NYSARC - Reports and Decisions Summary

This page provides a gateway into a database or inventory of submissions to the New York State Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) since our inception in 1974. It should be stressed from the outset that this not a database of all 'reported occurrences' in New York State. In an ideal world, these should be one and the same but in reality there are many instances where adequate documentation of important sightings has not been submitted to us. We strongly encourage all observers to browse the individual species entries by following the links or downloading the PDF file and where possible help us to fill the obvious gaps. Think to yourself, what rare or uncommon birds have I seen over the years? Are they already represented in the database or not? There is no 'statute of limitations' on submission to NYSARC and we are happy to receive descriptions of birds from years gone by, especially if you can refer to some form of documentation (field notes, photos, sketches etc.) rather than rely on memory alone. As any student of psychology, or crime novels for that matter, can tell you, it is all too easy for memories to become 'contaminated' by later sightings or images from books and magazines. Thus contemporaneous notes are an invaluable tool for accurately recalling past events.

We would like to hear from users of this database and other components of the NYSARC web site. Your feedback will help us arrange the information in such a way as to be most useful to birders and ornithologists alike. We very much want to hear from you if there are errors - spelling mistakes, dates, incorrect county assignments etc. - some of which may trace back to the original committee reports. One beauty of the Internet is that things can be readily corrected and updated. So please with your comments and corrections.

Lastly, these pages would not exist without the unstinting efforts of Jeanne Skelly and Carena Pooth - we owe them both our deep-felt thanks and appreciation!

To see the list of reports submitted to NYSARC for any species below, click on the name of the species.

Number of reports shown for each species are as of NYSARC Annual Report for 2007 UPDATED 2/28/10
Listed in AOU Check-list order as of 50th Supplement, July 2009

