Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form

Species: Chestnut-sided Warbler

Reporter: Heidi Ware <HeidiTheBirdNerd@yahoo.com>

2120 Mortimer Drive Boise, ID 83712 (208) 860-5935

Other Observers: Jay Carlisle

Date Report Prepared: 12/22/09

Date Sighting Occurred: 5/27/09

Locality of Observation: private ranch property at NW corner of junction of hwy’s 75 and 20 near Bellevue, ID

Habitat: cottonwood and willow trees near a stream in a cattle pasture

Conditions: a sunny clear spring day. Mild temperatures. Bird was observed singing from close range.

Did you take notes no

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work?

ID was pretty obvious, but looked it up in the ‘Big Sibley’ guide

What guide(s) or reference(s) did you consult?

Sibley Guide to Birds

Description: An adult male Chestnut-sided warbler. He was very distinct, with the yellow top of his head, black face markings, clean breast and chestnut sides.

Behavior: bird was observed singing over almost 30 minutes by both observers. His song occasionally fit the ‘please-please-pleased to meetcha’ but was pretty variable. He sang and fed in low willows and a tall cottonwood in the area.

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? Jay detected the bird while conducting a standardized point-count survey and told me where to look for the bird. As soon as I arrived and saw him I could tell what he was. He was so brightly colored and the chestnut color on his sides along with his other distinct patterning was very obvious.

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? There are really no species that are very similar to an adult male chestnut-sided.

Experience with this species (and similar species): this was my first time observing this species, but I had a general idea of what they looked like.

General birding experience: I have been seriously birding for a little over a year. I now feel confident on my visual and auditory ID skills of many common Idaho bird species. I

spent the summer of ‘09 conducting bird point count surveys using both sight and sound

for ID. I also have in-hand experience with many Idaho species.

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? (If yes, please include or attach) YES (see attached by Jay Carlisle)

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