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| Common name: |
Western Tanager |
|
| Scientific name: | Piranga Ludoviciana | |
| Date: | March 03,2012 | |
| Time: | 3:00 PM | |
| Length of time observed: | One hour | |
| Number: | One | |
| Age: | Adult | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Location: | Cottonwood Heights | |
| County: | Salt Lake | |
| Latilong: | ||
| Elevation: | 4860 ft | |
| Distance to bird: | 25 feet | |
| Optical equipment: | 8X Vortex binoculars and Sony camera with 12x zoom | |
| Weather: | Overcast | |
| Light Conditions: | Horrible- Quite dark and dreary and backlit | |
| Description: Size of bird: | Larger than a House Finch,smaller than a Robin | |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Songbird | |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Gray and yellow | |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | similar to robin or blue bird | |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
The Crown and Nape were mostly gray with a tinge of olive green. The Mantle and
Back were gray. The wingbar on the Median Coverts was yellowish gray while the
wingbar on the Greater Coverts was white. The three bars on the Tertials? were
white. The Breast and Belly were yellow gray. The tail was darker gray with
olive green. The Undertail Coverts were bright yellow. The Orbital feathers were
white giving a fairly pronounced eye ring. The bill was two toned with the lower mandible and lower part of the upper mandible orange. The top of the upper mandible closest to the head was quite dark probably gray. (see photos) |
|
| Song or call & method of delivery: | None | |
| Behavior: | Eating sunflower seeds at the feeder. The bird chased away several house finches and a lesser goldfinch. | |
| Habitat: | Urban:Deciduous and evergreen trees in front yard. | |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
My first thought was that it was an American Goldfinch but the bill was entirely wrong for a goldfinch. That was when I went for the binoculars and camera. | |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
We have a summer home in Clayton Idaho and toward the end of May each year we have flocks of Western Tanagers show up. I have had as many as 20 in the yard at one time. They feed on the suet feeders that are hanging in the evergreen trees. I have never seen a tanager eat anything except insects or suet until I obseerved this bird eating seeds. | |
| References consulted: | Stokes Field Guide to North Americn Birds, Sibley Guide to Birds, | |
| Description from: | Notes made later | |
| Observer: | Phil Helsley | |
| Observer's address: | 7777 Biscayne Dr. Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121 | |
| Observer's e-mail address: | wphilhelsley@msn.com | |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Mary K Helsley | |
| Date prepared: | March 5, 2012 | |
| Additional material: | Photos | |
| Additional comments: | I am submitting this record report because I believe this sighting is completely "Out of Season". I think it may be the earliest sighting in the State of Utah for a Western Tanager.I went back several years in the ebird records and late April to early May were the earliest sightings reported. | |