Order ANSERIFORMES
	Family Anatidae — Swans, Geese, and Ducks Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor (N) Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus (N) Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Ross's Goose Chen rossii Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis (N) Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera (N) Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula (U) King Eider Somateria spectabilis Common Eider Somateria mollissima (U) * Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica	Reports 5 1 9 49 18 27 1 4 18 1 13 1
Order GAVIIFORMES
	Family Gaviidae — Loons Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica (N) Yellow-billed Loon G. adamsii (N)	Reports 1 20 3
Order PODICIPEDIFORMES
	Family Podicipedidae — Grebes Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis (N)	Reports 1 18
Order PROCELLARIIFORMES
	Family Diomedeidae — Albatrosses Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos (N) Family Procellariidae — Shearwaters and Petrels Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis (U) Black-capped Petrel Pterodroma hasitata (N) Greater Shearwater Puffinus gravis (U) Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri (N) Family Hydrobatidae — Storm-Petrels Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus (U) White-faced Storm-Petrel Pelagodroma marina (N) Leach's Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa (N) Band-rumped Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma castro (N)	Reports 3 1 8 2 6 5 7 2 1
Order PELECANIFORMES
	Family Sulidae — Boobies and Gannets Brown Booby Sula leucogaster (N) Northern Gannet Morus bassanus Family Pelecanidae — Pelicans American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (N) Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis (N) Family Phalacrocoracidae — Cormorants Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Family Anhingidae — Darters Anhinga Anhinga anhinga (N) Family Fregatidae — Frigatebirds Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens (N)	Reports 2 33 30 11 14 7 8
Order CICONIIFORMES
	Family Ardeidae — Bitterns, Herons, and Allies Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis * Western Reef-Heron Egretta gularis (N) Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea * Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor (U) * Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens (N) Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis * Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax * Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea (U) * Family Threskiornithidae — Ibises and Spoonbills White Ibis Eudocimus albus (N) White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi (N) Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja (N) Family Ciconiidae — Storks Wood Stork Mycteria americana (N) Family Cathartidae — American Vultures Black Vulture Coragyps atratus *	Reports 1 1 1 22 3 1 1 18 3 11 2 4 26
Order FALCONIFORMES
	Family Accipitridae — Kites, Eagles, Hawks, and Allies Osprey Pandion haliaetus * Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus (N) White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus (N) Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis (N) Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni (N) Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus Family Falconidae — Caracaras and Falcons Merlin Falco columbarius * Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus (N)	Reports 1 9 1 24 30 2 2 54
Order GRUIFORMES
	Family Rallidae — Rails, Gallinules, and Coots Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis (N) Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis (U) * King Rail Rallus elegans (N) * Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica (N) Azure Gallinule Porphyrio flavirostris (N) Family Gruidae — Cranes Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis *	Reports 7 5 11 7 1 60
Order CHARADRIIFORMES
	Family Charadriidae — Plovers and Lapwings Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus (N) American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica Pacific Golden-Plover Pluvialis fulva (N) Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia (N) Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula (N) Piping Plover Charadrius melodus (U) * Family Recurvirostridae — Stilts and Avocets Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus (N) American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Family Scolopacidae — Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus (N) Willet Tringa semipalmata (N) Wood Sandpiper T. glareola (N) Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus (N) Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa (N) Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica (N) Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa (U) Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri (S,U) Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis (N) Little Stint Calidris minuta (N) Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii (S) Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata (N) Dunlin Calidris alpina (N) Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (N) Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus (N) Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Ruff Philomachus pugnax (N) Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor * Family Laridae — Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea (N) Sabine's Gull Xema sabini (S) Black-headed Gull Chroicephalus ridibundus Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea (N) Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla * Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris (N) Mew Gull Larus canus (N) Western Gull Larus occidentalis (N) California Gull Larus californicus (N) Thayer's Gull Larus thayeri (N) Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus (N) Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus (N) Bridled Tern O. anaethetus (N) Least Tern Sternula antillarum * White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus (N) * Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii (U) * Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea (N) Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri * Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus (U) Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis (N) Black Skimmer Rynchops niger (U) * Family Stercorariidae — Skuas Great Skua Stercorarius skua (N) South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki (N) Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus Family Alcidae — Auks, Murres, and Puffins Dovekie Alle alle (U) Common Murre Uria aalge (N) Thick-billed Murre U. lomvia (N) Razorbill Alca torda (U) Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle (U) Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix (N) Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus (N) Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica (N)	Reports 2 2 1 10 1 9 4 13 5 2 2 2 1 2 19 1 5 3 5 3 1 8 4 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 8 13 1 1 9 2 3 2 11 1 38 45 4 10 5 2 6 4 29 1 1 7 3 1 2 1 1 13 2 3 9 4 5 3 1 1
Order COLUMBIFORMES
	Family Columbidae — Pigeons and Doves Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica (N)	Reports 6 11
Order PSITTACIFORMES
	Family Arinae Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus (N)	Reports 2
Order STRIGIFORMES
	Family Strigidae — Typical Owls Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus (N) Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula (N) Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia (N) Great Gray Owl Strix nebulosa (N) Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus (N)	Reports 1 19 1 34 14
Order CAPRIMULGIFORMES
	Family Caprimulgidae — Goatsuckers Chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis (U) *	Reports 3
Order APODIFORMES
	Family Apodidae — Swifts Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica * Family Trochilidae — Hummingbirds Broad-billed Hummingbird Cyanthus latirostris (N) Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris * Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna (N) Calliope Hummingbird Stellula calliope (N) Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus (N)	Reports 1 2 1 2 4 22
Order PICIFORMES
	Family Picidae — Woodpeckers and Allies Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis (N) Williamson's Sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroideus (N) American Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides dorsalis (A) * Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus (A) *	Reports 5 1 5 6
Order PASSERIFORMES
	Family Tyrannidae — Tyrant Flycatchers Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii (N) Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii (N) Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya (N) Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus (N) Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens (N) Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans (N) Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis (U) Gray Kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis (N) Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus (N) Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus savana (N) Tyrannus Flycatcher Tyrannus ... Family Laniidae — Shrikes Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus (N)* Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor Family Vireonidae — Vireos White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus * Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii (N) Cassin's Vireo Vireo cassinii (N) Family Corvidae — Jays, Magpies, and Crows Gray Jay Perisoreus canadensis (A) * Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus * Family Hirundinidae — Swallows Purple Martin Progne subis (N) Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva (N) Family Paridae — Chickadees and Titmice Boreal Chickadee Poecile hudsonicus * Family Troglodytidae — Wrens Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus (N) House Wren Troglodytes aedon * Family Sylviidae — Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea * Family Turdidae — Thrushes Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe (N) Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides (N) Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi (N) Veery Catharus fuscescens * Bicknell's Thrush Catharus bicknelli (N outside known breeding area) * Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus * Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina * Fieldfare Turdus pilaris (N) Redwing Turdus iliacus (N) Varied Thrush Ixoreus naevius (N) Family Motacillidae — Wagtails and Pipits American Pipit Anthus rubescens Family Bombycillidae — Waxwings Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus Family Parulidae — Wood Warblers Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina * Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia * Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina * Black-throated Gray Warbler Dendroica nigrescens (N) Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi (N) Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica (U) * Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum * Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii (N) Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla * Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus * Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia * MacGillivray's Warbler Oporornis tolmiei (N) Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla * Painted Redstart Myioborus pictus (N) Family Emberizidae Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus (N) Cassin's Sparrow Aimophila cassinii (N) Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida * Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus (U) Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys (N) Baird's Sparrow Ammodramus bairdii (N) Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii (N) Nelson's Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii * Harris's Sparrow Zonotrichia querula (N) White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla (N) Dark-eyed "Oregon" Junco Junco hyemalis oreganus, montanus, shufeldti Smith's Longspur Calcarius pictus (N) Chestnut-collared Longspur Calcarius ornatus (N) Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis Family Cardinalidae — Grosbeaks and Buntings Summer Tanager Piranga rubra (U) * Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea * Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana (N) Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus * Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus (N) Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea (U) * Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena (N) Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea (N) Painted Bunting Passerina ciris (N) Dickcissel Spiza americana * Family Icteridae — Icterids Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta (N) * Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus * Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus (N) Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major (U) * Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii (N) Scott's Oriole Icterus parisorum (N) Family Fringillidae — Fringilline and Cardueline Finches Brambling Fringilla montifringilla (N) Hoary Redpoll Acanthis hornemanni (D)	Reports 1 2 9 1 17 1 17 6 15 9 1 9 1 2 5 1 3 1 1 21 3 1 1 2 15 12 11 4 4 1 2 1 2 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 10 40 1 9 1 2 4 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 11 8 1 16 30 2 1 16 1 4 1 1 4 1 16 1 16 2 4 20 1 1 15 1 2 7 1 34 4 4 1 2 68

