Verification of Unusual Sight Record
For Utah

Rec. # 2010-23


Common name:

Neotropic Cormorant

Scientific name: Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Date: April 18, 2010
Time: 9:44 A.M.
Length of time observed: 50 minutes
Number: 2
Age: Ist Year
Sex:  
Location: Sandy Pond, aka "Sandy City Urban Fishery," 900 West Shields Land, Sandy Utah
County: Salt Lake
Latilong:  
Elevation:  
Distance to bird: Est: 30 yards
Optical equipment: Nikon 300 DSLR camera;Nikon 80-400 VR Lens
Weather: Warm, calm
Light Conditions: Sunny, bright
Description:        Size of bird: smaller than DCCO (see photo with American Avocet to compare)
(Description:)       Basic Shape: Cormorant
(Description:)  Overall Pattern: brown/black
(Description:)            Bill Type: cormorant type bill
(Description:)                              
Field Marks and
Identifying Characteristics:
Noticeably smaller than Double Crested cormorants. Small size can be seen by comparison to an American Avocet (see photo C).

Long tails relative to overall body proportion

(Sibley) Lores are brown/feathered, no yellow.

Developing white border beneath the gular patch

Distinctive facial features setting these birds apart from DCCO
(see photos)

Song or call & method of delivery:  
Behavior: Aside from resting in the warm April sun, these birds successfully caught and ate trout, to the dismay of fishermen lining the pond.
Habitat: An "Urban Fishery" opened for trout fishing in September 2009, several hundred yards east of the Jordan River
Similar species and how
were they eliminated:
Double Crested Cormorants which are significantly larger, with tails proportionally shorter. DCCO facial features are distinctively different from these birds.
Previous experience with
this & similar species:
Sighting with photos at Winchester Park/Murray Ut./Jordan River on April 29, 2009.
Sighting with photos at "Kennecott Nature Center", Murray UT. (approx 5000 South) August 24, 2009.
Sighting with Photos at Taylorsville/Millrace Park on May 2,2010
References consulted: Sibley:Field Guide
Personal observation/experience with this species
Description from: From memory
Observer: Richard B. Young
Observer's address: Sandy, Utah
Observer's e-mail address: richbyoung@isp.com
Other observers who independently identified this bird: None at the time of this sighting
Date prepared: May 18, 2010
Additional material: Photos
Additional_Comments: