Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2023-20
| Common name: |
Tennessee Warbler |
| Scientific name: | Leiothlypis peregrina |
| Date: | 5/21/2023 |
| Time: | 0700 |
| Length of time observed: | Five minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | Male |
| Location: | 818 N. 500 E. Price, Utah |
| County: | Carbon |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | ~6000 feet |
| Distance to bird: | 4 meters |
| Optical equipment: | Vortex Razor HD |
| Weather: | Clear |
| Light Conditions: | Sunny |
| Description: Size of bird: | Medium sized Warbler |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Warbler |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Gray/olive/white |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Sharp, warbler bill, not thick and hooked like similar WAVI |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Bird had olive gray back, which extended to uppertail. Undertail coverts
were white. Dark eyeline with light "eyebrow." Body was gray. Bird was singing, which I recorded on my iPhone. This can be heard here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S138651388 in the middle of the recording, bird sings 2x. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Bird was singing, which I recorded. |
| Behavior: | Foraging in apricot tree. Flew up and perched when I pished. |
| Habitat: | neighborhood |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Warbling Vireo-- Bird had a thin warbler bill versus heavy/hooked bill of WAVI. Back and uppertail were olive
green. Song was not vireo song and can be heard in recording. I had recorded a singing OCWA yesterday and these species can superficially resemble each other in song at look. This birds song was a two-part trill that is different than OCWA’s downward trill that runs out of steam at the end. Visually, this bird had white undertail coverts versus yellow on OCWA and a more well defined dark eyeline and light eyebrow. The Tennessee showed more of a contrast between gray chest and olive back, which differs from the (often) uniform color I see on OCWA |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
None, but plenty with WAVI in montane habitats throughout the state. |
| References consulted: | Sibley, iBird |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Carl Ingwell |
| Observer's address: | 818 N 500 E Price, Utah |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | 5/21/2023 |
| Additional material: | Tape |
| Additional comments: | Happy to send recording if eBird checklist is not sufficient. |