IbisVolume 156, Issue 1 p. 236-242 BOU RecordsFree Access British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee: 42nd Report (October 2013) First published: 16 December 2013 https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12128Citations: 3AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat This report covers the period October 2012 to September 2013. The 41st Report appeared in Ibis 155: 194–197. Since the 41st Report, BOURC has published the eighth edition of the British List (BOU 2013. The British List: a Checklist of Birds of Britain (8th edition). Ibis 155: 635–676). BOU Website: http://www.bou.org.uk The BOU website is continually updated and contains the British List, press releases and the most recent Committee and taxonomic reports. The website is for information purposes only and is not an official document or part of the permanent record. Announcements of changes to the British List do not come into effect until published in a Committee report in Ibis. Taxonomy Since publication of the BOURC's 41st Report, the BOURC Taxonomic Sub-Committee (TSC) has published its latest recommendations relating to the British List (Sangster et al. 2013. Taxonomic recommendations for Western Palearctic birds: Ninth Report. Ibis 155: 898–907). It is formally noted here that all recommendations therein are adopted with immediate effect. Changes to the British List The following additional changes have been made: White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi (Bonaparte) Add to Category A One, second year male, Blackdog, north-east Scotland, 11–23 June 2011: sight record, photographed (Br. Birds 106: 578–579; Scot. Birds 31: 269–275). Two subspecies are recognized: M. d. deglandi, which breeds in Alaska and Canada, east of Hudson Bay, wintering off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America; and M. d. stejnegeri, which breeds in central and eastern Siberia, wintering primarily off the Pacific coasts of northern Asia. On the basis of head and bill profile, this individual was assigned to the nominate subspecies. White-winged Scoter was split from Velvet Scoter M. fusca in 2005 following the third TSC report (Ibis: 147: 821–826) (see also review by Collinson et al., 2006. Br. Birds 99: 183–201). White-winged Scoter should be placed after Velvet Scoter on the British List as follows: White-winged Scoter† A Melanitta deglandi (Bonaparte) V deglandi (Bonaparte) Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris (Vieillot) Remove from Category A This record of one bird from Druridge Bay, Northumberland, 4–7 May 1998 (sight record, photographed, video) (Br. Birds 95: 272–278 & 279–299) was reviewed and rejected. Although the bird exhibited characters that would previously have been considered diagnostic for Slender-billed Curlew, BOURC was not convinced that the identification was sufficiently secure to stand as the only British record of this critically endangered, and probably now extinct, species. A manuscript explaining this decision more fully is in preparation. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica (Laxmann) Add subspecies ‘C. d. daurica (Laxmann) or japonica (Temminck & Schlegel)’ An adult seen at Nearhouse, Sanday, Orkney, 9 June 2011 (sight record, photographed) and again at Talisker Bay, Skye, 17 (sight record) and 29 June (sight record, photographed) (Br. Birds 106: 607–608; Scot. Birds 33: 99–121) was accepted as being assignable to one of the eastern subspecies C. d. daurica or japonica (‘Asian Red-rumped Swallow’). Photographs showed conclusively on the basis of plumage state and patterning that these widely separated sightings were of the same individual. It was considered that the bird could not be conclusively identified further to subspecies. C. d. daurica breeds in northeast Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Amurland, and northern and central China. Cecropis d. japonica breeds in south, east and northeast China, Korea and Japan. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus (Linnaeus) Remove the subspecies A. c. europaeus (Hermann) A review of the only record of A. c. europaeus (Castle Down, Dover, Kent, 1882: specimen at Rochester Museum) has been undertaken. The plumage characters of the specimen, while probably indicative of a mainland European origin, were not consistent with A. c. europaeus as currently defined. The specimen may represent A. c. caudatus or an intergrade. Currently it is considered that only a ringing recovery or other physical evidence that an individual was from the core range of the subspecies will be sufficient for admission of europaeus to the British List. Note: A. c. europaeus was omitted in error from the eighth edition of the British List. Subalpine Warbler [Subalpine Warbler and Moltoni's Warbler] Sylvia cantillans (Pallas) Add subspecies S. c. moltonii Orlando Plumage and genetic analysis of the first British record from St Kilda (male, St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, 