Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2017-72a
| Common name: |
McCown's Longspur |
| Scientific name: | Rhynchophanes mccownii |
| Date: | 12-21-2017 |
| Time: | 10:25 am |
| Length of time observed: | 15 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | Unknown |
| Location: | Harold S Crane WMA -Rainbow Unit |
| County: | Weber |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | ~4125 |
| Distance to bird: | 30 yards |
| Optical equipment: | Vortex HD spotter & Canon sx50hs |
| Weather: | Windy, cold. Winds out of the N & sunny. |
| Light Conditions: | Good |
| Description: Size of bird: | 6 |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Sparrow |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Light brown above, pale below |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Sparrow like |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Heavy pink bill. Pale auriculars that were absent of any distinct pattern, pale
Buffy Eyebrow . Rufous tone to median coverts. Crown absent of median stripe. Gray rump. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | N/A |
| Behavior: | Feeding with HOLA and LALO, but in a lower posture. Would also occasionally feed with tail up which is something I haven t seen in LALO. |
| Habitat: | Pickle Grass/Playa |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
The heavy pink bill would eliminate all other longspurs. The rufous/rust on the median coverts would instead be on the greater coverts and/or tertials in a Lapland. Median crown stripe not being present would also eliminate Lapland. Other longspurs would have a different colored, much smaller bill and would have streaming on flanks. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Had spent a lot of time researching this and other Longspur sp after last weeks encounter with the probable MCLO. My exp with LALO is quite extensive. Winter plumages in Utah, breeding plumage in Nome, AK. |
| References consulted: | Nat Geo & Sibley field guides, birds of NA online, Macaulay Library. |
| Description from: | Notes taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Mike Hearell |
| Observer's address: | Pleasant View, Utah |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Matt Pendelton may have observed the same bird one day later. I do believe this to be a different bird than the one reported on the 16th. |
| Date prepared: | 12-22-2017 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: |