Western Birds

Home , Abbotts Lagoon, Amandava, Canto a Baja California, Crithagra, Cynanthus, Mangrove rail

WESTERN BIRDS

Vol. 47, No. 4, 2016 Western Specialty: Fonseca Mangrove Rail Painted Redstart

Photo by © Ken Lee of Henderson, Nevada: Painted Redstart (Myioborus pictus) Corn Creek Field Station, Desert National Wildlife Refuge, 17 April 2015. The Painted Redstart occurs as an occasional visitor to the northwest of its normal range from Arizona Photo by © John van Dort of Tegucigalpa, Honduras: and New Mexico south to Nicaragua. This photograph documents the 13th record for Fonseca Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris berryorum) Nevada endorsed by the Nevada Bird Records Committee, whose report for 2015, by Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras, 13 August 2013. After rails of the Clapper Rail complex Jeanne Tinsman and Martin Meyers, is published in this issue of Western Birds were discovered around the Gulf of Fonseca on the Pacific coast of Central America in (pp. 274–290). Some Nevada records are from the Spring Mountains, which have 2010, collection and study of specimens revealed the population to represent a new forest resembling the Painted Redstart’s breeding habitat, but others, such as this one, subspecies of the Mangrove Rail, described in this issue of Western Birds by are from the desert floor. The Painted Redstart’s characteristic tail fanning, seen in this James M. Maley, John E. McCormack, Whitney L. E. Tsai, Emiko M. Schwab, photo, functions both in social signaling and flushing insects on which the bird feeds. John van Dort, Roselvy C. Juárez, and Matthew D. Carling (pp. 262–273). The new subspecies, Rallus longirostris berryorum, differs from other subspecies of the Mangrove Rail by its dusky breast band, light gray rather than brown edges to its back feathers, and substantially larger size. It resembles some of the diverse subspecies of the Clapper Rail (R. crepitans) around the Caribbean Sea but differs in various characteristics from each. The discovery of R. longirostris berryorum extends the range of the Mangrove Rail, previously known only from South America, far to the northwest. Volume 47, Number 4, 2016

Fonseca Mangrove Rail: A New Subspecies from Honduras James M. Maley, John E. McCormack, Whitney L. E. Tsai, Emiko M. Schwab, John van Dort, Roselvy C. Juárez, and Matthew D. Carling ...... 262 Nevada Bird Records Committee Report for 2015 Jeanne Tinsman and Martin Meyers ...... 274 The 40th Annual Report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2014 Records Daniel S. Singer, Jon L. Dunn, Lauren B. Harter, and Guy McCaskie ...... 291 The Pin-tailed Whydah as a Brood Parasite of the Scaly-breasted Munia in Southern California John F. Garrett and Kimball L. Garrett ...... 314 Book Review Lauren B. Harter ...... 323 Thanks to Western Birds’ Reviewers and Associate Editors ...... 324 Featured Photo: Common Black Hawk × Red-shouldered Hawk in California Lisa Hug ...... 325 Index Daniel D. Gibson...... 327

Front cover photo by © Tom Grey of Stanford, California: Salvin’s Albatross (Thalassarche salvini) off San Mateo County, California, 26 July 2014, representing the second known occurrence of this species in North America and the first for California, following one photographed near the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, in 2003, and reidentification of one off Point Reyes, California, on 27 July 2001 as a Chatham Albatross (T. eremita), as described by Daniel S. Singer, Jon L. Dunn, Lauren B. Harter, and Guy McCaskie in this issue’s report of the California Bird Records Committee. Back cover: “Featured Photos” by © Lisa Hug of Sebastopol, Califor- nia: Juvenile hybrid Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) × Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) near Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, representing the first known hybridization of these species, far to the northwest of the Common Black Hawk’s normal range, as reported in this issue by Lisa Hug. Ventral view, 29 July 2012; dorsal view, 7 August 2012.

Western Birds solicits papers that are both useful to and understandable by amateur field ornithologists and also contribute significantly to scientific literature. The journal welcomes contributions from both professionals and amateurs. Appropriate topics include distribution, migration, status, identification, geographic variation, conservation, behavior, ecology, population dynamics, habitat requirements, the effects of pollution, and techniques for censusing, sound recording, and photographing birds in the field. Papers of general interest will be considered regardless of their geographic origin, but particularly desired are reports of studies done in or bearing on North America west of the 100th meridian, including Alaska and Hawaii, northwestern Mexico, and the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Send manuscripts to Daniel D. Gibson, P. O. Box 155, Ester, AK 99725; avesalaska@ gmail.com. For matters of style consult the Suggestions to Contributors to Western Birds (at www.westernfieldornithologists.org/docs/journal_guidelines.doc). Volume 47, Number 4, 2016

FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS JAMES M. MALEY, JOHN E. McCORMACK, WHITNEY L. E. TSAI, and EMIKO M. SCHWAB, Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Department of Biology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California 90042; [email protected] JOHN VAN DORT and ROSELVY C. JUÁREZ, Department of Environment and Development Studies, Zamorano University, Tegucigalpa, Honduras MATTHEW D. CARLING, Museum of Vertebrates, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071

ABSTRACT: Large rails were discovered in the mangroves along the Pacific coast of Honduras in 2010, and confirmed as local breeders in 2012. Their taxonomic affinity was unclear because the region is far from yet between the ranges of several other species in the Clapper Rail complex. So we collected eight specimens in July 2013, recorded their vocalizations, video-recorded a duetting pair, and documented a nest. By sequencing a portion of their mitochondrial DNA we were able to place them unambiguously within the Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris). The specimens differ in plumage, being the only Mangrove Rails with a dusky breast band and light gray edging to their back feathers. Males, at least, are significantly larger than other male Mangrove Rails. We found one base pair among 650 of mtDNA in which the Honduras specimens differ from specimens from Peru and Venezuela. Therefore, we describe this population as a new subspecies, the Fonseca Mangrove Rail (R. l. berryorum). This discovery extends the Mangrove Rail’s known range ~1500 km northwest along the Pacific coast.

The Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris Boddaert, 1783) was split from other members of the Clapper/King rail complex by Maley and Brumfield (2013) and Chesser et al. (2014). They thought it restricted to mangroves along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines of South America, but its distribution was unclear because of past confusion over species limits in the complex. In 2010, Robert Gallardo and Mayron Mejía first discovered large rails in the mangroves of the Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras (Jones and Komar 2011), identifying them as Clapper Rails, but under the revised classification their identification was unclear. In 2012, van Dort observed a pair with two chicks, confirming a previously overlooked population (van Dort 2013). Since the initial discovery these rails have been recorded elsewhere in the Gulf of

262 Western Birds 47:262–273, 2016; doi 10.21199/WB47.4.1 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS

Fonseca in El Salvador and Nicaragua (Figure 1). From photographs and recorded vocalizations, they appeared to be closely related to the Mangrove Rail, but no specimen of this population had been collected. Part of the difficulty in identifying them is that the Gulf of Fonseca lies between the known ranges of Ridgway’s (R. obsoletus Ridgway, 1874) and Mangrove rails but far from both (Figure 1). Therefore, we sought to collect specimens to assess the relationships of this recently discovered population.

METHODS In July of 2013, Maley, van Dort, and Juárez surveyed two locations in the Honduran Gulf of Fonseca to assess the abundance of these birds

Figure 1. Distribution of five species of Rallus in the Americas, and in the Gulf of Fonseca (inset). Points based on sightings reported via www.eBird.org and specimens available through www.gbif.org; shapefiles were downloaded from www.natureserve. org. The inset map shows sites from which Fonseca Mangrove Rails have been reported from El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua to www.ebird.org. The star denotes the type locality of R. longirostris berryorum. Other subspecies of the Mangrove Rail are distributed as follows: R. l. cypereti on the Pacific coast of South America, R. l. phelpsi in northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela, R. l. dillonripleyi in northeastern Venezuela, R. l. margaritae on the island of Margarita off the coast of Venezuela, R. l. pelodramus on the island of Trinidad, nominate R. l. longirostris in Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, and R. l. crassirostris from the Amazon estuary south to southern Brazil (Taylor and Christie 2016).

263 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS qualitatively. We found them abundant in stands of Black Mangrove (Avi- cennia germinans) 2–3 m tall adjacent to shrimp farms and salt ponds. On 24 July, we recorded 33 individuals along a 500-m transect through dense mangrove forest adjacent to a shrimp farm. Over a two-week period, we observed an inactive nest and multiple individuals, including juveniles, at two localities. After confirming high densities in degraded habitat, Maley, with the assistance of van Dort and Juárez, collected eight specimens by air rifle or shotgun. Birds were brought out of the dense mangroves by broadcast of the vocalizations of a duetting pair recorded by van Dort (www.xeno- canto.org/127717), played repeatedly at maximum volume. Birds quickly responded vocally but often took 10 minutes or longer to emerge from the vegetation. Immediately after collecting each individual, we photographed it to document soft-part colors. All vocalizations recorded were uploaded to www.xeno-canto.org. A video of a pair of birds duetting has been uploaded to youtu.be/EFfL1ItMPHY. Specimens were prepared as round skins with tissue samples and stomach contents preserved. We collected four females and four males, two of the females being juveniles, the rest adults. All specimens were deposited in the University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates (UWYMV). After approximately one year of drying, Maley measured the adults’ wing chord, exposed culmen, and tarsus length with a wing-chord ruler and digital calipers, and described plumage colors in comparison to specimens of all subspecies of the Mangrove Rail except R. l. pelodramus (there are no specimens of this form in U.S. collections) and the color swatches in Smithe (1975). Maley also measured specimens loaned from the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of Natural History. He visited the American Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, to measure additional specimens and compare plumages. Unfortunately, Mangrove Rails are very scarce in collections. Therefore, in statistical tests for morphological differences in males, we pooled all specimens collected away from the Gulf of Fonseca and ran two-sample t-tests, using the statistical package R (2016). We were unable to conduct two-sample t-tests for females because we only have two adult female specimens from Honduras and the test requires at least three values in each sample. We extracted total DNA from tissues preserved in 70% ethanol with a DNeasy tissue kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA), quantified DNA concentration with a Qubit 2.0 fluorometer (Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA), and assessed DNA quality by gel electrophoresis. To amplify the coding mitochondrial gene NADH subunit 2 (ND2) we ran 25-μL polymerase chain reactions with 2.75 μL of 10X Standard Taq Reaction Buffer (New England BioLabs, Ipswich, MA), 1.0 μL of 10 mM each dNTP, 1.0 μL of each of the 10-mM primers RallusND2F and RallusND2R (Maley and Brumfield 2013), 1.0 μL of 5000 units/mL Taq DNA polymerase, 2.0 μL template DNA, and 16.25 μL double-distilled water. Thermocycler conditions were 2 minutes at 94 °C, followed by 30 cycles of 94 °C for 30 seconds, 51 °C for 30 seconds, and 72 °C for 1 minute, followed by 72 °C for 10 minutes. Completed reactions were visualized on an agarose gel by electrophoresis, then were shipped for Sanger sequencing to the Sequencing and Genotyping Core at the University of California, Los Angeles.

264 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS

Raw sequence files were imported to the program Geneious version 8.0.5 (Biomatters, Auckland, New Zealand), edited, aligned to other rail genes se- quenced by Maley and Brumfield (2013; GenBank KP081557–KP081624), and uploaded to GenBank. We replicated the phylogenetic analyses of Maley and Brumfield (2013), integrating the new sequences.

RESULTS We found that the birds from Honduras were larger overall than other Mangrove Rails. Males had significantly longer wings (P = 6.4 × 10–4, n = 21), longer tarsi (P = 1.8 × 10–1, n = 15), and longer bills (P = 1.3 × 10–5, n = 14) than all other Mangrove Rails, with very little overlap (Table 1). The average mass of the four adult males from the Gulf of Fonseca was 289.4 grams with a range from 263.2 to 308.8 grams, whereas four males from the closest sampled population on the Pacific coast (R. l. cypereti of Ecua- dor and Peru) averaged 208.3 grams with a range from 190 to 230 grams (LSUMNS specimens B-66005, 66008, 67817, 67819); this difference is

Table 1 Measurements of Subspecies of the Mangrove Raila Wing chord Exposed culmen Tarsus length Males R. l. berryorum 144.4 [140.5–147] 56.5 [55.4–57.9] ± 54.3 [53.2–56.1] ± ± 1.6 (4) 0.7 (3) 0.9 (3) R. l. margaritae 127.7 [121–132] ± 52.8 [50–54.4] ± 44.4 [42.3–46] ± 2.4 (3) 1 (3) 0.8 (3) R. l. dillonripleyi 136.6 (1) 53.8 (1) 45.2 (1) R. l. phelpsi 133 [129–135] ± 49.3 [48–51.5] ± 45.9 [42.7–49] ± 1.8 (3) 1.1 (3) 1.8 (3) R. l. pelodramusb 133.3 [129–136] ± 51.8 (1) 47.5 (1) 1.4 (5) R. l. longirostris 137.5 ± 4.5 (2) 56.5 ± 2.5 (2) 47 ± 0.5 (2) R. l. crassirostris 138 (1) 52.5 (1) 40.5 (1) R. l. cypereti 129.2 [126.4–132] (2) 51.7 [51.4–52] (2) 43.9 (1) Females R. l. berryorum 136 [136–136] (2) 49.4 [49.2–49.6] (2) 47.2 [47–47.4] (2) R. l. margaritae 115.9 [109.5–120] ± 49.4 [48–51.5] ± 42.3 [39.6–44] ± 2.6 (4) 0.9 (4) 1 (4) R. l. dillonripleyi 121.3 (1) 49.9 (1) 43.4 (1) R. l. phelpsi 120 [113.9–125] ± 46.7 [45.1–48] ± 42.6 [39.7–45] ± 3.2 (3) 0.9 (3) 1.5 (3) R. l. longirostris 128.5 ± 2.5 (2) 49.5 ± 3.5 (2) 44.8 ± 2.3 (2) R. l. crassirostris 129.2 [120–132.9] ± 46.9 [46–48] ± 39.6 [34.6–44] ± 3.1 (4) 0.4 (4) 2 (4) R. l. cypereti 118.3 [115.5–121] 49.6 [49.2–50] (2) 41.4 (1) (2) aIn millimeters, presented as mean [range] ± standard error (sample size). Standard error omitted for samples of fewer than three specimens. Measurements for taxa other than R. l. berryorum are from Ripley (1977) or made by Maley. bOnly males of Rallus longirostris pelodramus have been collected.

265 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS

Figure 2. Maximum-clade-credibility tree based on the gene ND2, generated from the same sequences as in Maley and Brumfield (2013) and inferred in the program Beast (Drummond and Rambaut 2007). The tree was generated from mitochondrial DNA data only, with sample sizes as follows: 15 Mangrove Rails (including eight from Honduras, six from Peru, and one from Venezuela), 16 King Rails, 32 Clapper Rails, eight Ridgway’s Rails, and five Aztec Rails. Each species except the Mangrove Rail is collapsed into a single node for clarity. Posterior probabilities are shown above the nodes. The length of the scale bar represents one base substitution. Samples of the Virginia Rail (not shown) served as the outgroup. Drawings used with permission from HBW Alive (del Hoyo et al. 2016). significant (P = 0.001). Two females from the Gulf of Fonseca were also larger, with masses of 235.6 and 238.8 grams, while two females from Peru weighed 200 and 210 grams (LSUMNS B-67818, 67820). Mass was not available from any other subspecies, as to our knowledge this variable has

266 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS

Figure 3. Typical Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans) forest along the edge of the Gulf of Fonseca. This photograph was taken at the type locality for Rallus longirostris berryorum (13.4062° N, 87.3746° W). Photo by John van Dort

Figure 4. Dorsal and ventral comparison of the holotype of Rallus longirostris berryorum (left; UWYMV 2768) with an adult male specimen of R. l. phelpsi (right; USNM 368582). Photo by James M. Maley

267 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS not been recorded for any other collected specimens of the Mangrove Rail. The duets of the Fonseca birds sound very different from those of other North American species of Rallus but similar to recordings of the Mangrove Rail from Peru. The Fonseca population does not have a grunt call typical of other members of the genus, and its duets consist of repeated kek-burr calls, sometimes with a double stuttered kek preceding each burr. Sometimes one member of the pair keks repeatedly while the other responds with kek- burrs. These duets can last from 10 seconds to a minute or longer. Unfortu- nately, the complexity of the vocalizations does not lend itself to quantitative analyses, but qualitatively there is nothing distinct about the vocalizations of the birds from Central America with respect to those from South America. The sequence of the mitochondrial gene analyzed implied that the Hon- duras birds are most closely related to Mangrove Rails from Venezuela and the region of Tumbes in Peru, having one unique single-nucleotide poly- morphism across 650 base pairs of the gene ND2. When we reconstructed the phylogeny we recovered a well-supported clade comprising Venezuelan, Peruvian, and Honduran birds (Figure 2). The Gulf of Fonseca population may now be described as Rallus longirostris berryorum new subspecies Holotype Adult male, UWYMV:Bird:2768 (frozen tissue B-803); collected by James M. Maley (JMM 1583) on 24 July 2013, 1.73 km south-southwest of El Laure, at the upper end of the Bahía de San Lorenzo, Departamento Valle, Honduras; 13.4061° N, 87.3745° W, elevation 2 m. Duet with its presumed mate recorded and archived at www.xeno-canto.org/143338. Mass 295.8 grams, light body fat, no bursa of Fabricius, left testis 18 × 8 mm; stomach contained crushed invertebrate shells (saved), skull 100% ossified, moderate body molt, collected in low, scrubby Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans) adjacent to a tidal canal (Figure 3). Paratypes Seven additional specimens collected from 23 to 27 July 2013, one at the type locality and six at two different salineras near El Caimito, ~3 km west of San Lorenzo (13.4331° N, 87.4847° W and 13.4247° N, 87.4825° W). Two juvenile females, UWYMV:Bird:2766, tissue B-801, on 23 July, and UWYMV:Bird:2770, tissue B-805, on 27 July. Two adult females on 27 July, UWYMV:Bird:2769, tissue B-804, and UWYMV:Bird:2773, tissue B-807. Three additional adult males, UWYMV:Bird:2767, tissue B-802 on 23 July, and two others on 27 July: UWYMV:Bird:2771, tissue B-806, and UWYMV:Bird:2772, tissue B-806. Diagnosis In comparison to other populations of the Mangrove Rail, R. l. berryorum is most similar in plumage to R. l. phelpsi but differs in having a lighter tawny lower breast, a vague dusky band across the upper breast, gray rather than brown cheeks, and margins to the back feathers light gray rather than brown (Figure 4). The Honduras birds are also similar in plumage to specimens of R. l. cypereti and nominate R. l. longirostris but have a dusky breast band and

268 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS light gray rather than brown-edged back feathers. The Honduras specimens are much paler than specimens of R. l. margaritae and R. l. dillonripleyi, both dorsally and ventrally. The plumage pattern is similar to that of other members of the Clapper Rail complex, with boldly barred flanks, back feathers having dark centers and lighter edges, and the breast some shade of buff or rufous. The breast is less rufous than in the King, Ridgway’s, or Aztec rails, but brighter than in R. crepitans crepitans. Of all specimens examined, Honduras birds most closely resembled Clapper Rails of the subspecies R. c. leucophaeus from the Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Pines), Cuba. Specimen MCZ 80748 (Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University) of that subspecies closely matched the holotype of R. l. berryorum in size and plumage except for having a more extensive dusky breast band, darker gray edging on the back feathers, and warmer brown in the crown and centers of back feathers. Honduras birds were quite different from the closest populations of Clapper Rails on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and Belize. Specimens of R. c. pallidus of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico had a similar shade of tawny breast, but lacked a dusky breast band and had the wing coverts rufous rather than brown, the face paler gray, the flank barring paler brown, and the crown and back feathers, especially their centers, much paler. The only specimen of R. c. belizensis, MCZ 119747, and photographs in the Macaulay Library (ML) from coastal Belize (ML33475091, ML33475151, ML33475161, ML33475181), reveal that these birds are darker than the Honduras birds, with dark brown centers and brownish-gray edges to their back feathers. They have a darker gray cheek and brighter tawny breast, and do have a dusky breast band. The only known recordings of their kek calls (ML33427181, ML33436591) suggest that they belong with R. crepitans, not R. longirostris, but this requires further study. In this description of the holotype, which is in mostly fresh plumage, capi- talized colors are from Smithe (1975), with the color number in parentheses. Crown Dusky Brown (19), supraloral stripe Cream Color (54), lores Dark Neutral Gray (83), throat white, cheeks Dark Neutral Gray (83) extending slightly down neck, upper breast Smoke Gray (45), lower breast Cinnamon (39), belly and undertail coverts white, flanks thickly barred white and Fuscous (21), leg feathers white and Fuscous (21), back feathers Dusky Brown (19) and edged with Medium Neutral Gray (84), primary coverts light brown but very worn, tail Fuscous (21). Iris bright orange, maxilla dark brown with bright orange base, mandible bright orange with brown tip, legs bright orange (Figure 5). Specimens other than the holotype were molting more heavily. In 650 base pairs of the mitochondrial gene ND2, berryorum has one apparently fixed nonsynonymous substitution in which it differs from sequences of birds from South America (Figure 2). At base 502 all eight Honduras specimens have a cytosine, whereas Peruvian and Venezuelan birds have a thymine.

Etymology This subspecies is named in honor of Robert and Carol Berry, who have made significant contributions to avian conservation, particularly of Central American birds, and citizen science via www.eBird.org. We suggest the common name Fonseca Mangrove Rail, to reflect the known distribution of this taxon.

269 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS

Figure 5. A Fonseca Mangrove Rail at a shrimp farm ~2 km southeast of Cedeño, Departmento Choluteca, Honduras, 13 August 2013. Photo by John van Dort

Habitat The Fonseca Mangrove Rail appears to be most common in low, scrubby Black Mangroves, although it is sometimes also found in taller mangrove forest (Figure 3). We encountered Fonseca Mangrove Rails at many localities where low mangrove scrub bordered on shrimp ponds or salt ponds, and observed them foraging and reproducing in small strips of mangrove scrub inside these areas. Worldwide, mangrove forests are among the most highly threatened ecosystems. While the mangrove forests of the Gulf of Fonseca are under threat of deforestation from aquaculture, our observing high densities of Fonseca Mangrove Rails near aquaculture suggests that the

A B Figure 6. (A) Mangrove Rail nest with four eggs and (B) one egg in hand for representation of size. Photos by John van Dort

270 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS subspecies is relatively tolerant of habitat alteration, as are other members of the Clapper Rail complex. Nest On 23 July 2013, a shrimp-farm custodian alerted Maley and van Dort to an inactive nest at the edge of a levee and a strip of Black Mangrove scrub 5 m wide within a shrimp farm 1.5 km west of San Lorenzo, Departamento Valle. The nest was placed inside dense mangroves 1 m tall with a natural, unmodified canopy of thick vegetation. The nest was loosely constructed with vegetative matter approximately 50 cm above the ground. We collected eggshell remains from the nest, which are deposited at UWYMV. On 13 August 2013 van Dort and Juárez found an active nest containing four eggs, also in a shrimp farm, 2 km southeast of Cedeño, Departamento Choluteca (Figure 6A). This nest was located in a strip of short, Black Mangrove scrub, 1.5 m wide and 50 cm tall, mixed with grasses on a levee. The clutch may not have been complete, as incubation had not started. The eggs were whitish with small dusky-brown spots and smudges. One egg measured 44 × 33 mm (Figure 6B). Molt All eight specimens collected during the last week of July were undergoing body molt, even while actively nesting. None of the adults was in the flightless stage of wing molt. One of the juveniles (UWYMV 2766) was at the beginning

Figure 7. Juvenile Fonseca Mangrove Rail at Salinera La Ostia near San Lorenzo, Departamento Valle, Honduras, 23 July 2013. Photo by John van Dort

271 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS stages of growing primaries and secondaries, with a large bursa and a short bill (38.8 mm versus an average of 49.4 mm for the two adult females). Figure 7 shows a bird in fully juvenile plumage. The breast is much more extensively tawny in UWYMV 2766, suggesting wide variation in the juvenile plumage or possibly a rapid transition from juvenile to adult plumage.

DISCUSSION It is surprising that in Central America a large population of birds could go undiscovered by ornithologists for so long. While rails are secretive and often difficult to see, these birds are very noisy and live in close proximity to humans. We asked a local shrimp farmer (~75 years old) about the rails, and he claimed to have known them all of his life, suggesting that this population does not represent a very recent range expansion. The Fonseca population appears to occur in mangroves around the entire gulf, including the Nicara- guan and Salvadoran parts (Figure 1). In El Salvador, Mangrove Rails were first discovered by Juárez, van Dort, and Oliver Komar on 6 April 2013, documented by a recording (www.xeno-canto.org/128920). In Nicaragua, they were first discovered on 10 November 2012 (van Dort 2013). The species was first reported from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica on 16 June 1997 (Sandoval et al. 2010), surprisingly recently given how heavily that country is birded relative to Honduras. The first nest for Costa Rica was discovered in 2015 and described by Garrigues and Garrigues (2016); it was very similar to the nest we discovered. In the field, Costa Rica birds look and sound like Honduras birds, but it is not clear if they are more similar morphologically to the Fonseca population or to some South American population. Specimens are needed to determine if the disjunct Costa Rica population differs morphologically or genetically. The large rails of the Gulf of Fonseca are confirmed as Mangrove Rails through morphology, vocalizations, and DNA sequences. They represent a new allopatric subspecies substantially larger than the Mangrove Rails of South America and have one unique nucleotide of mtDNA. Their discovery should result in addition of the Mangrove Rail to the American Ornitholo- gists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds and extends the known distribution of this species ~1500 km northwest along the Pacific coast.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Oliver Komar for invaluable assistance with permits and logistics, Nina Lindsay for assistance with lab work, and Kimball Garrett and Ken Campbell of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and Jacob Saucier and Helen James of the National Museum of Natural History for loaning specimens for comparison. We thank Paul Sweet, Joel Cracraft, George Barrowclough, and Brian Smith at the American Museum of Natural History and Katherine Eldridge, Jeremiah Trimble, and Scott Edwards of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, for access to those collections for specimens for comparison. We also thank J. Van Remsen and Matthew L. Brady of the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science for providing comparative data. We thank Elizabeth Wommack of the Uni- versity of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates for assistance. Matt Baumann, Steve N. G. Howell, Pamela Rasmussen, Philip Unitt, and an anonymous reviewer provided

272 FONSECA MANGROVE RAIL: A NEW SUBSPECIES FROM HONDURAS valuable comments on the manuscript. Specimens were collected under the authority of the University of Wyoming Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and the government of Honduras (permit DICTAMEN-ICF-DVS-078-2013). Funding for this project was made possible by a grant from the Wolf Creek Charitable Foundation to the University of Wyoming and an endowment of Occidental College by the late Robert T. Moore and Margaret C. Moore.

LITERATURE CITED Chesser, R. T., Banks, R. C., Cicero, C., Dunn, J. L., Kratter, A. W., Lovette, I. J., Navarro-Sigüenza, A. G., Rasmussen, P. C., Remsen, Jr., J. V., Rising, J. D., Stotz, D. F., and Winker, K. 2014. Fifty-fifth supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 131:CSi–CSxv. Del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A., and de Juana, E. (eds.). 2016. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona; www.hbw.com. Drummond, A. J., and Rambaut, A. 2007. Beast: Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees. BMC Evolutionary Biology 7:214. Garrigues, R., and Garrigues, L. 2016. First documentation of Mangrove Rail Rallus longirostris breeding in Costa Rica. Cotinga 38:33–34. Jones, H. L., and Komar, O. 2011. Central America. N. Am. Birds 65:174–181. Maley, J. M., and Brumfield, R. T. 2013. Mitochondrial and next-generation sequence data used to infer phylogenetic relationships and species limits in the Clapper/ King rail complex. Condor 115:316–329. R Core Team. 2016. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. Ripley, S. D. 1977. Rails of the World: a Monograph of the Family Rallidae. M. F. Feheley, Toronto. Sandoval, L., Sánchez, C., Biamonte, E., Zook, J. R., Sánchez, J. E., Martínez D., Loth, D., and O’Donahoe, J. 2010. Recent records of new and rare bird species in Costa Rica. Bull. Br. Ornithol. Club 130:237–245. Smithe, F. B. 1975. Naturalist’s Color Guide. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York. Taylor, B., and Christie, D. A. 2016. Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris), in Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliot, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana (eds.), Lynx Edicions, Barcelona; www.hbw.com/node/53619. Van Dort, J. 2013. Clapper Rail breeding in Honduras. El Esmeralda 2:23–26. Accepted 3 October 2016

273 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015 JEANNE TINSMAN, Chair, and MARTIN MEYERS, Secretary, Nevada Bird Records Committee, c/o Great Basin Bird Observatory, 1755 E. Plumb Lane #256, Reno, Nevada 89502; [email protected]

ABSTRACT: In 2015, the Nevada Bird Records Committee (NBRC) reviewed 79 reports from the period 4 November 1963–11 September 2015; 67 were endorsed. Three new species were added to the Nevada list following endorsement of first state records: the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), and Couch’s Kingbird (Tyrannus couchii). The NBRC reviewed 15 species on the state list that did not have previous committee-endorsed records. Nine of those were removed because of lack of substantiated evidence of occurrence: the American Black Duck (Anas rubripes), Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa), Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis), Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana), Hutton’s Vireo (Vireo huttoni), Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis), Gray- cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus), Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla), and Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni). Revisions were made to the review list as well. The Nevada state list stands at 486 species, of which 140 are currently on the review list.

