Verification of Unusual Sight Record
For Utah
(information extracted from a letter - mgm)
Rec. # O_2007-04

Common name:

Spotted Dove
Scientific name: Streptopelia chinensis
Date: [20 and 21 Jun 2007]
Time: [12:30 am; 7:30 pm]
Length of time observed: [ ~ 2 minutes each time]
Number: 1
Age:  
Sex:  
Location: [West Valley City]
County: [Salt Lake]
Latilong:  
Elevation:  
Distance to bird:  
Optical equipment:  
Weather:  
Light Conditions:  
Description:        Size of bird: [about size of a Mourning Dove]
(Description:)       Basic Shape:  
(Description:)  Overall Pattern:  
(Description:)            Bill Type:  
(Description:)                              
Field Marks and
Identifying Characteristics:		      This bird had the dark collar of the Eurasian but easily stood out as larger to the eye from a distance compared to the Collar on the Eurasian that is a little harder to see.
     What first caught my eye was the reddish-brown color on the neck, breast, sides and flanks.
     The bird was about size of a Mourning Dove with a slightly smaller head compared to the Eurasian.  The bird also had an eye-line from the front of the eye to the beak.  It looked more like a wrinkle shadow than a color line.  It had white edging on both sides of the tail.
     With binoculars the collar had white or lighter colored spots ringed by black irradense lines.
      I saw no band on this dove.
Song or call & method of delivery:  
Behavior:  
Habitat:  
Similar species and how
were they eliminated:		 The spotted collar was wider and reached farther around the neck across the nape and farther to the throat than the black-narrow collar of the Eurasian Dove.
Previous experience with
this & similar species:		 I have in the past raised and showed "Show Pigeons" some 20 years.  I have asked some of the Utah Pigeon people if they know anyone raising doves in this area in case this dove was kept and escaped.
References consulted:  
Description from:  
Observer: John E. Houser
Observer's address: 6840 W. 3839 So., West Valley City, Utah  84128-3813
Observer's e-mail address: dhous@sisna.com
Other observers who independently identified this bird:  
Date prepared: 3 Jul 2007
Additional material: [see transcript of the original letter]
Additional comments:      I don not have the equipment to photograph or make other documentation.
     I have the "2004 Field Checklist of the Birds of Utah" and note that the Spotted Dove is not listed as being in Utah.