Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2010-27
| Common name: |
Neotropic Cormorant |
| Scientific name: | Phalacrocorax brasilianus |
| Date: | August 24, 2009 |
| Time: | 11:29 A.M. |
| Length of time observed: | 10 minutes |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | Juvenile |
| Sex: | |
| Location: | "Kennecott Nature Center", 50th South, Murray/Jordan river Parkway |
| County: | Salt Lake |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | 4300 ft. |
| Distance to bird: | 30-60 yds. |
| Optical equipment: | Nikon D300 camera; Nikon 80-400 VR f4.5-5.6 lens |
| Weather: | cloudy |
| Light Conditions: | diffuse, flat lighting due to cloud cover |
| Description: Size of bird: | 1/3 smaller in size as a DCCO |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Cormorant |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | brown-black, with some mottling |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | cormorant |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Approximately 1/3 smaller than DCCOs, with proportionately longer tail, shorter mostly grey bill and lores, V shaped border on chin patches. Photos have been submitted for this Sight Record. |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | |
| Behavior: | Found sitting on dead wood snags with ducks and turtle. It then began to swim/fish, ending with a span of time while it extended its wings to dry, sitting in the water, and then flew out of the area. |
| Habitat: | An "oxbow" type backwater immediately east of the Jordan River at approximately 50th South, Murray, UT. |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Memory comparison with Double Crested Cormorants. Earlier, I had personal experience in discovering and photographing Neotropic Cormorants in the Salt Lake Valley once before this incident (Winchester Park, Jordan River, April 29, 2009); and have since discovered and photo-documented NECOs several more times in the spring of 2010 in the Salt Lake Valley. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Stated above |
| References consulted: | My own personal experiences with NECOs; also, Kristin Purdy reviewed some of the photos taken at this time and agreed the bird was "a Juvenile NECO". SIBLEY'S |
| 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: | June 28, 2010 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional_Comments: |