Verification of Unusual Sight Record
For Utah

Rec. # 2023-80


Common name:

Hepatic Tanager

Scientific name: Piranga flava
Date: Nov. 27, 2023
Time: 11:00 am
Length of time observed: 10 minutes
Number: 1
Age: immature
Sex: male
Location: West Valley,
County: Salt Lake
Latilong: 40.693733, -111.922206
Elevation: 4,300 feet
Distance to bird: 20 feet
Optical equipment: Lumix camera
Weather: clear and cold, about 32 degrees F
Light Conditions: Sunny
Description:        Size of bird: Slightly larger than a Western Tanager
(Description:)       Basic Shape: Stocky, short-tailed
(Description:)  Overall Pattern: Grayish yellow, with yellow crissum , throat and forehead
(Description:)            Bill Type: heavy, dark gray tanager bill
(Description:)                              
Field Marks and
Identifying Characteristics:
Heavy, dark gray tanager bill with a tomial tooth. Grayish yellow all over, with vague wing-bars. A rather vague dark eyeline ran from the lore through the eye. The auriculars were gray and the supercilium and throat were yellow, washed with orange.
(see photo)
Song or call & method of delivery: silent
Behavior: Not shy. Was foraging on the ground when I rode my bicycle past, flushing her up into a nearby tree. She hopped around for a while, flew from one tree to another several times before I lost her.
Habitat: Riparian woods (Jordan River) adjacent to open field in urban setting
Similar species and how
were they eliminated:
Western Tanager: Bill was dark gray and larger than Western; the wing-bars were less distinct.
Summer Tanager: The dark bill and the facial pattern, with the dark eyeline and gray auriculars separating the yellow supercilium and throat.
Previous experience with
this & similar species:
 I'm very familiar with Western Tanagers, and have seen quite a few Summer Tanagers. This is the first Hepatic I've seen.
References consulted:  
Description from: From memory
From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer: Brest van Kempen, Carel
Observer's address: PO Box 17647; Holladay, Utah 84117
Observer's e-mail address: **
Other observers who independently identified this bird:  
Date prepared: Nov. 27, 2023
Additional material: Photo
Additional comments: