Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2014-002
| Common name: |
Neotropic Cormorant |
| Scientific name: | Phalacrocorax brasilianus |
| Date: | 15 Jun 2013 |
| Time: | |
| Length of time observed: | |
| Number: | 6 |
| Age: | 3 SY's 3 ASY's |
| Sex: | unk |
| Location: | 1 on Mill Race Pond the others nearby on the Jordan River between Mill Race and Germania Park |
| County: | Salt Lake |
| Latilong: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Distance to bird: | ~10-20 meters |
| Optical equipment: | Swarovski bins |
| Weather: | Pleasant |
| Light Conditions: | Good |
| Description: Size of bird: | |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
I don't really have anything to add to the photos in the form of a written
description. I should add some circumstances to the photos. The single bird
labeled Mill Race Pond was actually on the pond while the others where on the
Jordan River within a few hundred meters of Mile Race Park. The 4 together were
different from both the Mill Race Park bird and the 5th individual. We saw the
Mill Race Park bird both before and after seeing the other 5 sitting on the same
thing. The 5th bird was seen at the same time as the 4 sitting so 6 different
individuals. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | |
| Behavior: | Sitting on sticks or some plastic. One individual was swimming in the river |
| Habitat: | man made park, and flowing river |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Double-crested Cormorant is easily eliminated by the smaller size and proportionally long tail of these cormorants (tail length roughly equaled head/neck lenth), small orange gular patch, black feathered lores, narrower back feathers than a Double-crested, etc |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
Regularly seen good numbers of Double-crested and small numbers of Neotropic Cormorant along the Colorado River |
| References consulted: | Identification Guide to North American Birds, Pyle Part 2 for a refresher on aging. |
| Description from: | From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | David Vander Pluym |
| Observer's address: | Lake Havasu City, Arizona |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Dustin Preston, Timothy Schreckengost |
| Date prepared: | 7 Jan 2014 |
| Additional material: | Photos |
| Additional_Comments: |