| Common name: |
Hermit x Townsend's Warbler |
 |
| Scientific name: | Setophaga occidentalis | |
| Date: | August 23, 2020 | |
| Time: | 7:40 am | |
| Length of time observed: | Seen intermittently for several hours; 30-45 min of total viewing time. | |
| Number: | 1 | |
| Age: | First-year | |
| Sex: | Unknown | |
| Location: | River Lane | |
| County: | Utah | |
| Latilong: | 40.1665, -111.7469 | |
| Elevation: | ||
| Distance to bird: | 10-20ft. Relatively close | |
| Optical equipment: | 10x42 Nikon Monarchs; Canon EOS 7D - 100-400mm Lens | |
| Weather: | 80 degrees, several periods of light rain. Partly cloudy | |
| Light Conditions: | Initially seen with the sun behind me in early morning light. | |
| Description: Size of bird: | Warbler Size 5-6" in length | |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Thin bird, classic warbler shape. | |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Bright yellow head and breast, dark wings, white wing bars, | |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | dark bill with rounded tip. | |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
First-year bird - Bright, mostly yellow face and supercilium with faded gray auriculars. - Plain throat, whitish compared to yellow head. - Dark wings with prominent white wing bars. - Drab green back contrasting with wings. - Two white outer tail feathers - White belly and undertail coverts. - Gray/yellow wash across flanks with very faint streaking. Bird largely resembled first-year Hermit Warbler, despite bright olive-green back and a yellow wash across the breast. The auriculars were perhaps slightly darker and more defined than most pure HEWA. Evidence of faint streaking on the flanks is also suggestive of mixed genes. It is likely that this bird is the offspring of a pure Hermit Warbler crossed with a hybrid Hermit x Townsend’s Warbler. (Photos) |
|
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Thick "churp" Calls similar to Townsend's,Black-throated Gray and Green type Warblers. | |
| Behavior: | Actively foraging at mid-canopy with other small passerines. | |
| Habitat: | Thick foliage/trees along canal near southern lake shore. | |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Black-throated Green Warbler: Lacked black streaking along flanks, dark supercilium, and bright green back. Townsend's Warbler: Lack of black streaking on flanks and dark auricular/facial pattern. Dull green/yellow wash on back rather than gray/black. |
|
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Encountered Hermit Warblers for the first time on this exact date two years ago in St. George, UT. Have seen them since in Arizona on multiple occasions. | |
| References consulted: | Sibley Guide to Birds | |
| Description from: |
Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
|
| Observer: | Kendall John Watkins | |
| Observer's address: | 2622 W Dry Creek Drive | |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** | |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Taylor Gallagher, Dennis and Bryan Shirley, Cliff Miles, Jeff Hardy, Suzi Holt & Company, and others | |
| Date prepared: | 8/23/2020 | |
| Additional material: | Photos | |
| Additional comments: | I understand this bird is no longer on the state review list, but in Utah Co. is exceptionally rare. An unusual sighting verification form was submitted for this purpose. | |