The NBRC began 2015 with 27 reports pending review. During 2015, we added 98 reports to the pending queue. The committee completed reviews of 79 reports during the year, leaving 47 in the pending queue. Any mathematical discrepancies result from reports believed to represent multiple occurrences of the same individual and reports withdrawn prior to review. Since the founding of the NBRC in 1994, 1176 reports have been reviewed, of which 1071 (91.1%) have been endorsed. At its founding in 1994, the committee decided not to review any sightings prior to that year, but reversed that decision several years later. Fortunately, founding secretary James Cressman and his wife Marian Cressman continued to accumulate documentation for “pre-committee” reports. One of the committee’s long-term goals has been to organize and review as many of those reports as possible, along with early documentation from other sources. The committee began reviewing pre-committee reports in 2007. Since that time, we have reviewed 147 and endorsed 125. Of the 98 reports added to the pending queue in 2015, 33 preceded the committee’s founding. Of the 79 reports reviewed by the committee in 2015, 67 were endorsed. Photographs accompanied the documentation for 54 of these records. One of those was also accompanied by video/audio recordings, and three were supported by video or audio recordings but no still photos. Seven were supported by museum specimens. Ten of the endorsed records were supported entirely by written descriptions. Only one of the 12 reports not endorsed was supported by photographs; none were supported by video recordings, audio recordings, or specimens. The NBRC has six voting members, one of whom serves as chair, and a nonvoting secretary. At the beginning of 2015, the committee’s voting members were Aaron Ambos, Carl Lundblad, Greg Scyphers, Justin Streit, Jeanne Tinsman, and Will Richardson. In June of 2015, Paul Hurtado replaced Will Richardson, who chose to retire from the committee. During

274 Western Birds 47:274–290, 2016; doi 10.21199/WB47.4.2 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

2015, the committee added a “chair” position and elected Jeanne Tins- man to fill that position. The position of secretary continued to be held by Martin Meyers. The NBRC’s website at http:/gbbo.org/nbrc contains a statement of purpose, answers to frequently asked questions, links to a downloadable and online submission form, the state review list, the Nevada state checklist, and the committee’s bylaws. There is a link to a list of all submissions to the NBRC, with the status of each with respect to endorsement and, if available, a photograph. All previous NBRC reports are available through the website as PDFs. NBRC reports through 2007 (1994–1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, and 2007) appeared in Great Basin Birds, published by the Great Basin Bird Observatory. Reports for 2008 through 2010 are available at the NBRC website. Beginning with the 2011 report, annual reports appear in Western Birds.

REVISIONS TO THE NEVADA STATE LIST In 2015, three new species were added to the Nevada list following endorsement of first state records: the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), and Couch’s Kingbird (Tyrannus couchii). Early in its history, the NBRC adopted an existing checklist (Titus 1996) based on numerous sources that constituted the most reliable information available at the time. Certain records in the species accounts section below are noted as “establishing records,” designating the first NBRC-endorsed record of a species that was already on the state list. The number of species on the state list without an endorsed record was 15 at the end of 2014. Dur- ing 2015 the NBRC endorsed establishing records of five species: the Buff- breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis), Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi), Chuck-will’s-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis), Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens), and Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni). During the same period, nine species were removed from the Nevada list: the American Black Duck (Anas rubripes), Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa), Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis), Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana), Hutton’s Vireo (Vireo huttoni), Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis), Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus), Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla), and Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni). The NBRC had endorsed no records of them; pre-1996 reports of the American Black Duck, Wandering Tattler, Gray Jay, and Gray-cheeked Thrush were reviewed in 2015 and are discussed below. At its biennial meeting in September 2015, the NBRC reviewed and discussed all documentation that it was able to uncover for all nine species, including museum search results, reports in various journals, and miscellaneous written documentation, before voting for removal. The one species left on the list without an endorsed record is the Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis). This species has been reported on various surveys of wetlands in southern Nevada, but reviewable documentation has not yet been provided to the NBRC. At the 2015 meeting, the committee tabled a vote on deleting the Black Rail while continuing the search for additional details from surveys and other observations. Thus we are nearly finished

275 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015 with the eight-year project to find reviewable documentation for species on the state list with no endorsed records. The Nevada state list stood at 486 species as of the end of 2015.

REVISIONS TO THE NEVADA REVIEW LIST At its 2015 biennial meeting, on the basis of total number of endorsed records, regularity of sightings, status in adjoining states, and the judgment of the members, the committee voted unanimously to remove 10 species from the review list: the Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus), Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius), Heermann’s Gull (Larus heermanni), Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. fuscus), Glaucous Gull (L. hyperboreus), Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), Painted Redstart (Myioborus pictus), Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris), and Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea). In addition, the nine species removed from the state list were also removed from the review list, and the three species added to the state list were added to the review list. The Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) remains on the review list but is now exempt from review in the Meadow Valley Wash–Rainbow Canyon area of southeast Nevada, where it has bred successfully. There are currently 140 species on the Nevada review list, of which six are exempt from review in some limited geographic area. In addition, two subspecies are currently on the review list: the Mexican Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos diazi) and Eurasian Green-winged Teal (A. crecca crecca). The committee has endorsed four records of the Eurasian Green-winged Teal. The committee placed the Mexican Mallard on the review list in an effort to accumulate data on its occurrence, but we have not, as yet, reviewed any of the reports and have decided to wait to do so until there is more clarity on its taxonomic status and identification criteria.

SPECIES ACCOUNTS Each species account is introduced with a header in the following format: English name, scientific name, and, in parentheses, the total number of endorsed records of the species (including those endorsed in this report), followed by the number of records endorsed in this year’s report. An asterisk preceding the species’ name signifies that the species is no longer on the Nevada review list. Two asterisks after the total of records denote that the number of records refers to a restricted review period, usually signifying that the species is no longer on the review list, has been added to the review list because of a perceived drop in population, or is exempt from review in some locations. After the heading for each species comes each report of that species reviewed in 2015, in the following format: NBRC report number, location (county in parentheses), and date or range of dates of observations submitted to the NBRC. If the report involved multiple birds, the number follows the date information. Then, for endorsed records: the name of each submitter, followed by the notation “(P),” “(V),” or “(A)” if he or she provided a photo, video, or audio recording, respectively. If the initial finder or finders sent doc-

276 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015 umentation to the NBRC, those names are listed first. A semicolon follows the finders’ names if other observers submitted additional documentation. In cases where a specimen was the subject of review, the collector’s or preparer’s name is followed by the museum accession number along with age and condition information from the museum tags. The museums cited in this report are the Marjorie Barrick Museum (MBM), formerly at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the collection now housed at the University of Washing- ton Burke Museum, Seattle (UWBM); the University of Nevada, Reno, Mu- seum of Natural History (UNMB), formerly the University of Nevada Museum of Biology; and the U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (USNM). In all instances, the committee examined photographs of the specimens, and the photographs are included in the documentation. Additional information relevant to a record may be provided. If there are multiple observations of the species, they are ordered by date of first sighting. Any discussion of the species in general, not specific to an observation, concludes the account if warranted. TRUMPETER SWAN Cygnus buccinator (3**, 1). 2015-003, Overton Wildlife Management Area (WMA) (Clark), 9 Dec 2014–15 Jan 2015, seven birds. N. Par- rish (P); R. Fridell (P). Two adults and five immatures, they were accompanied by an adult Tundra Swan (C. columbianus). The long-established introduced population of the Trumpeter Swan resident in Ruby Valley is exempt from review, but the NBRC reviews reports of the species away from that location. AMERICAN BLACK DUCK Anas rubripes (0**, 0). 2015-028, Fallon (Churchill), 4 Nov 1963. NOT ENDORSED. The last of the unreviewed pre-committee documentation for this species was a supposed band recovery of a bird banded by the New York Conservation Department at Wilson Hill, New York, on 2 Sep 1962 (Alcorn 1988). We have learned, however, that the record no longer exists in the Bird Banding Lab’s database (D. Bystrak in litt., 2015), and no specimen was preserved. With the vote not to endorse this record, the NBRC removed the species from the state list and review list at its September 2015 meeting. BLACK SCOTER Melanitta americana (9, 2). 2014-066, Gregg Basin, Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA) (Clark), 8 Nov 2014, two adult females. E. Hough (P). Both birds were initially observed in Arizona waters but were then flushed to the Nevada side by powerboats. 2014-069, Boulder Beach, Lake Mead NRA (Clark), 14–20 Nov 2014. R. Strickland, D. Ghiglieri (P); S. Page (P), A. Ambos (P), D. Syzdek (P), D. Vogt (P), N. McDonal (P). Female-like plumage. RED-THROATED LOON Gavia stellata (9, 2). 2014-068, Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead NRA (Clark), 12 Nov 2014–3 Jan 2015. G. Scyphers (P); D. Vogt (P), R. Strickland, D. Ghiglieri (P), N. McDonal (P), A. Ambos (P), J. Streit (P). Immature. 2015-001, Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead NRA (Clark), 12 Dec 2014. N. Parrish (P). Adult in winter plumage. *NEOTROPIC CORMORANT Phalacrocorax brasilianus (10**, 3). 2015-002, Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead NRA (Clark), 16 Oct 2014–26 Mar 2015. K. Lee (P, Figure 1); J. Boone (P), D. Henderson. Adult. 2015-033, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs (Clark), 8–13 May 2015. G. Scyphers (P); G. Hawkins (P). Immature. 2015-034, Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve (BVP) (Clark), 9 May 2015. S. Burrell (P). Immature. Hamilton et al. (2007) listed 20 records representing 13 individuals in California

