Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2021-14
| Common name: |
Bendire's Thrasher |
| Scientific name: | Toxostoma bendirei |
| Date: | 3/6/2021 |
| Time: | 0945 |
| Length of time observed: | 1 minute |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | Unknown |
| Location: | Beaver Dam Slope, closer to blacktop |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | 25 meters |
| Optical equipment: | Vortex 8x42 |
| Weather: | Sunny and fine |
| Light Conditions: | sunny |
| Description: Size of bird: | Large thrasher |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | thrasher shaped |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | overall brown |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | shorter, slightly curved bill |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
The first thing that stuck out to me was the size, behavior, and the overall color of this bird. Bird was a good deal larger than more common sage thrasher. Bird was warm brown overall, with some white and brown streaking on chest; solid brown flanks with no streaking; and lighter undertail coverts. Bird was observed running on ground with tail cocked at 90 degree angle, and was going back and forth between two creosote bushes, searching on ground, before running north and out of view. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Bird did not sing or call |
| Behavior: | Running on ground, searching near base of creosote bush. Tail cocked up at 90 degree angle |
| Habitat: | Desert scrub, joshua tree, creosote, cholla |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Elimination: Sage Thrasher: Much larger, overall brown with dark
unstreaked flanks and belly, behavior was that of Bendire's Crissal Thrasher: Smaller bill; brown and not gray; no rufous undertail coverts. Brown Thrasher: I eliminated Brown due to less likely range, but this bird was not rufous, and had solid brown belly and sides. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Extensive experience with Sage Thrasher while doing breeding bird surveys in northern colorado plateau over a decade. No previous experience with Bendire's. |
| References consulted: | Sibley 2nd edition, iBird Pro |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Carl Ingwell |
| Observer's address: | Ogden, Utah |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Alex Schiwal |
| Date prepared: | 3/7/2021 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional comments: | none |