Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Rusty Blackbird
Scientific name:	Euphagus carolinus
Date:	27 December 2022
Time:	12:54
Length of time observed:	5+ minutes
Number:	1
Age:	adult
Sex:	male
Location:	491 W 1000 N torrey, UT
County:	Wayne
Latilong:	38.31612, -111.43193
Elevation:	~7,000'
Distance to bird:	40' - 20'
Optical equipment:	Zeiss 8 x 42
Weather:	clear but overcast
Light Conditions:	very good
Description: Size of bird:	similar to Red-winged or Brewer's Blackbird
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Like any other blackbird
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	black with rusty brown edging on many contour feathers
(Description:) Bill Type:	Straight, somewhat thinner than nearby RWBLs
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	I enjoy feeding the local Pinyon Jay flocks. There are two or three groups that cycle through each day. They usually have some hangers-on, e.g. NOFL and RWBL, so I will scan the flocks to see who's with them. On 12/27 I looked out at the feeder and noticed several RWBLs with the 70 PIJAs. One of the blackbirds looked more slender and diffusely patterned, so I took my binoculars and checked it out from 40' away. It was a black blackbird with the wing bar that I'd expect from a male RWBL, but also had too much rusty edging on its contour feathers to be an aberrant BRBL. The bird had a yellow eye, distinct rusty supercilium, rusty throat and heavier rusty edging on its flanks than on its back. I was confident that it was a RUBL, but checked my Sibley guide to see if any specific characteristics definitively separate RUBL from a BRBL with some rusty feather edging. In the past, I've scanned hundreds of BRBL in southern California looking for RUBL, occasionally finding a bird with rusty feather edgings that always turned out to be a BRBL. Sibley mentioned rusty-edged secondaries, which I was able to see as the bird walked closer to the window I was looking out of. I didn't have my regular telephoto lens with me, so took a few poor images with my phone (sent to utahbirds@gmail.com). The rusty-edged secondaries, combined with the distinct rusty supercilium, rusty throat, and rusty barring on flanks convinced me that this was indeed a RUBL. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	none
Behavior:	Walking on ground picking up sunflower seeds and doing some bill probing in spots with dead leaves
Habitat:	Pinyon-Juniper next to backyard bird feeder.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	From 1st winter RWBL by more slender shape, thinner bill, no pale wing bar and the rusty edging more diffuse and less evenly distributed across body (heavier around head, throat and flanks). Rusty on RWBL is also more streaky. From male BRBL, which sometimes shows rusty edging, by more extensive rusty feather edgings and distinct rusty supercilium.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I've seen them on occasion in the Midwest and back east, both in winter and early spring. Very familiar with RWBL and BRBL.
References consulted:	Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America.
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	WALTER WEHTJE
Observer's address:	P.O. Box 750011, Torrey, UT 84775
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	spouse, but she trusted my I.D.
Date prepared:	1/16/2023
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	The bird returned on 1/15/23, so I'll try to obtain better photos if it comes back. Until I received an email today from the eBird reviewer requesting that I submit this record, I was unaware that RUBL is a review species in Utah. My apologies.