277 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

Figure 1. The Neotropic Cormorant has increasingly been joining its cousin, the Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), on southern Nevada waters in recent years. This adult was observed at the Clark County Wetlands Park over four months, October 2014–February 2015. Photo by Ken Lee

Figure 2. The first American Woodcock for Nevada was found in a northwest Las Vegas back yard on 23 December 2014 and taken to the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary the next day, as it appeared to be ill or injured. It did not survive. Photo by Brian Heilmann

278 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015 from 1971 through 1999. Though no reports were submitted between 2000 and 2006, over the next seven years numbers of sightings increased significantly, resulting in the species’ removal from the California review list in January 2014, when there were 49 additional records. Other southwestern states have also witnessed an increase in the Neotropic Cormorant over the last decade. In the most recent Utah Bird Records Committee report covering 2010 through 2012, O’Donnell et al. (2014:115) cited the “dramatic and continuing expansion by the Neotropic Cormorant.” Utah also removed this species from its review list in January 2014. Arizona documented the rise in numbers through Christmas Bird Count data and other surveys (Radamaker and Corman 2008). The influx has reached north-central New Mexico as well (Williams 2013; www.eBird.org). Records of this species in southern Nevada have also increased significantly in the last few years (Meyers 2015, 2016), resulting in its removal from the review list in September 2015. *BROWN PELICAN Pelecanus occidentalis (14**, 3). 2015-056, Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead NRA (Clark), 31 Aug–13 Sep 1975. C. S. Lawson (P); originally observed by Terry Peters (Lawson 1977). 2015-055, Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead NRA (Clark), 7 Jun 1976. G. Austin (MBM 141 = UWBM 98175, immature ♂, no fat, no molt). 2015-054, Henderson BVP (Clark), 7 Aug 2000. G. Voelker (MBM 8605 = UWBM 98176, immature ♂, emaciated, no molt). This bird died on 9 Aug 2000, when the specimen was recovered. COMMON BLACK HAWK Buteogallus anthracinus (11**, 0). 2015-049, Pah- ranagat National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) (Lincoln), 27 Nov 1994. NOT ENDORSED. Some committee members agreed that the written description lacked sufficient comparison with other taxa such as Harlan’s Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis harlani); another concern was the extremely late date. Photographs were mentioned in the report, but unfortunately they were not available for review. BLACK RAIL Laterallus jamaicensis (0, 0). 2015-048, Ash Meadows NWR (Nye), 25 Sep 2007. NOT ENDORSED. Though this and a previous report both failed to gain committee endorsement, the NBRC agreed that this difficult-to-document species warranted further consideration before being removed from the Nevada list. There have been several undocumented observations by both professional surveyors and experienced bird watchers. AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER Pluvialis dominica (7, 1). 2014-057, Pahrump (Nye), 9 Oct 2014. D. Feener (P). Juvenile. WANDERING TATTLER Tringa incana (0**, 0). 2014-027, Key Pittman WMA (Lincoln), 28 Apr 1991. NOT ENDORSED. Through multiple reviews of a single written report the committee decided not to endorse this record and to remove the species from the state checklist and review list. Efforts to locate additional reports of the Wandering Tattler in Nevada have been unsuccessful. RUFF Calidris pugnax (5, 1). 2014-059, Mason Valley WMA (Lyon), 9 Sep 2014. R. Lowry. Juvenile. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER Calidris subruficollis (1, 1). 2014-030, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 26 Aug 1985. M. V. Mowbray. Establishing record. This species had been on the Nevada list without reviewed documentation; with NBRC endorsement, this pre-committee report serves as the establishing record. The single bird was described as being immature. As stated at www.azfo.net/gallery/ BBSA_2007.html, “the few Arizona records of this species have come in years when they occurred in above-average numbers along the west coast of the U.S.” So it is worth noting that California had up to 16 individuals in fall 1985 (Hamilton et al.

279 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

Figure 3. There are now five NBRC-endorsed records for the Common Ground-Dove in Nevada; the species was of “irregular occurrence” from the early 1960s to mid- 1970s (Alcorn 1988:183), but since then only four records are confirmed, including the one of this female in Esmeralda County, 7–8 September 2014. Photo by Greg Scyphers

Figure 4. Another first for Nevada, this Couch’s Kingbird delighted local and visiting birders for nearly two months (12 January–4 March 2015). The identification was confirmed by vocalizations and wing formula. Photo by Ken Lee

280 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

Figure 5. This second Thick-billed Kingbird for Nevada was found at the Overton Wildlife Management Area on 7 November 2014, where it remained for over a week. Nevada’s first representative of the species was observed in October 1996. Photo by Rick Fridell

Figure 6. This female Red-eyed Vireo was paired with a Warbling Vireo in July 2013 at Rancho San Rafael Park in Reno. Photo by Fred Petersen

281 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

2007), and 14 were reported from Florence, Oregon, that season as well (Contreras and Heinl 1985). AMERICAN WOODCOCK Scolopax minor (1, 1). 2014-073, Las Vegas (Clark), 23–24 Dec 2014. B. Heilmann (P, Figure 2). First Nevada record. The bird appeared in a suburban Las Vegas yard, and fortunately the homeowner recognized that it was well out of range, photographed it, and contacted others to confirm the identification. The woodcock was found in poor health and was taken the next day to the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary, where it died (but the specimen was not preserved). Records for this species close to longitude 115° W include one from Eureka, Montana (Wright 1996), and two from California (Heindel and Garrett 2008). PARASITIC JAEGER Stercorarius parasiticus (10, 2). 2014-054, south end of Pyramid Lake (Washoe), 24 Aug 2014. R. Lowry (P). Juvenile. 2014-053, south end of Pyramid Lake (Washoe), 13 Sep 2014. J. Hackney (P), R. Strickland, D. Ghiglieri (P). Juvenile. Though both birds were unanimously endorsed as Parasitic Jaegers from the same location within weeks of each other, a majority of committee members concluded that they represented different individuals because of differences in their coloring, the time between the sightings (this area receives a good amount of attention from birders during the migration seasons), and the species’ tendency to rarely stay long at one location during fall migration. *HEERMANN’S GULL Larus heermanni (13**, 1). 2015-057, near Davis Dam (Clark), 17 Sep 1976. C. S. Lawson. First or second cycle. The review and endorsement of this pre-committee documentation makes this the earliest verified record of Heermann’s Gull in Nevada. *LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Larus fuscus (19**, 3). 2015-007, Hemenway Harbor, Lake Mead NRA; Henderson BVP; Clark County Wetlands Park (Clark), 13 Jan–7 Mar 2015. G. Scyphers (P); M. Meyers (P), N. McDonal (P), W. Pratt (P), K. Lee (P). First or second cycle. Over the course of this bird’s stay in Clark County in early 2015, it was photographed at three locations: Hemenway Harbor, Lake Mead NRA, on 13, 15, and 17 Jan; Henderson BVP on 13 Feb; and the Las Vegas Wash between the Duck Creek and Pabco trailheads on 15 Feb and 7 Mar. The bird had a distinctive pale tip to its bill, among other recognizable plumage and structural characteristics, and the NBRC unanimously endorsed these observations as representing one individual. 2015-009, Virginia Lake, Reno (Washoe), 17–25 Jan 2015. F. Petersen (P); B. Steger (P), M. Meyers (P), K. Drozd (P), M. Andrews, C. Coxe (P), C. Hubbard (P), D. Hubbard (P). Adult. 2015-011, Sparks Marina (Washoe), 8 Mar 2015. M. Meyers (P). First cycle. *GLAUCOUS GULL Larus hyperboreus (17**, 2). 2015-053, Walker Lake (Min- eral), 7 Oct 1977. NOT ENDORSED. The identification was questionable because of lack of details and inconsistencies in the written report. 2015-004, Sparks Marina (Washoe), 10–16 Jan 2015. P. Hurtado (P); B. Steger (P), K. Drozd (P), M. Meyers (P). Second cycle or younger. 2015-008, Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead NRA (Clark), 15 Jan 2015. M. Meyers (P). First or second cycle. COMMON GROUND-DOVE Columbina passerina (5, 1). 2014-052, Dyer (Esmeralda), 7–8 Sep 2014. G. Scyphers (P, Figure 3); M. Meyers (P). Female. Three of the previous endorsed records are from 2009 and 2012. The other is from 1972, when the species was of “irregular occurrence” in Nevada (Alcorn 1988:183). Several sightings, some of multiple birds, were reported from 1961 to 1976. RUDDY GROUND-DOVE Columbina talpacoti (3, 1). 2014-067, Overton WMA (Clark), 11 Nov 2014. J. Boone (P). Female. California’s first accepted record of this

