sunny,warm-80F |
| Light Conditions: | Excellent |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small passerine-5.5in |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Small short tail passerine with a horizontal posture |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Green back,yellow flanks,white belly and throat, with a dark gray head |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Short,stout hooked bill of a Vireo |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
My first impression upon seeing this "Soliary: Vireo was that it was a
Blue-headed, because of the darker gray head and amount of yellow and green in
the body,so Matt started taking photos as I observed the bird. I've had
experience with bright "Solitary" Vireos before and wanted to be cautious and
make sure it wasn't a Cassin's. But even in the field it appeared to have a high
contrast throat/cheek line and had a darker gray head than I would expect for a
Cassin's. Upon review of the photos,and while consulting online articles about
the complex, it became clear that this Vireo was a Blue-headed. Dark gray head contrasting with greenish back High contrast throat and cheek line Head a darker shade of gray than typical Cassin's Lores not contrastingly darker than the rest of the head (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | None heard |
| Behavior: | Methodically moving through a Russian Olive thicket, low to mid canopy. |
| Habitat: | Ranch house on the shore of the Great Salt Lake, with many cultivated planted trees and a spring. Know migrant trap. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
That day there were many Cassin's Vireos at the ranch for direct comparison, and none had as dark of a gray head or a sharply delineated cheek line as the bird we saw, and all were duller olive brownish, not the bright green and yellow of this Vireo. Upon examination of the photos we got of both species, the contrasting darker lores of the Cassin's also became apparent, and seems a good field mark to distinguish the two. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I've never seen a definite Blue-headed Vireo before, but I've seen many Cassin's Vireos, including at least 9 at the ranch that day, and 2 years ago I had a possible BHVI in the same location. |
| References consulted: | 'The Sibley Guide to Birds'D.A. Sibley 2014,'SOME THOUGHTS ON THE 'SOLITARY VIREO' COMPLEX ' D. Robertson(online article),many online photos of Cassin;s and Blue-headed |
| Description from: | From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Bryant Olsen |
| Observer's address: | 688 East 700 South #105, SLC, UT 84102 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Matt Pendleton |
| Date prepared: | 09-03-2014 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional_Comments: |