Gyrfalcon Status (was Re: Cape Henlopen & Records Committee)

Phil Davis (pdavis@ix.netcom.com)
Fri, 13 Feb 1998 23:08:47 -0500


At 01:28 PM 02/13/1998 +0000, Dan Eberly wrote:
> 
>     I enjoyed the discussion about the Records Committee.  I wish to 
>     comment about the situation where the gull was not accepted because it 
>     may have arrived at Sandy Point by some form of human transport.  I 
>     guess the "Common Gull" could face the same predicament.  Apparently, 
>     the Gyrfalcon in Frederick County had a similar problem since it has 
>     not been officially accepted (apparently) because: (1) It could have 
>     been a hybrid; or (2) it could have been an escaped falconer's bird.  
>     Thus, any species with just the remote potential of having lived in 
>     capacity, moved by human transport or breed by humans could be 
>     generally excluded from acceptance even though there is no foundation 
>     that human interference occurred in a specific situation. In the 
>     Gyrfalcons case, I am not award of any signs that contradicted that 
>     the bird was a wild bird.  It did not have the customary bands or 
>     other indications that it was a falconer's birds; it did not act like 
>     a bird imprinted on humans; it did not react like a falconer's bird 
>     when held; and no information came through the falconer's grapevine 
>     that it was an escaped bird.  The bird had the field marks of a 
>     Gyrfalcon.  The Frederick County landscape was very similar to the 
>     Gyrfalcon's hunting terrain in Pennsylvania-a large, open, flat 
>     area-as in the Arctic--and where you would expect to find a wild bird. 
>     Shouldn't such identifications be recognized?

Dan -

Just to clarify the status of the Frederick County Gyrfalcon (Feb 1994,
MD/DCRC Control #1995-017) ... this report is still under review by the
committee and no final decision has yet been reached.  The committee has
researched all available literature, worldwide, and examined skins of
Gyrfalcons and other similar species during our last Skins Workshop at the
US National Museum of Natural History in December.  The identification of
large falcons can pose an identification challenge for out-of-range birds.
This is a particular problem in Europe, where escaped hybrids are not
uncommon.  There was a subtle question regarding the presence or absence of
streaking of the undertail coverts that raised a question during the last
circulation round and another question on the practice of banding of
falconer's birds.  I think the committee is satisfied that it understands
these issues and the report is presently back in review.

I hope this clarifies any questions anyone has on the status of this report.


Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee


PS - In regard to the gull, the question of "natural occurrence" versus
"assisted" is probably debated in every state, every year ... I think
records committees always try to make their best judgement based on all the
information at hand for each specific report.  I personally think there
will never be a definitive "answer" to this question.

PPS - It's been a good week for a Records's Committee Secretary to have
been on travel ... <grin>




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Phil Davis

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