Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Parasitic Jaeger
Scientific name:	Stercorarius parasiticus
Date:	09/20/26
Time:	8:00
Length of time observed:	40 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Juvinile
Sex:
Location:	Sandy Beach (end of river lane)
County:	Utah
Latilong:
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	Initial flyby at 30ft, sat and watched it at 20ft for about 25 minutes
Optical equipment:	Vortex binoculars, Nikon D500 & 200-500mm lens
Weather:	Clear skies, low 50s
Light Conditions:	Early morning, good direct light
Description: Size of bird:	Slightly larger than a ring billed gull
(Description:) Basic Shape:	slender gull shaped
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Gray brown overall, slight mottling/scaloped, barred undertail
(Description:) Bill Type:	slender similar to gull
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Slender gull like bird with obvious white wing patches in flight. Mottled gray brown plumage with slight scalloping (buffy tips of feathers) on back and barring on under-tail coverts. Tail about even with primaries when sitting. Central tail feathers pointed extending just barely past the wider rest of tail. Bill slender and relatively long compared to what would be expected for Long tailed Jaeger but not as bulky as would be expected for Pomarine Jaeger. Seen flying directly towards us with a large flock of gulls and then very actively and intently chasing a Franklin's Gull around the entire western section of the shoreline before landing and providing much closer looks. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:
Behavior:	Seen flying directly towards us with a large flock of gulls and then very actively and intently chasing a Franklin's Gull around the entire western section of the shoreline before landing and providing much closer looks. Eventually stood, shook out and took of flying east.
Habitat:	South shore of Utah lake at Sandy beach (end of River lane). Utah lake and sandy shore/mudflat.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Bill slender and relatively long compared to what would be expected for Long tailed Jaeger but not as bulky as would be expected for Pomarine Jaeger. Mid sized for Jaeger, not as large as Pomarine which would be closer to the size of a California gull and not as small as Long tailed Jaeger which would be closer to the size of a Ring-billed Gull or a bit smaller. In flight not as bulky as Pomarine nor as barrel chested as would be expected.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have seen an adult parasitic Jaeger on the California Coast and an breeding plumage adult Long-tailed Jaeger here in Utah.
References consulted:	Sibley app, Photos from Merlin app
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Kaleb Anderson
Observer's address:
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Jordan Rowley, Hawkin Saeger, Rey Kifuri
Date prepared:	09/20/26
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	My photos have been submitted to utahbirds@gmail.com