Rare Bird Report #: 58-B-07

Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form

Species: Northern Parula

Reporter: Jay Carlisle

6105 Kirkwood Rd

Boise, ID 83709

jaycarlisle@boisestate.edu

Other Observers: Darren Clark, Theresa Mathis, Chuck Trost, Cliff Weisse, and other observers as well as the following IBO crewmembers/volunteers: Jake Briggs, Carlos Valeris, Dianne Parrott, Dave Ewoldt, Jereme Sommers

Date Report Prepared: 5-29-07

Date Sighting Occurred: 5-26-07

Locality of Observation: Camas NWR headquarters, Jefferson Co.; specifically this bird was seen along ‘Redstart Lane’ which is W of the office

Habitat: riparian woodland

Conditions: clear, cool, and calm

Did you take notes? not at all

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work? after the observation

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

Sibley, National Geographic, Peterson’s ‘Warblers’

Description: Vocalizations: I first heard a buzzy Dendroica-like song (reminiscent of BT Green in pattern but not the same) and knew it was ‘different’. It soon switched songs to a several noted, rising trill and, being familiar with parulas (and their different song types) from back east and in Iowa, I started thinking that way. I soon tracked it down and saw a warbler with a greenish back; blueish-gray wings & head; white crescents above and below the eye; 2 white wing bars; yellow chest with a necklace of black and maroon; whitish belly & undertail; and a short tail with white spots.

Behavior: The bird was singing pretty consistently and was observed feeding especially in some big willow trees, where it often hung downwards probing leaves below it. It also sang from taller cottonwood trees but I only observed it feeding in the willows (I left to return to the banding operation and I know that other birders watched the bird for 30+ minutes and they may have seen other behaviors).

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? Clinching features included the songs combined with the yellow chest and the breast band, the greenish back, and the blueish-gray head with white eye crescents.

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? This is a very distinctive species (size, shape, and plumage) and the songs were distinctive as well. With good views (which were had by all birders listed above), the only really similar species is the much less expected Tropical Parula which lacks the eye crescents and the distinct breast band of male Northerns; Tropicals also have more extensive yellow onto the lower chest.

Experience with this species (and similar species): I have observed tens to hundreds of Northern Parulas but this is the first I have observed in Idaho. I have also seen one Tropical Parula in Texas and many more in Mexico and central America.

General birding experience: extensive; 14+ years in US and Latin America

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? (If yes, please include or attach) Yes, by Carlos Valeris.