Verification of Unusual Sight Record
For Utah

Rec. # 2019-36


Common name:

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Scientific name: Dendrocygna bicolor
Date: October 16, 2019
Time: 12:55 pm
Length of time observed: 10-15 minutes
Number: 1
Age: adult
Sex: female
Location: Jackson Flat Reservoir (east end)
County: Kane
Latilong: ??  [20 - Bryce Canyon]
Elevation: 5,000+ feet
Distance to bird: Approx. 100 yards
Optical equipment: 8x binoculars and 15-25x spotting scope
Weather: warm
Light Conditions: clear
Description:        Size of bird: 20 inches
(Description:)       Basic Shape: waterfowl
(Description:)  Overall Pattern: Rich tawny color overall; back darker and edged with tawny.
(Description:)            Bill Type: duck-type bill (stlightly flattened
(Description:)                              
Field Marks and
Identifying Characteristics:
This description is taken from notes I wrote down at the time I was looking at it.
Tree duck (based on previous experience); head was dark tan, kind of a butterscotch color; light tan or almost white on breast; bluish bill, and dark back with alternating tannish lines. Long neck (compared to other ducks) and bluish legs.
Song or call & method of delivery: It was silent.
Behavior: Just standing in a little bit of water, enough to cover the feet and then it just sat down in the shallow water. It never did fly or swim.
Habitat: Jackson Flat Reservoir is a man made reservoir with a lot of open water to the west and a mix of vegetation to the east where there are fingers of water that extend toward a bike trail. The duck was in (or on) one of these fingers.
Similar species and how
were they eliminated:
This is the only tawny colored duck with a blue bill. About four other ducks have blue beaks (pintail, scaup, ruddy), but none of them are butterscotch in color. Plus this had a longer neck and longer necks than most other ducks.
Previous experience with
this & similar species:
Saw this species about 30 years ago in Texas, but the minute I saw it I knew this is what it was.
References consulted: Kaufmann's Fieldguide to Birds and the National Geographic Fieldguide to Birds of North America.
Description from: Notes taken at the time of the sighting
Observer: G. Merrill Webb
Observer's address: 1617 Renaissance Way, Springville, Utah 84663
Observer's e-mail address: **
Other observers who independently identified this bird: Suzy Holt and two birders from SLC that I know of later (a couple of days after I reported it on eBird.
Date prepared: October 23, 2019
Additional material:  
Additional comments: