Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2025-22
| Common name: |
Blackpoll Warbler |
| Scientific name: | [Setophaga striata] |
| Date: | May 3, 2025 |
| Time: | 9:21 am |
| Length of time observed: | 7 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Adult |
| Sex: | Male |
| Location: | [Salt Lake City] |
| County: | UT [Salt Lake] |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | 25 feet |
| Optical equipment: | Binoculars, Nikon D500 with 500 mm lens |
| Weather: | Sunny, calm, 65 degrees F |
| Light Conditions: | |
| Description: Size of bird: | Medium warbler |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Warbler |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | White body with black streaking near wings and neck. Gray back with black streaks. White wing bars. Yellowish/green color to the folded primaries. Yellow/orange legs and feet. |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Warbler |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Presumed it to be a black-throated gray warbler when I spotted from
indoors. Ruled out black-and-white warbler from foraging behavior. Once
outside, clearly saw the yellow/orange legs and the lack of a yellow
patch in front of the eye. The wings also showed some yellow/green
coloration lacking on the black-throated gray. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | N/A |
| Behavior: | Foraging in a single tree throughout the observation. |
| Habitat: | Tree-lined residential city street |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Black-and-white warbler discounted initially by foraging behavior, subsequently ruled out by more extensive plain white belly and chest and lack of white on the head. Black-throated gray warbler was ruled out by the yellowish legs and feet instead of black legs and feet, and the absense of a yellow patch in front of the eye. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have experience with the black-and-white and blackpoll from several years of birding in Philadelphia where these were fairly common during spring and fall migration. I have a handful of sightings of the black-throated gray warbler from my time here in Salt Lake county. |
| References consulted: | eBird |
| Description from: |
From memory From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Adam Zahm |
| Observer's address: | 467 7th Avenue, Salt Lake City, UT |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | May 3, 2025 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional comments: |