Verification of Unusual
Sight Record
For Utah
Rec. # 2021-24
| Common name: |
Vaux's Swift |
| Scientific name: | Chaetura vauxi |
| Date: | 4-24-2021 |
| Time: | 7:30 p.m. |
| Length of time observed: | ~45 seconds |
| Number: | 1 |
| Age: | unknown |
| Sex: | unkown |
| Location: | Utah Lake Northshore Trail |
| County: | Utah |
| Latilong: | 40.360930, -111.873282 |
| Elevation: | 4,488 |
| Distance to bird: | 60-100 yards |
| Optical equipment: | Leica Ultravid 8x42 HD |
| Weather: | Broken Clouds/Overcast |
| Light Conditions: | Good |
| Description: Size of bird: | Swallow Sized - maybe 4.5-5 inches |
| (Description:) Basic Shape: | Swift shaped - "scythe" wing shape |
| (Description:) Overall Pattern: | Brownish Gray |
| (Description:) Bill Type: | very small |
|
(Description:)
Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics: |
Initially we heard the bird but didn't see it. The high pitched twitter through
us a curve ball, we couldn't place the sound. Bryant first spotted the bird, the
erratic almost bat-like flight separated it from the swallows. Brownish-gray
dark swift with a lighter throat immediately eliminated White-throated Swift,
and once we placed the call it was a slam dunk. Short bodied and tailed swift -
and the more likely of the two possible Chaetura's. (see photos) |
| Song or call & method of delivery: | Intermittent, very high pitched twitter, much less "trilly" than a Chimney Swift |
| Behavior: | Foraging with erratic flight over the north shore of the lake, maye 50-60 feet above the ground |
| Habitat: | Shoreline |
| Similar
species and
how were they eliminated: |
Chimney Swift - call eliminated CHSW. Also - VASW are almost annual vagrants here in Utah, CHSW rarely venture west of the Rockies. |
| Previous
experience with this & similar species: |
I've seen VASW numerous times in California and Washington State. Just spent 5 days in Texas with CHSW constantly flying overhead, and also had them roosting and nesting next door in Wisconsin. |
| References consulted: | Memory, calls compared to Audubon phone app. |
| Description from: |
From memory From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting |
| Observer: | Max Malmquist |
| Observer's address: | 2377 East Boyes Street |
| Observer's e-mail address: | ** |
| Other observers who independently identified this bird: | Mike Malmquist, Bryant Olsen |
| Date prepared: | 4-24-2021 |
| Additional material: | Photos Ebird Checklist - cropped photos available if needed. |
| Additional comments: | https://ebird.org/checklist/S86296595 |