13 June 1894: specimen at Natural History Museum (BMNH 1901.1.4.1) (Bull. BOC 4: 9), previously accepted as nominate cantillans, unambiguously showed that it was a Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler S. c. moltonii (Svensson, 2013; Br. Birds 106: 651–668). The provenance was well documented and the subspecies has therefore been added to the British List: the bird was first seen in the Minister's garden, Village Bay, St Kilda, on a Sunday, and was watched by several people as it fed along a row of young peas and a seeding parsnip. The following day it was shot in the presence of Messrs McKenzie and Fiddies, then placed in spirits before being sent to John Cullingford of Durham for preservation. Sharpe exhibited the specimen on 19 December as documented in Bull. BOC. This taxon breeds in Corsica, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands and northern Italy. The second British record of Subalpine Warbler is an adult male from Fair Isle, Shetland, 6 May 1908: shot, specimen now at National Museums of Scotland, NMS.Z 1908.94.17 (Br. Birds 2: 422 & 6: 151). Although previously accepted as nominate cantillans, both the plumage and cytb mtDNA sequence showed conclusively that the Fair Isle bird was Eastern Subalpine Warbler, S. c. albistriata (Collinson et al. submitted to Br. Birds). There are no provenance issues and this bird was therefore accepted as the first record of albistriata, pre-dating the previous first record, also from Fair Isle, 20–27 May 1951 (trapped) (Br. Birds 45: 260–261). The third British record of Subalpine Warbler was an adult male, shot, Isle of May, Fife, 30 May 1924: specimen at National Museums of Scotland, NMS.Z 1925.35 (Scot. Naturalist 1924: 126; Br. Birds 18: 302). The specimen was examined and sampled for DNA; both plumage and cytb mtDNA sequence showed that this bird was assignable only to one of the ‘Western’ Subalpine Warbler taxa, S. c. cantillans (France, Spain) or S. c. inornata (North Africa) (Collinson et al. submitted to Br. Birds). Hence the three first records of Subalpine Warbler in Britain, all on Scottish Islands, represent the three subspecies groups. The taxonomy and nomenclature of Subalpine Warbler have recently been reassessed (Svensson, 2013. Bull. BOC 133: 240–248; 2013. Br. Birds 106: 651–668). The conclusion of these papers is that the the Subalpine Warbler complex represents three species and that the type specimen of cantillans, although now lost, would have been Eastern Subalpine Warbler. Under these recommendations, Western Subalpine Warbler would be recognized as a polytypic species S. inornata Tschusi with subspecies inornata (North Africa) and iberiae (nomen nov.) (France, Spain, extreme NW Italy). Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler would become S. subalpina Temminck (Sardinia, Corsica, Balearic Islands, northern Italy), and Eastern Subalpine Warbler would be S. cantillans, polytypic, with subspecies S. c. cantillans (Pallas) (southern and central Italy, Sicily) and S. c. albistriata (C. L. Brehm) (Greece, eastern Adriatic region, west Asia Minor). TSC is currently assessing these taxonomic proposals. In addition: European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola (Linnaeus) Putative records of nominate S. r. rubicola were reviewed to determine whether this subspecies can be added to the British List. No acceptable records have been found. It seems probable that the subspecies is a regular migrant and casual breeding bird at least in the southeast of England. Assessment is complicated by records of breeding birds showing characteristics of nominate S. r. rubicola in the north and west of Britain, apparently within the core range of S. r. hibernans. The extent of the area of intergradation between hibernans and nominate rubicola is not clearly defined, and it is not clear whether a British ringing recovery of a bird from the near continent is sufficient to secure admittance of S. r. rubicola to the British List. Mitochondrial ND2 sequence from a bird trapped in the south of England was identical to birds from Spain and Turkey (manuscript in prep.) but further sequencing of hibernans is required before any conclusions can be drawn from this. A ringing recovery from the core range of the taxon may be required. British List Totals With the addition of White-winged Scoter and deletion of Slender-billed Curlew, the British List remains at 596 species Category Total A 578 B 8 C 10 Total 596 Species in Category D and E form no part of the British List. Files Under Consideration Falcated Duck Anas falcata Review of categorization (currently Category D). Stable isotope analysis of a drake shot on Shapinsay, Orkney, in November 2000 will be repeated to determine whether vagrancy was likely. The review of this species has been pended awaiting these data. Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris Review of categorization is ongoing (currently Category D). Yelkouan Shearwater Puffinus yelkouan Berry Head, Devon, 29 July 2008: sight record (photographed). The breeding population of ‘Balearic Shearwaters’ in Menorca shows evidence of genetic introgression from Yelkouan Shearwater, and many birds there resemble individuals of that latter species. BOURC is concerned about the possibility that these phenotypically ‘Yelkouan-like’ potential hybrids may perform a ‘Balearic-like’ migration. A research programme is ongoing with the objective of tracking migration and feeding patterns of Balearic Shearwaters, including Menorcan birds (see http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=3925). The results of this project will be essential to the assessment of records of extralimital Yelkouan Shearwaters. Swinhoe's Petrel [Swinhoe's Storm Petrel] Oceanodroma monorhis Review of record from Sea area Sole, 3 August 1988, the ‘Chalice petrel’, sight record (photographed) to decide whether it is acceptable as the first Swinhoe's Petrel. White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus Review of a decomposed corpse, probably adult, found at Mawbray Bank, Cumbria, 6 January 2013: specimen retained. This would represent the first record for Britain if accepted. BOURC will have to consider whether it can be shown that this bird died within British waters (defined in Ibis 155: 635–676) to be admitted to the British List. Goshawk [Northern Goshawk] Accipiter gentilis A record of an adult male, Tresco, Isles of Scilly, shot 28 December 1935 (specimen at Isles of Scilly Museum), remains under review to determine whether it remains acceptable as the first for Britain, post-separation of the British and Irish Lists. ‘Southern skua’ Stercorarius maccormicki or S. antarcticus One, West Bexington, Dorset, 27 January–4 February 1996 (sight record, photographed), would pre-date the currently accepted first record of this species group. A historical record of a ‘Great Skua’ Stercorarius skua from Burford, Oxfordshire, October 1917 (specimen at the Natural History Museum, BMNH 1917.10.10.1) shows some characters of South Polar Skua. The specimen has been sampled twice and two independent labs have failed to extract useable DNA. Elegant Tern Sterna elegans Dawlish Warren and Torbay, Devon, 18–19 July 2002; same, Porthmadog, Caernarfonshire, 23–26 July 2002: sight record, photographed. There has been much speculation on the internet and in other fora about the fate of records of Elegant Tern in Britain and, indeed, elsewhere in Europe. The potential problem of hybridization with European Sandwich Terns S. sandvicensis and/or Lesser Crested Tern S. bengalensis must be considered, and orange-billed terns from France and Spain have been sampled for DNA sequence analysis. The results of these studies, which are being prepared for publication, will be essential to the assessment of British records by BBRC and BOURC. The committees continue to liaise closely on this issue. Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans A record is under review of one, Radipole Lake, Dorset, 20 December 1992–3 January 1993 (sight record, photographed), which would represent the first British record. Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides Records of Thayers Gull L. g. thayeri are being assessed: adult, Pitsea landfill site, Essex, 6 November 2010 (sight record, photographed); juvenile, Newland Hill, Elsham, Lincolnshire, 3–18 April 2012 (sight record, photographed). Barn Owl [Western Barn Owl] Tyto alba A review is underway to establish the first British record of ‘Dark-breasted’ Barn Owl T. a. guttata. Records under assessment are one, Epping Forest, Essex, c. 1843 (shot) and one, near Norwich, Norfolk, 13 December 1864 (shot, specimen now at Tring, accession number BMNH 1955.6.N-20.4823). Isabelline Shrike Lanius isabellinus The following adult male Isabelline Shrikes are being assessed to determine whether any is acceptable as the first British record of L. i. isabellinus (‘Daurian Shrike’): one, Fetlar, Shetland, 14–17 September 2002 (sight record, photographed); one, Cliffe, Kent, 16 October 2011 (sight record, photographed); one Portland Bill, Dorset, 23–27 October 2012 (sight record, photographed). Pale-legged Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tenellipes One, Southwell, Portland, Dorset, 22 October 2012: sight record (photographed). Sakhalin Leaf Warbler P. t. borealoides is now widely accepted as a species separate from Pale-legged Leaf Warbler P. t. tenellipes, being highly divergent in DNA sequence, and differing diagnostically in vocalizations and ecology (Martens 1988. J. Ornith. 129: 343–351. Olsson et al., 2005. Molec. Phylogenet. Evol. 36: 261–276). However, with no previous Western Palearctic record, TSC has not until now had to assess this split. Assuming that TSC in the future recommends that Pale-legged Leaf Warbler and Sakhalin Leaf Warbler are treated as separate species, it will have to be established whether this migrant can be accepted to species level. