Date: 5/7/25 1:53 pm From: ned bohman <nbohman...> Subject: Recent decisions from the Nevada Bird Records Committee
Hello Nevada Birders,
The Nevada Bird Records Committee (NBRC) has just completed another packet
of reviews, just in time for new records to start coming in with spring
migrants! Most importantly, we added a new species to the state checklist,
however it is one that we are not likely to see again any time soon. When
Robert Ridgway was making his way through NV in the late 1800’s he
collected a Passenger Pigeon, the specimen is housed at the Smithsonian
Museum. The NBRC was able to obtain photos of, and endorse this sighting.
The committee finally resolved all reports related to Hurricane Hillary,
one more report each of Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel and Least Storm-Petrel
were endorsed. A number of eastern migrants were reported from Beatty last
fall, the NBRC endorsed reports of Louisiana Waterthrush and Philadelphia
Vireo with this packet (and the Kentucky Warbler endorsed previously was
also seen in the same area last fall)
The 6th state record each of Tropical Kingbird and Laughing Gull were also
endorsed with this packet. Tropical Kingbirds are always difficult without
documentation of vocalizations, and there are a number of un-endorsed
reports of silent birds in the NBRC database. This report did include a
discussion of the bird’s vocalizations.
The Least Flycatcher was recently added back to the NV review list. They
can be very difficult to identify, and probably do not occur every year in
NV. This bird was seen in 2023, prior to that the species was reported in
2021. There were none reported in NV in 2024.
There was a report of a white morph Gyrfalcon from northern Elko county,
however the observers had relatively quick looks of the bird and were
unable to confirm whether or not it had any evidence of captivity;
falconers often keep Gyrlfacons and their birds usually have restraints of
some sort on their legs.
A number of records without photos are being recirculated, the NBRC will
circulate a record 3 times, and if a consensus is not reached the record is
not endorsed. Silent Tropical Kingbirds often fall into this category, and
there is one of these in this group. There are 2 Winter Wren reports in
this group as well, and they were both heard and seen. This species is
particularly difficult to separate from Pacific Wren, both visually and
aurally. All this to say, these records are highly significant and require
significant documentation to confirm. If you do see a review species but
are unable to obtain photo or audio, it is important to include as thorough
a description as possible.
We also have a few additional pending records reported in the last few
weeks. Purple Martin was recently added back to the review list, another
species with a likely similar pattern of occurrence in NV to the Least
Flycatcher. We have received 3 reports so far this spring, however 2 come
from the same location within a week, and are being considered the same
bird unless new evidence is presented. We will also be reviewing reports of
a Ruff reported from Carson Lake during the last week of April.
If anyone has seen these birds, or other review species I would encourage
you to submit them to the NBRC. You can find our complete state checklist,
review list, and submission form on the website: www.gbbo.org/nbrc.
Thanks for supporting the NBRC and good birding to all!
Ned Bohman
Secretary, Nevada Bird Records Committee
Reno, NV