NOTATIONS

The following notations denote species for which documentation should be submitted to the New York State Avian Records Committee, NYSARC, at the following address:

Jeanne Skelly
Secretary for NYSARC
420 Chili-Scottsville Road
Churchville, NY 14428

N Species for which documentation should be submitted to NYSARC for sightings anywhere within New York State.

U Species for which documentation should be submitted to NYSARC only when observed in upstate New York.

D Species for which documentation should be submitted to NYSARC only when observed in downstate New York.

A Species for which documentation should be submitted to NYSARC only when observed outside the Adirondacks.

S Species for which spring records (especially upstate) should be submitted to NYSARC for review.

Each database entry contains (i) the NYSARC reference number, (ii) the first date of the sighting, (iii) the county involved, (iv) the status ('accepted' or 'not accepted' by the review committee), (v) the issue of The Kingbird (KB) that contains the relevant NYSARC Annual Report with more details (plus a link to the online Annual Report) and lastly, (vi) the names of the persons who contributed 'accepted' reports (we rarely include the names of contributors of reports that were not 'accepted' after review). The NYSARC number provides the least ambiguous way to refer to a given submission and should be used in any correspondence. When written or photographic materials are received, the NYSARC Secretary - currently Jeanne Skelly - assigns a unique identifier number (e.g. 1986-3-A) representing the year of observation (1986), an arbitrary number (36) reflecting the order of receipt and a single letter code (A) that is used to keep track of multiple submissions that pertain to the same bird or birds. The majority of entries represent species that are truly rare in New York State and the committee expects documentation of all occurrences (see Review List for details). In some cases, the sightings become frequent enough for us to drop the species from the official review list. Good examples are Sandhill Crane and Black Vulture, which have become sufficiently regular across much of the state that they no longer require NYSARC review although they may still require documentation at the local level. Other entries (e.g. Wilson's Phalarope) reflect species that are not as rare but are extremely irregular breeders. Lastly there are species that are occasionally recorded outside the usual seasons. Examples of this loosely defined category include wintering Neotropical migrants (e.g. Veery) or summering arctic breeders (e.g. Rough-legged Hawk). As a general rule these correspond to sightings made at least four weeks before or after normal range of occurrence as described in Bull's Birds of New York edited by Manny Levine.

These web pages are very much a work in progress and we will soon add data for species that are not currently on the New York State Checklist or were submitted but not reviewed. In time, it is hoped that members of the committee will prepare short commentaries discussing the status of each species in New York State, in some cases including appropriately documented pre-NYSARC records. Our ultimate goal is to provide an expansive summary of the rare or uncommon species that have occurred in the state that will be accessible to everyone. We hope this database will also encourage birders to document their rarity sightings as a matter of course and step forward to plug holes in our archive of materials. In general, we wish to encourage all birders to take a greater role in documenting the avifauna of our state, in particular the rare and uncommon visitors.