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Assessment to establish the first post-1949 record of Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler S. c. moltonii. Two records are under consideration: one, male, Scatness, Shetland, 22–28 May 2009 (sight record, photographed); one, male, Skaw, Unst, Shetland, 1–10 June 2009 (sight record, photographed, video, sound-recorded). Grasshopper Warbler [Common Grasshopper Warbler] Locustella naevia Record of an ‘Eastern’ Grasshopper Warbler L. n. straminea or L. n. mongolica, one, juvenile Fair Isle, Shetland, 20 September 2012: trapped, photographed, DNA analysis. This would be the first record of this subspecies group if accepted. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Review of the previously rejected record of a male ‘Eastern’ Black Redstart P. o. phoenicuroides from Dungeness, Kent, 7–8 November 1981 (trapped, photographed), in light of new evidence. Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus One, first year male ‘Stejneger's Stonechat’ S. m. stejnegeri, Portland Bill, Dorset, 24–26 October 2012: trapped, photographed, DNA analysis. This would represent the first British record of stejnegeri, which is highly divergent from nominate maurus at the level of mtDNA (Zink et al. 2009; Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 52: 769–773) and may represent a separate species. Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala Review of the first British record: 1868, Brighton Racecourse, East Sussex, adult female, shot, about 3 November, specimen now at Booth Museum, Brighton. The following has also been considered House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus Assessment was completed of an individual seen and photographed at Land's End, Cornwall, 4–12 May 2010, then at The Lizard, Cornwall, 16 May, and East Prawle, Devon, 27 June – 22 October (sight record, photographed) (Birding World 23: 199–208). The identification was accepted but the record was placed in Category E and has not been admitted to the British List. This record presented several difficult issues for the Committee. The species is commonly kept in captivity in Europe and a decision had to be made on provenance. Furthermore, if this individual were a wild bird it would almost certainly have originated from the introduced naturalized population in eastern North America, and hence would have been a candidate for admission to Category C5: ‘Vagrant naturalized species – species from established naturalized populations abroad’. There are currently no species in Category C5. However, the original range of this species and the range of the naturalized population are now contiguous and it could be argued that it makes little sense to continue to discriminate between them (del Hoyo et al. 2010; Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol 15, Weavers to New World Warblers. Lynx Editions, Barcelona). In that case the House Finch would be a candidate for Category A. After consideration, the collective decision of BOURC was that C5 would be the most appropriate categorization for an acceptable British House Finch. When the bird was first found, at a location consistent with a transatlantic crossing and just after a White-throated Sparrow was discovered in Cornwall (Boscastle, 1–2 May), it exhibited the carotenoid-deficient yellow plumage variation which occurs in a minority of wild birds but which is also a common feature of birds fed an incomplete diet in captivity. Its lengthy stay was not typical of passerine Nearctic vagrants, but also not inconsistent with a wild origin. The bird apparently had conjunctivitis, which would normally be taken as an indication of captive origin, but Mycoplasma infection is common in eastern North American populations of House Finches (e.g. see Dhondt 1998; Birdscope 12: 11–12 and http://www.birds.cornell.edu/hofi/HFDhistory.html). House Finch is polytypic with considerable intraspecific variation in the extent and intensity of red plumage. The plumage of this individual was consistent with H. m. frontalis from North America, which should not be in trade, but did not rule out Central American subspecies. House Finches of known or presumed captive origin continue to occur in Europe (e.g. Dutch Birding 34: 265, 270, and http://birdingtheedge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/a-new-house-finch-near-paris.html). House Finches in eastern North America do carry out partial migration or sometimes quite long distance dispersals (Able & Belthoff 1998; Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 265: 2063–2071. Condor 93: 374–382) but were the bird of wild origin, its occurrence in Britain would have to be assumed to have been ship-assisted. It is not the intention of BOURC to admit port-to-port or coast-to-coast transportees onto the British List and our guidelines state that suspected ship-assisted birds should only by admitted to the List if the species is considered capable of making an unassisted transatlantic crossing under favourable