Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2023-37a
| Common name: |
Curve-billed Thrasher |
| Scientific name: | Toxostoma curvirostre |
| Date: | July 26 - August 2, 2023 (not detected July 31 - I was away from the location). |
| Time: | 1849 |
| Length of time observed: | initially thirty-five minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult (based on bill length). |
| Sex: | unknown |
| Location: | Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge |
| County: | Juab |
| Latilong: | 39.838158 -113.398491 |
| Elevation: | 4,240 feet |
| Distance to bird: | twenty feet |
| Optical equipment: |
Leica Ultravid 10x42 binoculars. Nikon D500 with 200-500mm lens. |
| Weather: | |
| Light Conditions: | Crepuscular the first sighting - bright sun some of the additional days. |
| Description: Size of bird: | a bit larger than a Northern Mockingbird. |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Mimid. decurved bill. longer tail than thrushes. |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | brown |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | decurved |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Body brown overall. Decurved bill. Long tail. Yellow eyes. (see photo) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: |
Silent first evening detected; subsequent days heard the bird both singing and
calling. |
| Behavior: | feeding, resting, preening, singing, calling |
| Habitat: | desert scrub overall, with a combination of living and dead trees near the offices. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Body brown overall. Decurved bill longer than that of Sage or Bendire's Thrasher. Yellow eyes rule out both California and LeConte's Thrasher. Crissal Thrasher ruled out due to yellowish (rather than rufous) undertail coverts , tail same brown color as the body |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have conducted bird surveys at Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge which is in the Sonoran Desert in Southwest Arizona. Curve-billed Thrasher is a common bird there; Crissal and LeConte's Thrashers uncommon, and Bendire's occasional. |
| References consulted: | none |
| Description from: |
From memory rom photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Renee Tressler |
| Observer's address: | 182 Rainbow Drive #8288 Livingston, TX 77399 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | August 3, 2023 |
| Additional material: | Photo, Tape |
| Additional comments: |