Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2006-54
| Common name: |
Eastern Phoebe |
| Scientific name: | Sayornis phoebe |
| Date: | 2-12-06 |
| Time: | 10:45 AM |
| Length of time observed: | 3 or 4 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | Lytle Ranch |
| County: | Washington |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | Within 40 feet |
| Optical equipment: | 10x42 B and L Elites |
| Weather: | Sunny |
| Light Conditions: | Good |
| Description: Size of bird: | Small |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Mid sized Flycatcher |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Dark gray green above whitish yellow below |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | Flycatcher shape |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Upperparts dark olive gray.Darkest on head almost black looking.The wings were
dark with faint pale edges on the coverts and the tertials.The throat was
white.The sides of the breast were dusky olive.The rest of the underparts were
whitish with a light yellow tint to the belly.The tail was dark.The bill was
dark. The most distingishing field mark was the droping down of the tail and bringing it back up in a circular motion like other Sayornis flycathers. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | |
| Behavior: | Flycatching from low perches to the ground. And dipping the tail when it came back up to a perch. At one time it was being chased around by a Black Phoebe. |
| Habitat: | Ranch in the middle of desert scrub habitat. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
The tail behavior eliminated all other expected flycatchers except Gray and other Phoebes. Gray is much smaller along with plumage differences and bill color. Other Phoebes are easily seperated by plumage differances with good views. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I have seen many of the above mentioned species. |
| References consulted: | |
| Description from: | Notes made later |
| Observer: | Larry Tripp |
| Observer's address: | 131 N. Butch Cassidy Trl Central, UT 84722 |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ltripp29@hotmail.com |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Tim Avery a couple weeks later saw what was probably the same bird. |
| Date prepared: | 10-24-06 |
| Additional material: | |
| Additional comments: |