282 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015 species was of a male observed in Inyo County in 1984. Over the following decade, a wave of range expansion was documented (Hamilton et al. 2007), then the number of reports waned until the early 2000s; breeding in California was documented in 2003 (McCaskie 2003). Arizona also saw an upswing in observations in 2005–2006 (http://www.azfo.org/gallery/rugd.html). Both of Nevada’s previous records of the Ruddy Ground-Dove were loosely associated with these population surges (1995 and 2005). In addition, “New Mexico’s first record of the Ruddy Ground-Dove was in 1984, and there have been 55 records of some 80 individuals since” (S. O. Williams in litt., 2016). The species was removed from the California review list in January 2004 because of the number of records and proof of breeding but re-added in January 2016, as a permanent resident population has not become established. ELF OWL Micrathene whitneyi (1, 1). 2015-018, Ft. Mojave (Clark), 12 Jun 1975. C. S. Lawson (UNMB 1792, adult ♂, moderate fat). Establishing record. In the effort to endorse records of all species on the Nevada checklist, the committee reviewed this specimen collected at a time when Elf Owls were observed regularly in the state. The species occurred in the Fort Mojave area of southernmost Clark County (and in neighboring California along the Colorado River) in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Since that time, the habitat in that area has been destroyed; the Nevada Breeding Bird Atlas (surveys beginning 1997) failed to find the Elf Owl in other apparently suitable locations in southern Nevada (Floyd et al. 2007). The specimen collected on 12 Jun 1975 was one of five or six birds present on that date (Lawson 1977). The California Bird Records Committee began reviewing reports of the Elf Owl in 2010 because of the number of records decreasing since 2002 (Johnson et al. 2012). Intermittently between 1999 and 2007, this species was detected in Washington County, Utah (http://www.utahbirds.org/RecCom/RareBirdsIndex.html). CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW Antrostomus carolinensis (1, 1). 2015-025, access road to Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 12 Jun 1984. M. V. Mowbray. Establishing record. The documentation indicated that the bird was found dead and was sent to the Nevada State Museum (Kingery 1984), but the specimen cannot be located. The written report, however, provided details sufficient for unanimous endorsement by the committee. MAGNIFICENT HUMMINGBIRD Eugenes fulgens (1, 1). 2015-047, Jarbidge (Elko), 14 Jun 1986. G. and E. Barneby (P). Establishing record. The NBRC reviewed the photo published by Kingery (1987) but not the original photo, as well as a statement from a former American Birds staff person who recalled that the identification was clear in the original image (K. Kaufman, in litt., 2015). On this basis the committee endorsed the record and retained the Magnificent Hummingbird on the state list. RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD Archilochus colubris (1, 1). 2014-055, Mesquite (Clark), 9 Sep 2014. N. A. Batchelder (P). First Nevada record. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is not an unexpected species for Nevada, as there are records in all neighboring states. But many western vagrants are hatch-year birds and so difficult to identify. Fortunately, this bird, apparently a hatch-year female, was captured, banded, and released by a local hummingbird bander, who was able to document it adequately. COUCH’S KINGBIRD Tyrannus couchii (1, 1). 2015-005, Clark County Wetlands Park Nature Preserve (Clark), 12 Jan–4 Mar 2015. D. Serdehely (P); J. Streit (P, V), G. Scyphers (P), M. Meyers (P, V, A), S. Page (P), L. Harter (A), D. Vander Pluym (P), J. C. Ruckdeschel (P), B. d’Amours (P), J. Boone (P), D. Vogt (P), R. Michal (P), K. Lee (P, Figure 4). First Nevada record. Initially reported as a Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird, this bird was, fortunately, heard giving a diagnostic single-noted “pip” call the next day by Streit. The diagnostic wing formula was visible

283 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

Figure 7. The two young fledged by the mixed pair of vireos in Reno did not survive their first month; one specimen was analyzed to confirm hybridization. This nesting was followed by an incursion of additional post-breeding Red-eyed Vireos, detected as singing males. Photo by Fred Petersen

Figure 8. After the Curve-billed Thrasher was first noted at Searchlight, Nevada, on 7 June 2014, three birds were observed in September 2014. Since that time, reports of one or two individuals continue to come in to the NBRC and are posted at www. eBird.org regularly, though nesting has yet to be documented. Photo by Martin Meyers

284 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

Figure 9. This Olive-backed Pipit, the second for North America, was collected on 16 May 1967 near Reno by Thomas D. Burleigh (1968). The specimen is preserved in the U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Photo by Brian Schmidt, Smithsonian Institution

Figure 10. All of Nevada’s four accepted records of the Painted Bunting during the 2015 review period were of immature/female-plumaged birds such as this one at the Corn Creek Field Station, Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Clark County, 8 September 2014. Photo by Greg Scyphers

285 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015 in at least one photograph and discussed in written documentation. This individual stayed in a very accessible location for nearly two months, allowing plenty of time for observers to study and document every aspect of its plumage, behavior, and voice. California has two accepted records (Rottenborn and Morlan 2000, californiabirds.org/cbrc_book/update.pdf). Arizona also has two reports, one accepted (Rosenberg et al. 2011) and one under consideration (abc.azfo.org/ABCVote/ _ABCReports_Public_View_list.aspx). All five of these records far northwest of the species’ normal range are for winter. THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD Tyrannus crassirostris (2, 1). 2014-065, Overton WMA (Clark), 7–15 Nov 2014. N. A. Batchelder, D. Boyarski (P); M. Meyers (P), M. Swink (P), J. Tinsman (P), G. Scyphers (P), R. Fridell (P, Figure 5), D. Vogt (P), D. Syzdek (P), A. Ambos (P). Representing the second record for Nevada (following the first on 29 Oct 1996), this was another very cooperative kingbird, affording excellent opportunities for photo documentation. WHITE-EYED VIREO Vireo griseus (7, 2). 2015-040, Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Warm Springs Natural Area (not open to the public) (Clark), 23 May 2015. M. Dorriesfield (V). The bird does not appear in the video; it was recorded to capture audio of the song, and shows the habitat as well. 2015-045, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs (Clark), 21 Jun 2015. J. Tinsman (A). Audio recordings were stripped from video that did not show the bird or the habitat. *RED-EYED VIREO Vireo olivaceus (17**, 6). 2015-050, Dyer (Esmeralda), 2 Jun 1980. J. Langham. Earliest Nevada record. 2015-051, Warm Springs township (Nye), 17 Sep 1993. J. Brack. 2015-052, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 22–23 Sep 1995. M. Patten. Originally found by Chris D. Benesh. 2013-076, Rancho San Rafael Park, Reno (Washoe), 2 Jul–9 Aug 2013, three birds. F. Petersen (P, Figures 6 and 7); M. Andrews, G. Scyphers (P), K. Drozd (P), Z. Ormsby (P), T. McKee, M. Meyers (P). On 2 Jul 2013, Petersen discovered a female Red-eyed Vireo sharing an active nest with a male Warbling Vireo (V. gilvus). The two young did not survive; one was taken by a Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) on 13 Jul, and the second was accidentally stepped on by a park visitor on 14 Jul. The latter fledgling is now specimen MVZ 185598 at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. Further details concerning this hybridization are being reported by T. McKee and D. Yang (pers. comm.). Interestingly, another pairing of a Red-eyed Vireo and a vireo thought by some to be Warbling, by others to be a hybrid itself, occurred in Juneau, Alaska, in July 2014, as described by S. C. Heinl and A. W. Piston (www.juneau-audubon-society. org/Birds/Reports/2014%20Summer%20-%20SE%20AK%20Bird%20Report.pdf) and mentioned by Tobish (2015) and in the Juneau Audubon Society’s newsletter (JAS 2014). Beginning 26 Jul 2013, almost two weeks after the second fledgling died at Rancho San Rafael Park, observers began hearing male Red-eyed Vireos singing. During the next two weeks, there were reports of between three and six individual Red-eyed Vireos at that location. Record 2013-076 represents both the breeding and subsequent influx of post-breeding singing males; the NBRC concluded that at least three birds were present. 2015-015, Dyer (Esmeralda), 7 Sep 2014. G. Scyphers. 2015-016, Dyer (Esmeralda), 7 Sep 2014. G. Scyphers (P). The locations of 2015-015 and 2015-016 were ~5 km apart. GRAY JAY Perisoreus canadensis (0**, 0). 2015-036, Lee Canyon, Spring Moun- tains (Clark), 29 Mar 1970. NOT ENDORSED. Not only was the written description insufficient, the report was second-hand. Neither were we able to substantiate a report

286 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015 of this species near Lake Tahoe in 1923 (Alcorn 1988) and so keep the Gray Jay off the Nevada list. BLUE JAY Cyanocitta cristata (4, 1). 2015-024, Fallon (Churchill), 14 Dec 1976. J. R. Alcorn (UNMB 29336). Earliest Nevada record. PURPLE MARTIN Progne subis (13, 1). 2015-060, Henderson BVP (Clark), 14 Sep 1994, two birds. M. Cressman (P). Earliest Nevada record. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH Catharus minimus (0**, 0). 2015-037, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs (Clark), 13 May 1972. NOT ENDORSED. 2015-023, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 19 May 1974. NOT ENDORSED. 2007-095, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 10 Nov 1989. NOT ENDORSED. Review of these older reports, two of which required additional rounds of review, convinced committee members that this difficult-to-identify species requires a higher level of scrutiny and detailed documentation for a first state record to be endorsed. The Gray-cheeked Thrush was one of the species on the Nevada list with no endorsed records and thus was removed. CURVE-BILLED THRASHER Toxostoma curvirostre (4, 2). 2014-022, Search- light (Clark), 7 Jun 2014–27 Oct 2015, three birds. D. Henderson, D. Popelka; L. Harter (A), M. Meyers (P, V, A, Figure 8), G. Scyphers (P, V), J. Streit, D. Vander Pluym (P), D. Serdehely (P). The species remains at this location, with additional observations being reported to the Nevada Bird Listserv and www.eBird.org. 2014-062, Walking Box Road (Clark), 23 Aug 2014. L. Harter (A). The range of Curve-billed Thrasher seems to be expanding in southern Clark County with additional recent sightings at Walking Box Ranch (east of Searchlight) and in the vicinity of Nelson. In California, there appears to be some site fidelity as well, with birds returning to specific locations in consecutive winters, and, interestingly, one individual residing in Inyo County home for the last four years (www.eBird.org). Scattered sightings have been reported in California, in the last several years, with one bird as far west as Montebello (Los Angeles) in 2009 (Pyle et al. 2011). OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT Anthus hodgsoni (1, 1). 2015-006, Reno (Washoe), 16 May 1967. T. D. Burleigh (USNM 530116, ♂). Establishing record for Nevada and second for North America. As described by the collector, behavior was the first indication that this was not a common species of pipit, as it flushed and “flew to a lower branch of one of the larger trees” (Burleigh 1968). It was identified at USNM as a male of the subspecies yunnanensis. Brian K. Schmidt, Division of Birds at the Smithsonian Institution, kindly provided photographs of the specimen (Figure 9). The first Olive-backed Pipit for North America was found in June 1962 on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska (Sealy et al. 1971). In the lower 48 states since 1968, two additional records have been accepted, both in California (Capitolo et al. 2000, Singer et al. 2016). LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH Parkesia motacilla (5, 1). 2015-043, Deer Creek Road, Spring Mountains NRA (Clark), 28 May 2015. D. Vogt (P). This record represents the first NBRC-endorsed sighting for this species in Nevada in spring. CONNECTICUT WARBLER Oporornis agilis (3, 0). 2014-061, Dyer (Esmeralda), 12 Sep 2014. NOT ENDORSED. Through a second-round review of this report, the NBRC maintained that a vagrant of this rarity in Nevada demands a higher level of proof and exceptionally detailed documentation. KENTUCKY WARBLER Geothlypis formosa (7, 1). 2015-029, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 8 May 2015. G. Scyphers (P); K. Lee (P). Male.

