Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2005-25
| Common name: |
Red Phalarope |
| Scientific name: | Phalaropus fulicaria |
| Date: | 08/04/05 |
| Time: | 11:00 am |
| Length of time observed: | 10 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | 1 CY juvenile |
| Sex: | unknown |
| Location: | Antelope Island Causeway between MM 5 and 6 |
| County: | Davis |
| Latilong: | 41.0888/112.1333 |
| Elevation: | 4,200 |
| Distance to bird: | 150 feet |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon 20-60x80 Earth & Sky Scope, Nikon Monarch 10x42 Binoculars |
| Weather: | Clear and Hot! |
| Light Conditions: | Sunny, direct overhead light. |
| Description: Size of bird: | 7 - 9" ? Size typical of phalarope sp. |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Shaped like a large shorebird/sandpiper type bird |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | buffy/orange wash, black checked back and wings, with a dark crown, and dark mark behind eye |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | short, heavy bill, like a peep bill |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
While scanning a large flock of Phalarope, at least 1,000 birds, I came across a
bird that stood out because of its orangish/buffy coloration. I put my scope on
the bird, and immediately noticed it was not a Red-necked or Wilson's Phalarope due to the coloration. The orangish color covered the back, head and breast. The back was checkered, black and buffy/orange along with the wings. The head had a dark eye, with a large black teardrop behind the eye, and a dark crown. The bird had short darker legs. The bird also had a short thick bill, unlike the other phalarope species. The bird was shaped like a large sandpiper, fairly round stocky body, and stood rather balanced, not upright. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | none |
| Behavior: | Actively feeding and moving about with a large flock 1,000+ Red-necked and Wilson's Phalarope. |
| Habitat: | Shallow water and mud flats on the edge of the Great Salt Lake. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Both Wilson's and Red-necked Phalarope are similair in shape but differ in
plumage. Wilson's Phalarope in all plumages, lacks the overall orange color and
heavy marking on back and wings. Red-necked Phalarope is more striped, than checked on the back, and again lacks the overall orange wash. Both of these species also have longer, thinner bills. Buff-breasted Sandpiper is a similair size, but completely different in body type, being almost completely a light buff color, with long yellow legs, walking upright, with a tiny thin bill. Juvenile Ruff (although very unlikely) would be larger with long yellow/orange legs, and have lighter markings on the head markings. Red Knot would be much darker and completely red/orange on the head and below. I have never seen a Red Knot this lightly colored. Also the red on grey pattern is very distincitve, and hard to mistake. I can't think of any other species that would be similair enough, Pectoral and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper may be similair in coloration, but are heavily marked/patterned in all plumages/ages. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have seen all the similair species, minus Ruff, and spent considerable time shore birding and viewing them. |
| References consulted: | The SIBLEY Guide to Birds |
| Description from: | From memory |
| Observer: | Tim Avery |
| Observer's address: | 1754 Garfield Avenue, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | tanager@timaverybirding.com |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | |
| Date prepared: | 08/04/05 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional comments: |