circumstances. In nearly all cases, the data are insufficient to draw a robust conclusion on this point, but the known biology of House Finch does not make a strong case for unassisted vagrancy. A decision on the provenance of an individual bird is a call on balance of probability, and for admission to the list the balance of probability must be judged to be overwhelmingly in favour of natural occurrence in a wild state. For the House Finch, BOURC did not have sufficient confidence that this was the case. Category D was not an option for this bird, that Category being applicable only to birds that would otherwise be admitted to Category A. The record was therefore rejected and House Finch remains in Category E. A manuscript is in preparation. This species was formerly placed in genus Carpodacus. Although House Finch is not on the Western Palearctic List and was not specifically mentioned in the Ninth report of the TSC, BOURC has followed the treatment of Fringillidae proposed by Zuccon et al. (2012. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 62: 581–596). That study showed that House Finch and Purple Finch (formerly Carpodacus purpureus) represent a lineage only distantly related to Palearctic rosefinches, which precluded continued retention within Carpodacus. The generic name Haemorhous Swainson was therefore revived for these two species and Cassin's Finch, formerly C. cassinii. Category F Sub-Committee The preliminary Category F list has been drawn up and is being prepared for publication. Notes A small number of errata have been brought to our attention following the publication of the Eighth edition of the British List (Ibis 155: 635–676) Great Skua Stecorarius skua Should be ‘MB PM monotypic’, not ‘MB PM skua (Brünnich)’ as listed. Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura There are only two British individuals, not three as listed. A bird from Calf of Man, Isle of Man, 31 October to 1 November 1989, when found dead, was included in the totals in error. White-throated Robin Irania gutturalis There are only two British individuals, not three as listed. A bird from Calf of Man, Isle of Man, 22 June 1983, was included in the totals in error. Publications by Members of the BOURC, Members of the BOURC-TSC, Members of the BOURC-CFSC and BOU Staff Relating to the British List since the 41st Report References British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU). 2013. The British List: a checklist of birds of Britain (8th ed.). Ibis 155: 635– 676. Wiley Online LibraryWeb of Science®Google Scholar Collinson, J.M., Shannon, T., Archer, A., Odin, N., Riddington, R. & Walsh, R. 2013. Genetic analysis of migrant Siberian Chiffchaffs in Britain and Ireland. Brit. Birds 106: 109– 113. Google Scholar Collinson, J.M., Smith, A., Waite, S. & McGowan, R.Y. 2013. British records of ‘Eastern Yellow Wagtail’. Br. Birds 106: 36– 41. Google Scholar Crochet, P.-A., Barthel, P.H., Bauer, H.G., van den Berg, A.B., Bezzel, E., Collinson, J.M., Dietzen, C., Dubois, P.J., Fromholtz, J., Helbig, A.J., Jiguet, F., Jirle, E., Knox, A.G., Krüger, T., Le Maréchal, P., van Loon, A.J., Päckert, M., Parkin, D.T., Pons, J.M., Raty, L., Roselaar, C.S., Sangster, G., Steinheimer, F.D., Svensson, L., Tyrberg, T., Votier, S.C. & Yésou, P. 2012. AERC TAC's Taxonomic Recommendations. 2012 Report. Available online at http://www.aerc.eu/tac.html. Google Scholar McGowan, R.Y., Floody, Z. & Collinson, J.M. 2013. Sex determination of Brünnich's Guillemots from Scotland. Scot. Birds 33: 229– 232. Google Scholar McGowan, R.Y., McInerny, C.J. & ap Rheinallt, T. 2013. Scottish Birds Records Committee report on rare birds in Scotland 2011. Scot. Birds 33: 99– 121. Google Scholar Sangster, G., Collinson, J.M., Crochet, P.-A., Knox, A.G., Parkin, D.T. & Votier, S.C. 2013. Taxonomic recommendations for Western Palearctic birds: Ninth Report. Ibis 155: 898– 907. Wiley Online LibraryWeb of Science®Google Scholar Acknowledgements BOURC receives advice and help from many sources, without which it could not function adequately. We particularly wish to thank Mark Adams, Iain Barr, Martin Cade, Andrea Corso, Martin Garner, Meritxell Genovart, Julien Gernigon, Mark Grantham, Marcell Haas, Martin Irestedt, Frederic Jiguet, Peter de Knijff, Andy Musgrove, Dick Newell, Jean-Marc Pons, Markus Ritz, Lars Svensson, Steve Votier, Russell Wynn and Bernie Zonfrillo, and apologize to those we have inadvertently omitted. Committee Membership (October 2012–September 2013) Martin Collinson (Chairman) Andrew Harrop (Secretary) (retired June 2013) Andy Brown Steve Dudley (ex officio non-voting member; BOU Senior Administrator) James Gilroy Chris Kehoe Chris McInerny (Secretary, from June 2013) Richard Millington Adam Rowlands (ex officio; BBRC Representative) Jimmy Steele Consultants Bob McGowan (Museums) Keith Naylor (Historical Records) Roger Wilkinson (Captive Birds; Bird Trade) Citing Literature Volume156, Issue1January 2014Pages 236-242 ReferencesRelatedInformation