Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2023-06
| Common name: |
Red-shouldered Hawk |
| Scientific name: | Buteo lineatus elegans |
| Date: | 2/6/23 |
| Time: | 7:40 AM |
| Length of time observed: | 15 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | 1st-year? |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | East side of Spanish Fork River, north side of W6400 S Street (Spanish Fork) 40°06'56.6"N 111°41'53.0"W |
| County: | Utah |
| Latilong: | Pin provided in Location field |
| Elevation: | Valley floor, probably 4600' |
| Distance to bird: | Fifty yards when it moved closer to the road. Otherwise, about 100 yards. |
| Optical equipment: | Vortex Viper HD 10x50, Nikon D500 with lens at 500mm. |
| Weather: | Overcast with a few snowflakes at times |
| Light Conditions: | Dull morning light due to thick cloud cover and some high-hanging fog. |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small for buteo, smaller than nearby RTHA |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Buteo |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Brownish head, white speckles on backside and secondaries, Rufous marking un underside, thick black bands in tail |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Brownish head, light rufous visible in shoulders, rufous streaking in
chest forming the juvenile-like bib associated with elegans ssp, rufous
barring on belly, white speckling in secondary feathers while perched,
white crescents at base of primary feathers along with extensive white
speckling in remiges were visible during one short flight from one tree
to another. Rufous underwing coverts seen briefly in flight. The tail
showed thick black bands separated by thin white bands. (see photo) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | No vocalizations heard during observation |
| Behavior: | Perched while observing nearby field. It moved several times to new vantage points. |
| Habitat: | Spanish Fork River bordered by mature trees and open field. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Smaller than nearby RTHA. Extensive rufous barring on underside, unlike a RTHA bellyband, a rufous bib formed by streaking in the chest and thick tail bands ruled out RTHA and SWHA, rufous underwing coverts lacked dark patagial marks of RTHA. Rufous shoulders and extensive white speckling contrasting with mostly dark remiges eliminate BWHA. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I've seen them several times in Utah, Nevada, and California. |
| References consulted: | Raptor ID app and Sibley Birds V2 app |
| Description from: |
Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Jeff Cooper |
| Observer's address: | |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | 2/6/23 |
| Additional material: | Photo |
| Additional comments: |
|