Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Northern Cardinal
Scientific name:	Cardinalis Cardinalis
Date:	December 28, 2024
Time:	4.59 pm
Length of time observed:	20 seconds
Number:	1
Age:	adult
Sex:	?
Location:	2216 West 70 South, Hurricane, Utah 84737
County:	Washington
Latilong:	37.17550 N, 113.32853 W
Elevation:	3,200 feet
Distance to bird:	20 feet
Optical equipment:	none
Weather:	sunny
Light Conditions:	daylight
Description: Size of bird:	8-9 inches
(Description:) Basic Shape:	cardinal shape
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	All red with pointed crest and black patch at base of bill
(Description:) Bill Type:	reddish heavy triangluar bill
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Completely red bird with pointed crest and black patch at base of bill extending to eyes which were black. Much larger than house finches which were also feeding on the ground immediately below tree where Cardinal was first observed.
Song or call & method of delivery:	None
Behavior:	In small tree, then jumped down to red flower shaped feeder directly below tree to feed on black oiled sunflower seeds with other house finches.
Habitat:	My backyard which is all gravel ground with surrounding flowerbeds of trees and bushes
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Unmistakable. Much larger than house finches feeding on ground. Distinctively bright red overall with black face patch. Nearby house finches were much smaller and the usual dull brown pattern for finches. Have seen many NC in the group in southern Arizona. I suspect this was a stray from the area. I had a lot of red Christmas decorations in my yard which may have attracted this cardinal to my yard. Have also seen many NC in the eastern USA.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Have seen Northern Cardinals in Arizona south of Tucson frequently. This was probably a stray from that area. Have seen many NC on trips to easter USA.
References consulted:	Stokes Birds, Sibley, Field Guide to Birds of North America, Peterson Field Guide. Nat Geo Field Guide to Birds of North America, Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America.
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Adrienne Shoell (daughter)
Observer's address:	2216 West 70 South, Hurricane, Utah 84737
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	None.
Date prepared:	January 4, 2025
Additional material:	No_additional_Materials
Additional comments:	Adrienne saw the bird from her bedroom window and came running to me in the living room to get me to look at the bird. By the time we returned to back window, the bird was gone. She described it clearly to me. I then showed her 8 field guides with pictures are various red birds found in the southwest. She picked out the Northern Cardinal in the two books which I had opened to Northern Cardinal. She clearly eliminated Summer Tanager, Pyrruloxia, Vermilion Flycatcher, Purple Finch, White-winged Crossbill, Crimson-colloared Grosbeak.