287 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER Setophaga fusca (7, 2). 2014-060, Dyer (Esmer- alda), 11 Oct 2014. M. Meyers. Male. 2015-046, Cottonwood Canyon (Mineral), 24 Jun 2015. D. Pavlik. Adult female. *PAINTED REDSTART Myioborus pictus (13**, 2). 2015-026, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 16–17 Apr 2015. K. Lee (P; see this issue’s inside front cover). Adult. When the bird was first reported via www.eBird.org, Greg Scyphers posted a request on the Nevada birding listserv that birders document this rare visitor, and photographer Lee responded. 2015-069, Deer Creek Road, Spring Mountains NRA (Clark), 11 Sep 2015. J. Baker (P). Adult. GRASSHOPPER SPARROW Ammodramus savannarum (7, 1). 2015-027, West Wendover (Elko), 24–30 Apr 2015. C. Lundblad (P). The photographs suggest the bird was an adult of the western subspecies perpallidus. LE CONTE’S SPARROW Ammodramus leconteii (4, 1). 2014-064, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs (Clark), 29 Oct 2014. A. L. Smith (P). This is the second endorsed record for Clark County. *PAINTED BUNTING Passerina ciris (14**, 4). 2015-038, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 5–9 Oct 1974. NOT ENDORSED. Identification was not convincingly established through brief written descriptions contained in seasonal reports. 2015-013, Lida (Esmeralda), 7 Sep 2014. G. Scyphers (P). Immature/female plumage. 2015-014, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 8 Sep 2014. G. Scyphers (P, Figure 10). Immature/female plumage. 2015-035, Dyer (Esmeralda), 17 May 2015. G. Scyphers (P). Immature/female plumage. 2015-042, Caliente (Lincoln), 26 May 2015. S. Rogers (P). Immature/female plumage. RUSTY BLACKBIRD Euphagus carolinus (5, 2). 2015-020, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs (Clark), 22 Oct 1974. C. S. Lawson (UNMB 1781, immature ♂, moderate fat). 2015-021, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs (Clark), 29 Oct 1974. C. S. Lawson (UNMB 1780, unsexed adult, moderate fat). By its pale throat and gray rump the bird appeared to be a female. These are the earliest Nevada records. ORCHARD ORIOLE Icterus spurius (13, 4). 2014-056, Las Vegas Bay, Lake Mead NRA (Clark), 28 Sep 2014. J. Streit (P). Female or hatch-year bird. 2015-032, the private Williams Ranch (Lincoln), 9 May 2015. G. Scyphers (P). Female. 2015-041, Tonopah Cemetery (Esmeralda), 23–24 May 2015. B. Steger (P), G. Scyphers (P); found by Rob Lowry. Adult male. 2015-066, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 7–8 Sep 2015. J. Streit (P); J. Roombos (P). Hatch-year, unknown sex. BALTIMORE ORIOLE Icterus galbula (11, 3). 2014-058, Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Warm Springs Natural Area (not open to the public) (Clark), 7 Sep 2014. J. Ballard (P). Adult male. 2015-030, Corn Creek Field Station, Desert NWR (Clark), 5–8 May 2015. G. Scyphers (P); K. Lee (P). Second-year female. 2015-068, Ferguson Springs (Elko), 4 Sep 2015. N. Paprocki (P). Adult male. PURPLE FINCH Haemorhous purpureus (6, 2). 2015-022, Carson City (Carson City), 7 May 2009. NOT ENDORSED. Most of the committee members decided that the provided photos were of a particularly colorful House Finch (H. mexicanus).

288 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

2014-063, Miller’s Rest Stop (Esmeralda), 18–20 Sep 2014. R. Aracil (P). Female- like plumage. Rutt et al. (2014) reported it as subspecies californicus. 2014-070, Rancho San Rafael Park, Reno (Washoe), 28 Nov–26 Dec 2014. J. Hackney (P); B. Steger (P). Two reports of an adult male Purple Finch were submitted separately nearly a month apart, but committee members agreed they represented the same individual bird. It was probably of subspecies californicus as well, but the photos do not show the back clearly, as needed for definitive identification of adult males.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The NBRC thanks everyone who contributed to the accounts contained in this report. All submissions, photos, advice, comments, and opinions are greatly appreciated. We apologize to anyone who may have been overlooked. Some of the contributors on this list are no longer with us, but their contributions are no less appreciated: J. R. Alcorn, Aaron Ambos, Meg Andrews, Richard Aracil, George Austin, Jonathan Baker, Jennifer Ballard, Garland and Ethlyn Barneby, Bernice Barnes, Ned A. Batchel- der, Jim Boone, Dave Boyarski, John Brack, Thomas D. Burleigh, Samantha Burrell, Chuck Coxe, Marian Cressman, Babette d’Amours, Mark Dorriesfield, Ken Drozd, Darlene Feener, Rick Fridell, Dennis Ghiglieri, John Hackney, Lauren Harter, Gerry Hawkins, Brian Heilmann, David Henderson, Eric Hough, Cheryl Hubbard, David Hubbard, Paul Hurtado, Jeri Langham, Charles S. Lawson, Ken Lee, W. D. Lewis, Rob Lowry, Carl Lundblad, Neil McDonal, Tristan McKee, Martin Meyers, Randall Michal, M. Vincent Mowbray, Zachary Ormsby, Scott Page, Neil Paprocki, Norman Parrish, Michael Patten, David Pavlik, Fred Petersen, Dan Popelka, William Pratt, Will Richardson, Sue Rogers, Jim Roombos, John C. Ruckdeschel, Brian K. Schmidt, Greg Scyphers, Dennis Serdehely, Anna Lee Smith, Brian Steger, Justin Streit, Rose Strickland, Mike Swink, David Syzdek, Jeanne Tinsman, Carolyn Titus, David Vander Pluym, Gary Voelker, Deb Vogt, Darrick Weissenfluh, Fred Welden, Therese Werst. Committee member Greg Scyphers reviewed the report and provided helpful suggestions. Outside review was provided by Matt Baumann, Doug Faulkner, Daniel D. Gibson, and Philip Unitt. Special thanks to Western Field Ornithologists and Great Basin Bird Observatory for their support and encouragement.

LITERATURE CITED Alcorn, J. R. 1988. The Birds of Nevada. Fairview West Publishing, Fallon, NV. Burleigh, T. D. 1968. The Indian Tree Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) recorded for the first time in North America. Auk 85:323. Capitolo, P., Richardson, W., Burnett, R., and Pyle, P. 2000. First record of an Olive- backed Pipit in California. W. Birds 31:112–116. Contreras, A., and Heinl, S. 1985. Coastal Florence and Siltcoos River mouth, Lane County. Ore. Birds 11:202–206. Floyd, T., Elphick, C. S., Chisholm, G., Mack, K., Elston, R. G., Ammon, E. M., and Boone, J. D. 2007. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Nevada. Univ. Nevada Press, Reno. Hamilton, R. A., Patten, M. A., and Erickson, R. A. (eds.). 2007. Rare Birds of California. W. Field Ornithol., Camarillo, CA. Heindel, M., and Garrett, K. 2008. The 32nd report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2006 records. W. Birds 39:121–152. Johnson, O., Sullivan, B. L., and McCaskie, G. 2012. The 36th annual report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2010 records. W. Birds 43:164–188. Juneau Audubon Society. 2014. Juneau summer bird report. Raven 41(1):4–5. Kingery, H. 1984. Mountain West region. Am. Birds 38:1044–1047. Kingery, H. 1987. Mountain West region. Am. Birds 41:121–125.

