Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2023-39
| Common name: |
Zone-tailed Hawk |
| Scientific name: | Buteo albonatus |
| Date: | 16 July 2023 |
| Time: | 5:45 PM and 6:10 PM |
| Length of time observed: | 2 minutes at 1st location; 5 minutes at 2nd location |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | adult |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | Lava Point Rd, Zion Natl Park (initially at campground, later stop at Blue Creek crossing at west boundary of park) |
| County: | Virgin Co. [Washington] |
| Latilong: | initially roughly at 37.383304, -113.02956; later at 37.38872, -113.0416 |
| Elevation: | approx 7,800 ft |
| Distance to bird: | ranged from 100 to 300 ft |
| Optical equipment: | 10x42mm Zeis binocs (TEW); 10x42mm Swaroski binocs (LAW) |
| Weather: | hot, >90 F, clear with scattered puffy clouds, light westerly wind 3-5 mph |
| Light Conditions: | excellent lighting, late afternoon light with sun at our backs and subject brightly illuminated |
| Description: Size of bird: | approx size of RTHA |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | buteo |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | uniformly dark slate gray |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | hooked raptor bill |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
soaring raptor roughly the size of a RTHA but with a sleeker overall shape (longer tail, narrower wings with a more pointed wingtip when in direct cruising flight; a buteo that surveyed the landscape in rapid direct flight with frequent direction changes. Soared with wings held in a dihedral position similar to a TUVU. Overall slate gray color - no brown tones - with s single broad, clean white band visible on the underside of the tail; the underside of the flight feathers were lighter gray with dark barring and a continuous dark trailing edge when viewed from below. The head was feathered, the bright yellow cere stood out on the head, and the yellow feet and legs were just visible in the tucked flight position. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none |
| Behavior: | cruising the lip of the escarpment, it made multiple passes directly in front of us at tree top and slightly higher elevation during our first sighting at the campground area. It cruised more nearly overhead several times as it made repeated passes with more erratic course changes along the line of Blue Creek drainage during our second sighting 20 minutes later (we drove directly between these two eBird list locations) |
| Habitat: | open pine and broadleaf woodland with exposed rock along the deep canyon rim and upper line of the shallow notch where Lava Point Rd crossed Blue Creek. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Turkey Vultures were present for direct size comparison - they are nearly twice the wingspan - and visual comparison of field marks. Slate gray color of ZTHA vs dull brown to blackish color of TUVU, bright yellow cere and a feathered head vs red to dull grayish-black head on TUVU, longer narrow bill on TUVU, plain silvery underwing and undertail on TUVU vs black tail with broad white band on ZTHA and barring on the underside of the flight feathers. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
viewed at intervals every winter where I reside in Orange County, CA; observed annually in birding travels throughout the SW to Texas, and south thru Mexico and Central America. TEW reviews all ZTHA reports as eBird reviewer in Orange County CA |
| References consulted: | none |
| Description from: | Notes taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Thomas E Wurster and Liga Auzins Wurster |
| Observer's address: | 12842 Safford East, Garden Grove CA 92840 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | 8 August 2023 |
| Additional material: | ebird checklists https://ebird.org/checklist/S145041420 and https://ebird.org/checklist/S145041491 |
| Additional comments: |