Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Hooded Oriole
Scientific name:	Icterus cucullatus
Date:	19 May 2025
Time:	1324
Length of time observed:	5 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	1st year
Sex:	Male
Location:	Rush Valley
County:	Tooele
Latilong:	40.3885304, -112.4227041
Elevation:	5,000ft
Distance to bird:	40 feet
Optical equipment:	Nikon D5600 DSLR with Sigma S1 150-600mm lens
Weather:	Sunny
Light Conditions:	Full sun
Description: Size of bird:	Robin-ish
(Description:) Basic Shape:	classic icterus
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	mostly yellow- to yellow-orange body with darker remiges and dark throat
(Description:) Bill Type:	Substantially curved, slender
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	1st year male bird showing dark yellow coloration across tail, vent, breast and face. Dark remiges with a white wingbar beginning to develop. Dark throat patch and a significantly downward-curved bill. (see photos)
Song or call & method of delivery:	Bird vocalized once with a flutey, upward-sloping call.
Behavior:	Perched on a powerline
Habitat:	Basin floor sage and greasewood, near the remnants of where Clover Creek drains into Rush Lake. Not far from a geothermally-fed spring and large trees.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Bird displayed a bill which was more curved than any expected, or not expected, oriole. Besides bill: Bullock's: Remiges showed less white than would be expected on a first-year male. Throat patch more extensive and absent of a black eyeline. Scott's: Dark head absent and remiges not mottled enough.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	At the time of sighting, limited to trips to California
References consulted:	Max Malmquist, Sibley, eBird
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting From photo(s) taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Patrick McAtee
Observer's address:	Tooele, UT 84074
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Lauri Taylor and Patty Griffith, both found the bird after I submitted a Rare Bird Alert Facebook post.
Date prepared:	27 Aug 2026
Additional material:	Photos
Additional comments:	Added to my eBird checklist at the time of viewing. Record was accepted by Reviewer. After looking into the list of Review Species and seeing HOOR is a Review bird for all counties besides Washington, I figured I would submit the record.