Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2020-10
| Common name: |
Boreal Owl |
| Scientific name: | Aegolius funereus |
| Date: | 08/30/2019 |
| Time: | 8:30pm |
| Length of time observed: | 1hr |
| Number: | 2 |
| Age: | ? |
| Sex: | ? |
| Location: | Marshall Lake Unitas, Utah |
| County: | Dushesne |
| Latilong: | 40.674008 -110.876247 |
| Elevation: | 10,000 |
| Distance to bird: | 30 ft |
| Optical equipment: | 60x |
| Weather: | Clear |
| Light Conditions: | Dusk |
| Description: Size of bird: | around 9 inches |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Small Owl |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Brown with spots |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Light/yellow |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Brownish back with white spots. Angry eyebrows with light beak (distinguishing
difference from. Other Saw-whit Owl). These birds were very curious and were
shrieking when we walked up to our campsite from the lake. They continued to
circle around us in the pine trees from the top branches to the lower branches
for about an hour before they moved on. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Shriek (Video with sound) |
| Behavior: | Curious flying from branch to branch, not staying in the same place for more than 5 minutes |
| Habitat: | |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Northern Saw-whit Owl. I had searched and at first thought it must be this owl. I listened to as many calls as I could find and none matched my recording, but it felt like a dead end beyond that. I posted my pics on iNaturalist and after a few months, one of the observers suggested it was a Boreal Owl because the beak was yellowish instead of black. All my pics revealed a yellowish beak and then I heard a recording of the Boreal Shriek, and that sound was an absolute fit too! |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have only heard Northern Saw-whit owls in the Tibblefork/American Fork area of Utah |
| References consulted: | Bryanto on iNaturalist, Sibleys, Audubon, iBird, ebird |
| Description from: |
Notes made later From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Robert, Christina, and Kiley Reed |
| Observer's address: | Ogden, UT |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Bryanto on iNaturalist |
| Date prepared: | 03/27/2020 |
| Additional material: | Photos, Video with sound |
| Additional comments: |