Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2022-71
| Common name: |
Winter Wren |
| Scientific name: | Troglodytes hiemalis |
| Date: | 12/16/2022 |
| Time: | 9:40 am |
| Length of time observed: | Five minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | Bountiful Pond |
| County: | Davis |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | Within 10 feet |
| Optical equipment: | |
| Weather: | |
| Light Conditions: | Good even light |
| Description: Size of bird: | |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Classic stub-tailed wren: small, dark wren with very short tail cocked
upward. Dark brown above with paler grayish-brown underparts, pale
supercilium, and barring on flanks and tail. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: |
First heard single distant "chimp" note and immediately thought WIWR but there were at least a dozen SOSP in the vicinity so I
was hesitant to call it. Started pishing and the bird moved in
instantly, giving distinctive doubled "chimp chimp" calls. |
| Behavior: | Foraging very low to the ground (never more than one or two feet off the ground) in dense tangles. Moving very frenetically, flicking wings often. |
| Habitat: | Dense dry deciduous vegetation stacked up against base of russian olive thickets. South side of Bountiful Lake along the canal. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Chimp calls lower and rougher than PAWR with SOSP-like quality (not high, short "chet" of PAWR). Lower on spectrogram than PAWR as well (loudest part of call around 4 kHz vs. 6-7) with distinct harmonic bands. Plumage rather pale gray-brown and heavily patterned unlike the darker rufous-brown of PAWR (but calls are what ultimately cinched the ID). Vaguely similar in appearance to HOWR but smaller, darker, shorter tail, and heavier barring on flanks. Call also much different from HOWR. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Extensive experience with this species from New Hampshire. Have also recorded it several times in Wyoming and Colorado. Some experience with Pacific Wren from Oregon, California, and Colorado. |
| References consulted: | |
| Description from: | Notes made later |
| Observer: | Jack Bushong |
| Observer's address: | |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | 12/26/2022 |
| Additional material: | I obtained a diagnostic audio recording which I will submit to the email address listed below. |
| Additional comments: |