RARE BIRD REPORT #: 66-B-06

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES:

Least Flycatcher

HOW MANY:

1 or 2

REPORTER:

Kevin Glueckert
1705 N. 14th St.
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 345-6197

REPORTER EMAIL:

sagetrout99@yahoo.com

OTHER OBSERVERS:

After initial sighting date, two other observers noted this individual's presence: Sherri Kies
Lindsay Reynolds

DATE REPORT PREPARED:

17 Nov 2006

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:

19 Jun 2006 to 5 Jul 2006

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:

INITIAL LOCATION (19 Jun only)
Owyhee County;
DeLorme Gazetteer PAGE 16;
NE slope of Juniper Mountain;
Elevation ~ 1,660m;
~ 2.5 km W of Star Reservoir, ~ 0.5 km E of Little Smith Creek

SUBSEQUENT LOCATION (19 Jun - 5 Jul); only if same individual, otherwise this is second individual's location
Owyhee County;
DeLorme Gazetteer PAGE 16;
NE slope of Juniper Mountain;
Elevation ~ 1,580m;
~ 1.2 km S of Star Reservoir, at Star Ranch along Castle Creek.

HABITAT:

INITIAL LOCATION: Burned stand of decadent Western Juniper snags in open shrubland adjacent to open meadow and spring. SUBSEQUENT LOCATION (if same bird): Cottonwood/willow stand

CONDITIONS:

THIS PERTAINS TO INITIAL DETECTION ONLY:
Weather: Mostly sunny, calm, ~ 50 degrees
Duration of aural detection: 25 minutes
Duration of visual sighting:
3 minutes
Optics: Leica Trinovid 8 x 42
Distance to bird during aural detection: 25 to 200m
Distance to bird during visual detection: 25m

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:

No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:

Yes, later the same day

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:

The Sibley Guide to Birds, David Allen Sibley, 2000

DESCRIPTION:

Family: Tyrannidae

General outline and silhouette of bird observed showed the signature appearance of an Empidonax sp., with upright posture and lengthy tail.



BEHAVIOR:

Individual sang incessantly at both locations; a repeated "che-bek" spaced less than a second apart, series delivered in frequent intervals often 2 to 3 minutes apart. Individual was seen perching and sallying for insects.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?

The bird was positively identified by song immediately upon aural detection. Continuing to listen to the singing is what clinched the identification. When I sighted the bird, it's raised head-pumping behavior during song was as I remembered in previous sightings of this species. (Although this alone is not a conclusive indicator, as other Empidonax sp. also raise heads during song)

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?

All Empidonax sp. that are possible to the area, or that occur in the area, were eliminated by song; including Western Wood-Pewee, Gray Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher. I am completely familiar with songs of all eastern and western Empidonax sp. and these were ruled out by song. Sighting the bird confirmed the small size in relation to other species.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):

First exposed to this species in Wisconsin in 1983, with exposure continuing to 1992. I regularly observed this species during the breeding season in northeast WI while birding from 1983 to 1985 and while assisting or leading bird hikes from 1986 to 1992. I again encountered this species in 1998 during WI Breeding Bird Atlas. In 2005, at Conboy Lake NWR in south-central WA, I detected and observed an individual singing in an aspen stand on 12 Jun and 19 Jun.
Exposure to similar Empidonax sp. regularly since 1983; including Eastern species from 1983 to 1992 and Western species from 1993 to 2006.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:

24 years of birding experience
1983 to 1992: primarily in Wisconsin, with assistance in bird hikes in 1986 at Ridges Sanctuary Scientific Natural Area, and leading of bird hikes in 1991-92 at Newport State Park. 1993 to present: primarily in western U.S. including ID, WA, CA, OR, MT.
Volunteer participation in Christmas Bird Counts, Migration Counts, Breeding Bird Atlas. Seasonally employed in avian census work with experience at Klamath Bird Observatory and Avian Science Center at University of Montana.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?:

None