Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2017-01
| Common name: |
Eastern Bluebird |
| Scientific name: | Sialia sialis |
| Date: | 01-01-2017 |
| Time: | 11:15am |
| Length of time observed: | 10 minutes |
| Number: | 2 |
| Age: | adult(male),unknown(female) |
| Sex: | Male and female |
| Location: | Galena-Soo'nkahni reclamation site along the Jordan River |
| County: | Salt Lake |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 4300ft |
| Distance to bird: | At closest approach, less than 30m |
| Optical equipment: | Vortex 8.5 X 32 Binoculars, Canon SX50 hs Digital Camera |
| Weather: | Sunny,cold-20F, windy |
| Light Conditions: | Backlight was a challenge, but once I found the right angle to view the bird light was good. |
| Description: Size of bird: | 7 inches |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Small thrush |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Male-bright blue back, rufous breast,white belly. Female-more uniform rusty brown, white belly, blue wings and tail |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Short and thin |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
First noticed a small thrush flush from a tree, seemed to small and chubby to be
a robin, so I tracked it down to get a better look, noted it was a female
bluebird, but seemed very rufous below for a Mountain. Then the male flew in and
joined the female and I noted the bright blue back, rufous breast, rufous throat
that wrapped up onto the cheeks, and solid blue back without rufous eliminating
a Western Bluebird, also noted white belly (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | They gave a 'Twerdledee' call a few times, compared with calls on Audubon Birds app, perfect match for Eastern, very unlike the calls of Western and Mountain Bluebirds I'm familiar with. |
| Behavior: | Perched in Russian Olives, were a bit skiddish and wouldn't let me get to close, but wouldn't fly far and would perch conspicuously in Russian Olives. |
| Habitat: | Riparian river bottom, mostly grown with Russian Olives, some large wet meadows and marshes nearby. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Mountain Bluebird-males never have a rufous breast,
make a different softer call Western Bluebird-Males have a blue throat and usually a rufous back patch, also a blue not white belly, the the blue is more of an indigo blue than the royal blue of a Eastern Bluebird, make a different harsher call |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Yes, I saw some Eastern Bluebirds in Mexico last winter. I've seen many Mountain and Western Bluebirds.Several other I was with have experience with Eastern as well. |
| References consulted: | Sibley's 'Western Birds', 'Audubon Birds' app |
| Description from: | From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Bryant Olsen |
| Observer's address: | 84102, SLC UT |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Terri Pope, Cooper Farr, Karin Kirchoff, Lynn Bohs, Vivian schneggenburger, Bryan Larsen, Laurie Joseph were with me, Matt Pendleton found them later that day. |
| Date prepared: | 1-1-17 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: | eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33351555 |