Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2023-53
| Common name: |
White-winged Crossbill |
| Scientific name: | Loxia leucoptera |
| Date: | 9/21/2023 |
| Time: | 12:45pm~ |
| Length of time observed: | 5 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | adults |
| Sex: | male |
| Location: | Alta |
| County: | Salt Lake |
| Latilong: | 40.5884067,-111.6239691 |
| Elevation: | 8,800ft |
| Distance to bird: | 50m |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon 10x42 Binoculars |
| Weather: | overcast, breezy, some light showers, 41F |
| Light Conditions: | Poor |
| Description: Size of bird: | medium sized passerine |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | passerine |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | mostly bright pinkish red, black wings |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Crossed grainivoir |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
I heard some Red Crossbills flying over so we stopped the car and got
out and found several perched in some spruce nearby. I started doing a
Pygmy Owl imitation to bring them in closer and look for tag a longs,
then heard the distinctive Veet Veet alarm call of a White-winged
Crossbill to the west, so I scanned the tops of the spruces to the west
and spotted a Crossbill perched in the top of one in the direction the
call was coming from and snapped some photos of it, and the photos show
the brighter pinkish red color and 2 bold white wingbars of an adult
male White-winged Crossbill. The bird was far and lighting poor so I
didn't see that in the field, just in the photos, but they confirmed
what I was hearing. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Heard their distinctive Veet Veet alarm call several times |
| Behavior: | Perched in an Engelmann Spruce |
| Habitat: | Mixed upper montane Spruce-fir and Aspen forest |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Red Crossbill-different kip-kip alarm calls, males duller brick red color, bigger bill and chunkier shorter tailed structure, can have wingbars but often not as bold or in the same location. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Yes, many |
| References consulted: | Memory |
| Description from: |
Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Bryant Olsen |
| Observer's address: | 84102 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | I was leading a Birding Hike with 7 other participants, however all were relying on me to ID the bird |
| Date prepared: | 9/22/23 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional comments: | eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S150425853 |