Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2022-07
| Common name: |
Vaux's Swift |
| Scientific name: | Chaetura vauxi |
| Date: | April 29, 2021 |
| Time: | 8:15 |
| Length of time observed: | Ten minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | Unknown |
| Location: | The Sandy Beach hotspot at the end of River Lane |
| County: | Utah |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | As close as thirty feet as it flew overhead multiple times |
| Optical equipment: | Cabela’s XT 8 x 42, Nikon D500 with 200-500mm lens fully zoomed to 500mm |
| Weather: | Clear sky, spring-like |
| Light Conditions: | Sunny |
| Description: Size of bird: | |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Light gray swift with a stubby tail and pointed wingtips. Wings appeared
shorter, less slender than Chimney Swift. Tail, when not fanned, was
quite short and stubby. (See photo) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | I don’t recall hearing vocalizations |
| Behavior: | Foraging for flying insects repeatedly over the same small area above the beach and occasionally over the water. |
| Habitat: | Shoreline near wooded area (at the end of River Lane) |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Chimney swift tail would be about the same length as the torso andhead, and the vent area would typically be darker than the chest. The bird I observed had a tail that was about the length of the torso alone, and the vent area was a light gray color matching the color of the chest. Relative to the body, the wings appeared less slender than Chimney Swift’s. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have seen numerous Chimney Swifts in my home state of Kentucky and White-throated Swifts here in Utah |
| References consulted: | Sibley Field Guides (Printed and Digital) |
| Description from: | Memory and photo |
| Observer: | Jeff Cooper (after meeting up with Taylor Gallagher, who initially spotted it moments earlier.) |
| Observer's address: | |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Taylor Gallagher |
| Date prepared: | March 18, 2022 |
| Additional material: | Photo included in eBird checklist. See link below.eBird checklist with a photo: https://ebird.org/checklist/S86871350 |
| Additional comments: |