Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2002-17
| Common name: |
Least Tern |
| Scientific name: | Sterna antillarum |
| Date: | 15 May 2002 |
| Time: | 08:30 |
| Length of time observed: | 20 minutes (off and on) |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | adult |
| Sex: | unk. |
| Location: | above Washington Fields Diversion |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | 15-50 meters |
| Optical equipment: | none |
| Weather: | clear |
| Light Conditions: | sunny |
| Detailed description of bird: |
Yellow bill very noticeable. Leg-color not obvious (but would be more
obvious if they were black). Black cap with black extending to the eye,
but not the forehead. forked tail. Black edge-primaries on top, ends
of wings dark on bottom. very light gray above, white below, forked tail.
Noticeably smaller than any other tern that I have observed (seemed about the same size as a slim rock dove). |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none heard |
| Behavior: | Least tern observed fluttering above water, diving, and feeding on young of year fish in a large backwater area. |
| Habitat: | riparian area along virgin river with water backed from diversion. |
| Similar
species and how were they eliminated: |
other terns are noticeably larger and do not have bright yellow bills. Others have white forheads during non-breeding, but now they should be in breeding plumage. |
| Previous experience with this & similar species: | None with this species, although have seen Caspian, forsters, and black terns in Utah, common tern in Nevada, and sandwich and royal terns in Florida. |
| References consulted: |
National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America The Sibley Guide to birds Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Kevin Wheeler |
| Observer's address: |
455 South 1100 East, # 6, St. George, UT 84790 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | turtleherder@hotmail.com |
| Other
observers who independently identified this bird: |
|
| Date prepared: | 5/15/02 (General Public) |
| Additional material: | |