IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM
 
 
SPECIES: 
 
 
Old Squaw Duck 
 
 
HOW MANY:
 
 
one (male) adult
 
 
REPORTER: 
 
 
Ward Tollbom
323 N. First
Sandpoint, Id. 83864
(208) 263-3665
 
 
REPORTER EMAIL: 
 
 
wtollbom@gmail.com
 
 
OTHER OBSERVERS:
 
 
Delci Hoehn
723 N. Boyer
Sandpoint, Id. 83864
(208) 265-9707
 
 
DATE REPORT PREPARED: 
 
 
June 14, 2009
 
 
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED: 
 
 
June 11, 2009
 
 
LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:
 
 
Kootenai Bay on the N.W. end of Lake Pend Orelle Idaho.
 
 
HABITAT:
 
 
open water @ 1mile out from shore
 
 
CONDITIONS:
 
 
5 min. 6:30 pm. 75 degrees, calm conditions, low sun to the west. Sighting an unusual bird, I approached closer by boat. the duck attempted to fly to escape at a distance of 25-30 yards, but was unable to fully fly, probably due to molting. It appeared to be otherwise strong and healthy.I chose not to harass it to get a close photo, and thereby proof.
 
 
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?:
 
 
field guide to birds,1996 (Stokes)
All the Birds of N. America,1997 (American Bird Conservancy)
 
 
DESCRIPTION: 
 
 
waterfowl (duck)
floated on surface of lake. ran along the surface to gain speed to fly (unsuccessfully)
made an extended under surface dive. had a duck's bill, though a bit short.
 
 
BEHAVIOR: 
 
 
The bird was by itself. far out in a bay in @ 20' of water.It was a very capable diver and made an extended dive which covered a distance of over 50 yards in an attempt to evade us.
 
 
HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?
 
 
When I first saw it at a distance of over 100 yards, I thought I might be looking at a small gull. It's head, neck and back were mostly white.(I recently photographed 5 Bonaparte's Gulls at the Sandpoint City Beach.)I approached closer in my boat for a better look. I soon recognized it as a duck, but didn't really know what I was looking at until it tried to fly. As It tried to get out of the water, It's very long and prominent tail became quite obvious.
 
 
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?
 
 
The only other duck that I know of that has a long tail,(though not this long) is the pintail. This bird had far too much white showing and was of a somewhat stockier build. I also don't think a pintail is as strong a diver.
 
 
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES): 
 
 
 I have never seen an Old Squaw Duck and have only heard of one shot by a duck hunter on the Pend Oreille river several decades ago.
 
 
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE: 
 
 
 I have been a serious birder and a professional painter of Birds for over 30 years.
There are birders with higher levels of expertise, but I believe you can consider this a credible report. I could have kept pressuring it with my boat until it was exhausted and got a close photo for proof, but I opted to bother it as little as possible as soon as I was satisfied that I knew what it was.
 
 
WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: 
 
 
None