Hi Norm:
Species like Western Meadowlarks have breed in Ohio and New York and
have shown a pattern of vagrancy to the NE; also I don't know of any
person or institution that keeps captive or caged Western
Meadowlarks. Greater Flamingo showed a pattern of vagrancy to the NE
after Hurricane Agnes in the 1970. Ditto for Northern Lapwing that
shows a pattern of vagrancy from Europe into the maritimes, the NE,
and down the eastern seaboard. The MD Southern Lapwing was found to
be of questionable origin despite following the path of a hurricane
that crossed directly over a place where other sightings in Florida
were made a week before and also despite a pattern of range expansion
in the Caribbean and Mexico.
I guess the point is that many factors are taken into consideration,
by many people (i.e., by committee nine voting members) when these
records committee decisions are made. There is no one set of
standards or guidelines that apply in all cases. The records
committee is just an opinion of nine people at a given point in time
based on the knowledge available at the time. For example, the
Greater Flamingo in question was considered to be an escape until
Marshall Iliff did a detailed search of post-Agnes eastern records
and built the supporting case for acceptance. Records Committee
decisions are often reopened and reevaluated. One benefit to the
records committee process is that there are no time constraints on
the process; as opposed to the journal publications that have
production deadlines to meet.
The fact that people can buy, for example, Monk Parakeets in pet
stores for less than $100, or Black Swans from aviculturalists and
raise them in their farm ponds (and not clip their wings or hind
toes!) certainly affects the decision process.
The alternative would be to add every species seen in the state to
the Official List, including Helmeted Guineafowl, Indian Peafowl,
Sulfur-crested Cockatoos, Pied Crows, Rhode Island Reds, etc. ...
probably not a viable approach ... [However, Barbara and I birded
Hawai'i in March and saw and counted (per ABA and Clements Checklist
rules) introduced and Hawai'i-accepted species including Red-vented
Bulbul, Chukar, California Quail, three species of Francolins (Black,
Gray, Erckle's), Red Junglefowl (but countable only in the highest
elevations of Kaua'i), Kalij Pheasant, Spotted Dove, Zebra Dove,
Rose-ringed Parakeet, Sky Lark, Northern Mockingbird, Japanese
Bush-Warbler, White-rumped Shama, Melodious Laughing-Thrush,
Red-Billed Leiothrix, Japanese White-Eye, Common Myna, House Sparrow,
Common Waxbill, African Silverbill, Nutmeg Mannikin, Chestnut Munia,
Java Sparrow, House Finch, Yellow-fronted Canary, Saffron Finch,
Red-Crested and Yellow-billed Cardinals, and ... oh yes, House
Sparrows and Western Meadowlarks (the latter were introduced to
Hawaii in 1931!) What a crazy place!]
As to the ABA logic, you will have to ask them to defend it. I am
just giving my interpretation of what I think is going on with them.
Many people feel that once a species has been added to the ABA
Checklist, it should not be removed, despite the species withering
away within it's introduced and previously-accepted ABA range.
Good discussion.
Thanks!
Phil
At 14:12 06/14/2009, Norm Saunders wrote:
>If I understand your logic correctly, Phil, then a Western Meadowlark (for
>example), which is definitely not established in Maryland, and whose method
>of arrival in Maryland is essentially unknown, should not be accepted
>either. In fact no bird that is not "established" in Maryland should be
>accepted onto the state list, birds such as Greater Flamingo, Northern
>Lapwing, Southern Lapwing, etc., etc. Obviously, I'm missing something in
>your explanation (and also in the reasoning behind ABA editing their
>checklists to delist species).
>
>I think often of Chan Robbin's oft-repeated statement the "birds have wings
>and they use them."
>
>Not arguing....just trying to understand.
>
>Best,
>Norm
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Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA
301-261-0184
mailto:[log in to unmask]
MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
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