Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form

(this form is available on www.idahobirds.net)

Rare Bird Report #:  35-B-07

Species: LEAST FLYCATCHER (Empidonax minimus)

Reporter: (include address, phone, e-mail) Lisa Hardy

2153 B Old River Road

Kingston, ID 83839

basalt@earthlink.net

Other Observers:

Date Report Prepared: 15 May 2007

Date Sighting Occurred:  27 May to 25 June 2005

Locality of Observation: North Fork Coeur d'Alene River upstream of Enaville, between mile 2 and 4 on Old River Road, in Shoshone County.

Habitat: deciduous, riparian

Conditions:

Did you take notes…

            during the observation? ____________

            after the observation? ______________

            the same day? ____________________

            another day?______________________

            not at all? ______no__________________

I have the species noted on my site survey list on several days, but without other notes. The May 27 sighting is boxed which means it was my first record for the area for the year. I noted single LEFL again on 30 May, 2 LEFL on June 15, then 1 LEFL in my yard (mile 2.0) on 16 June, and 1 LEFL "heard by Bitterle's" (that would be about mile 2.2) on 17 June, and single LEFL on 18 June, 19 June, 25 June. All observations were eBird site surveys except 16 and 17 June.

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work?

            during the observation?____________

            later the same day? _______________

            another day? _____________________

            not at all? _______no_________________

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

Description: Identified by call, but also saw the bird several times as I recall, and was able to identify it visually at least as to genus.

Behavior: Perched high in deciduous tree, cottonwood and once in a locust. Would call repeatedly while perched, then fly silently to another perch and begin to call again. As I recall, all the site survey observations were in the same location at about mile 2.2 to 2.3, and the bird had a favored perch in some bare branches at the top of a tall cottonwood.

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? The call or song is distinctive, a repeated chi-bik, chi-bik, chi-bik, and so on...

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? I don't know of any other bird that sounds like a LEFL making its repeated call. And I was able to visually identify the bird as an empid.

Experience with this species (and similar species): Have heard and observed on a several occasions in North Idaho.

General birding experience: intermediate

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? (If yes, please include or attach) I recorded this bird when it was in my yard on I think June 16. It was not calling repeatedly, instead I have just a single chi-bik note recorded.