Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2018-37
| Common name: |
Prothonotary Warbler |
| Scientific name: | Protonotaria citrea |
| Date: | August 26, 2018 |
| Time: | 9:00 am |
| Length of time observed: | 4 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | adult |
| Sex: | male |
| Location: | Garr Ranch spring, Antelope Island State Park |
| County: | Davis |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | 10 feet |
| Optical equipment: | 8x42 and 10x42 binocs |
| Weather: | light breeze, warm |
| Light Conditions: | diffuse sunlight (high clouds, smoky) |
| Description: Size of bird: | warbler |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | warbler |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | yellow and gray |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | warbler-like |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
The blue-gray wings against a yellow body initially caught my attention. The bird was in a thick under-story, and only brief glimpses of various parts of the bird were made. I got Kathy on the bird, and between the two of us we pieced it together. The blue-gray wings were unbarred, and the back was olive-yellow. The contrast between the wings and back was quite strong. Breast was yellow. The head was solidly yellow with a large beady black eye. There was no eye ring. The bill was completely black. The upper side of the tail was dark gray. Neither of us got a look at the under-tail coverts. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none |
| Behavior: | Gleaning insects from thick under story branches and leaves. Was moving around quickly, making it difficult to track. When it did appear, it was always partially obscured. After a few minutes (and when I got my camera ready) it moved further back into vegetation that was not accessible. Another hour of searching was unsuccessful. |
| Habitat: | Riparian and marsh vegetation |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Wilson's Warbler female/juvenile head not completely yellow, has eye ring, wing
is greenish gray, and bill is not black.
Blue-winged Warbler has white wing bars and black eye line. Yellow Warbler female has yellowish wings and back. Yellow Warbler male has yellowish wings and streaking on breast. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Very familiar with Yellow and Wilson's Warblers. Have previously seen Prothonotary 5 times in Utah, and many times elsewhere. Just a few sightings of Blue-winged. |
| References consulted: | Sibley |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Joel and Kathy Beyer |
| Observer's address: | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | September 2, 2018 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional comments: |