Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2020-07
| Common name: |
Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
| Scientific name: | Archilochus colubris |
| Date: | 09/04/2019 |
| Time: | 5:16 PM |
| Length of time observed: | 3 Minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Unknown |
| Sex: | Unknown |
| Location: | 6800 N Saratoga Rd, Saratoga Springs, UT 84045 |
| County: | Utah County |
| Latilong: | LATILONG 6 - Salt Lake City - Provo |
| Elevation: | 4,508 feet |
| Distance to bird: | 2 feet |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon D500 Camera with Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR Super Telephoto Zoom Lens |
| Weather: | Sunny, no overcast, slight wind. |
| Light Conditions: | ambient daylight of autumn evening 5pm |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small roughly 3 inch tall |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Slim body. Long body. distinct neck. |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | underbelly and neck are white/grey with no streaking. Bottom of chin up has distinct brown streak pattern continuing to forehead. Back of body is metallic emerald and blue. Back of head is dark brown and streaked. Tail tips have white on them. |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | long straight and black |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
underbelly and neck are white/grey with no streaking. Bottom of chin up has
distinct brown streak pattern continuing to forehead. Back of body is metallic
emerald and blue. Back of head is dark brown and streaked. Tail tips have white
on them. Body was very slim and long. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | no call or sounds |
| Behavior: | sitting on top of tree limb |
| Habitat: | River shoreline tree with having no leafs. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
I do not believe this could be a black-throated hummingbird or a The bird I observed most resembled the pictures on Cornell Lab All about birds identified as Female RubyThroated Hummingbird. Long thin body. Belly is absolutely free of markings or any streakings. Very thin but prominent white patch behind eyeball. Also white on just wing tips. Top of head is dark but it's because streaked brownish pattern that leads to its emerald back. Head is slim and eyes are all black and have a white patch behind eyeball that is the length of the eyeball. white thin patch/line under the eyeball too. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
multiple hummingbird species verified by merlin/cornell lab site. I also researched all hummingbird species online and matched characteristics most to only ruby-throated hummingbird. |
| References consulted: |
Allaboutbirds website to research all hummingbird types Merlin app also to help get identifying characteristics. eBird site to research species and shared siting. It was through this site that I got confirmation of species through Michael Lester, the Ebird intern for my area. |
| Description from: | From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Archita Benvie |
| Observer's address: | 414 North 400 West Provo, utah |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Ben Grossman |
| Date prepared: | 1/14/2020 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: | I will attach all photographs taken at the time bird sighting, to an email to utahbirds@gmail.com |