289 NEVADA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2015

Lawson, Charles S. 1977. Nonpasserine species new or unusual to Nevada. W. Birds 8:73–90. McCaskie, G. 2003. Ruddy Ground-Dove breeding in California. W. Birds 34:171– 172. Meyers, M. 2015. 2013 Nevada Bird Records Committee report. W. Birds 46:2–27. Meyers, M. 2016. 2014 Nevada Bird Records Committee report. W. Birds 47:120– 137. O’Donnell, R. P., Carr, S., Fosdick, C., Bond, R., Fridell, R., Hedges, S., Neuman, C., Ryel, R., Sadler, T., Skalicky, J. J., Stackhouse, M., and Webb, M. 2014. Rare birds of Utah: The nineteenth report of the Utah Bird Records Committee (2010–2012). W. Birds 45:112–131. Pyle, P., Tietz, J., and McCaskie, G. 2011. The 35th report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2009 records. W. Birds 42:134–163. Radamaker, K., and Corman, T. 2008. Status of Neotropic Cormorant in Arizona with notes on identification and ageing. Arizona Birds Online 3:6–11; www.azfo. org/journal/NECO_2008.html. Rosenberg, G. H., Radamaker, K., and Stevenson, M. M. 2011. Arizona Bird Com- mittee report, 2005–2009 records. W. Birds 42:198–232. Rottenborn, S. C., and Morlan, J. 2000. Report of the California Bird Records Com- mittee: 1997 records. W. Birds 31:1–37. Sealy, S. G., Fay, F. H., Bédard, J., and Udvardy, M. D. F.1971. New records and zoogeographical notes on the birds of St. Lawrence Island, Bering Sea. Condor 73:322–336. Singer, D. S., Dunn, J., Harter, L., and McCaskie, G. 2016. The 40th annual report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2014 records. W. Birds 47:291-313. Titus, C. K. 1996. Field list of the birds of Nevada. Red Rock Audubon Soc., Las Vegas. Tobish, T. 2015. Alaska. N. Am. Birds 68:542–544. Williams, S. O. 2013. New Mexico. N. Am. Birds 66:529–533. Wright, P. 1996. Status of rare birds in Montana, with comments on known hybrids. Northwestern Nat. 77:57–85. Accepted 6 October 2016

290 THE 40th ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS DANIEL S. SINGER, 536 D Street, San Rafael, California 94901; [email protected] JON L. DUNN, 24 Idaho Street, Bishop, California 93514 LAUREN B. HARTER, 2841 McCulloch Blvd N. #1, Lake Havasu City, Arizona 86403 GUY McCASKIE, 954 Grove Ave., Imperial Beach, California 91932

ABSTRACT: The California Bird Records Committee reached decisions on 184 records involving 176 individuals of 71 species and two species groups documented since the 39thth report (Rottenborn et al. 2016), endorsing 152 records of 146 individuals. First accepted state records of the Salvin’s Albatross (Thalassarche salvini) and Chatham Albatross (T. eremita) outlined in this report bring California’s total list of accepted species to 660, 11 of which are established introductions. Other notable records detailed in this report include the return for a third winter of the state’s first Gray Hawk (Buteo plagiatus), its second Nazca Booby (Sula granti), second Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis), second Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni), and second and third Blue-throated Hummingbirds (Lampornis clemenciae).

This 40th report of the California Bird Records Committee (hereafter CBRC or the committee), a committee of Western Field Ornithologists, summarizes assessments of 181 records involving 176 individuals of 71 species and two species groups. The committee accepted 152 of the 181 records (an acceptance rate of 83%) involving 146 individuals of 71 species and two species groups. We consider eight records involving nine individuals to represent returning or continuing birds that were accepted previously. Twenty-seven reports of 16 species and two species groups were not accepted because the identification was not considered to be substantiated, and two reports of two species were not accepted because natural occurrence was questionable. Reports of multiple individuals together are given the same record number for purposes of review; we report the total number of accepted individuals, which may be greater than the number of accepted records. Although the majority of the records in this report pertain to birds documented in 2014, the period covered spans the years 1987 to 2015. Highlights of this report include the first acceptance to the California state list of two species: Salvin’s Albatross (Thalassarche salvini) and the Chatham Albatross (T. eremita). Also included are the second state records of the Nazca Booby (Sula granti), Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis), and Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni), second and third of the Blue- throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae), third of Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), and the return for a third winter of the state’s first Gray Hawk (Buteo plagiatus). At its 2016 annual meeting the committee reinstated the Ruddy Ground- Dove (Columbina talpacoti) on its review list; it had reviewed this species previously through 2013. The committee has recently accepted first Califor- nia records in 2015 of the Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) and Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), the details of which will be published in the next report.

Western Birds 47:291–313, 2016; doi 10.21199/WB47.4.3 291 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Two additional species were added in 2016 as a result of taxonomic splits (Chesser et al. 2016), of the Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) into the California Scrub-Jay (A. californica) and Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay (A. woodhouseii), both of which occur in California, and of Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) into three species, two of which, Leach’s Storm- Petrel and Townsend’s Storm-Petrel (O. socorroensis) have been recorded in the state. These records, plus the additions of the two albatrosses detailed in this report, bring the total number of accepted species on California’s state list as of press time to 664. Potential additions to the state list currently being considered by the committee are of Jouanin’s Petrel (Bulweria fallax), Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima), and Buff-breasted Flycatcher (Empidonax fulvifrons). Species account headings are organized with English and scientific names first, followed in parentheses by the total number of individuals accepted in California (as of this report) and the number of new individuals accepted in this report. Following the heading are accounts for records accepted (as applicable), followed by records not accepted because identification was not established or because natural occurrence was questionable (as applicable). An asterisk (*) preceding the species name indicates that records of the species after 2013 are no longer reviewed by the CBRC. A double asterisk (**) following the number of accepted state records indicates that the species has been reviewed for a restricted interval so the number of accepted records does not represent the total number of records for the state. Date ranges for each record are those accepted by the CBRC. A dagger (†) following an observer’s initials indicates submission of a photograph, (S) indicates submission of a sketch, (§) indicates submission of audio recordings, (‡) indicates submission of a video, and (#) precedes a specimen number. The absence of a symbol following the observer’s initials indicates the submission of only written details. Additional details regarding minutiae of formatting and abbreviations may be found in previous CBRC reports, at www.californiabirds.org and in CBRC (2007). Also available at the website is the California bird list, the review list, committee news, recent photos of rare birds in California, the CBRC’s bylaws, a form for querying the CBRC database, and all annual reports through the 39th. Age terminology follows that used by CBRC (2007). Observers are encouraged to submit documentation for all species on the CBRC’s review list, sending it to Tom Benson, California State University San Bernardino, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407 (e-mail: [email protected]). In recent years, the proportion of records supported only by photographs, without any written documentation, has increased considerably. Nevertheless, even minimal written details on a bird’s appearance, accompanying photographs, can assist significantly in documenting records of rare birds. Documentation of all CBRC records is archived at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, 439 Calle San Pablo, Camarillo, CA 93012, and is available for public review. BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK Dendrocygna autumnalis (32, 0). NATU- RAL OCCURRENCE QUESTIONABLE: The single photo of one at Lake Balboa, LA, 8 Jul 2006 (KR†; 2006-228) does not show the legs or feet, so it is unknown whether the bird was wearing a band or had clipped or excessively worn toes that would indicate past captivity.

292 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

FALCATED DUCK Anas falcata (3, 0). An adult male returned for a third winter to Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, COL, 30 Oct 2014–17 Feb 2015 (MV†; TF-H†, CAM†, MP†, BS†, SLS†; 2014-122). GARGANEY Anas querquedula (23, 0). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: The committee received additional documentation (1987-073A) for the previously reviewed (but not accepted) report of a first-winter or female at Arcata, HUM, 30 Jan–10 Feb 1987 (1987-073—see Pyle and McCaskie 1992). On the basis of the additional documentation, the record gained some support (3–6), but not enough to be accepted by the committee. This record was accepted by Harris (1996), along with a CBRC-endorsed record (1996-004). KING EIDER Somateria spectabilis (45, 3). A female remained with a large flock of scoters between the mouth of Redwood Creek and Mussel Pt. near Orick, HUM, 22 Jan–24 Feb 2014 (JA; KMB†, BE†; 2014-014). A first-spring male, with oil on its underparts, that walked up onto the beach at Pt. Mugu, VEN, 14 Apr 2014 (DP†, AJS†; 2014-037) was captured and taken to a rehabilitation facility in Santa Barbara, where it subsequently died; it is now a study skin/skeleton (SBMNH #10610) at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. A female or first-fall male was with scoters on the ocean at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, SF, 25 Oct 2014 (PS; 2014-178). ARCTIC LOON Gavia arctica (12, 0). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: The report of one in flight at Pt. La Jolla, La Jolla, SD, 9 Nov 2014 (2014-134) received virtually no support because of insufficient documentation. YELLOW-BILLED LOON Gavia adamsii (99, 3). One in its first spring inland at Clifton Court Forebay, CC, 23 May 2014 (AWL†; 2014-044), an adult in alternate plumage in flight off the north jetty at the entrance to Humboldt Bay, HUM, 29 Oct 2014 (BE†; 2014-124), and a second-year bird found dead (specimen not preserved) at Salmon Creek Beach, SON, 9 Nov 2014 (OO’C†; 2014-173) were the only three reported in California in 2014. SALVIN’S ALBATROSS Thalassarche salvini (1, 1). The AOU (Chesser et al. 2014) now treats Salvin’s Albatross, the Chatham Albatross (T. eremita), and the White-capped Albatross, (T. cauta), all formerly subsumed as subspecies of the Shy Albatross, as separate species. The White-capped Albatross was recorded off Men- docino and Sonoma counties in August and September 1999 (Cole 2000, CBRC 2007). A first-cycle Salvin’s Albatross well documented 39 km southwest of Pillar Pt., SM, 26 Jul 2014 (AJ†; MDeF†, TG†, DSS†, SBT†, RW†; 2014-069; Figure 1; see also this issue’s front cover) provided the first record in California. A subadult photographed near Kasatochi Island in the western Aleutians, Alaska, on 4 Aug 2003 (Benter et al. 2005) was the first and only other one recorded in North America. CHATHAM ALBATROSS Thalassarche eremita (1, 1). Following the split of the Shy Albatross complex by the AOU (Chesser et al. 2014), the CBRC reconsidered the identities of two “Shy Albatrosses” off Marin County, from July to September 2000 and in July 2001. The committee now endorses the individual over Bodega Canyon 31 km west-northwest of Pt. Reyes, MRN, 27 Jul 2001 (DWN†; 2001-228; Garrett and Wilson 2003, including photo) as a Chatham Albatross, the first for North America. This bird, thought to be in its second cycle, had the gray hood shared by the Salvin’s and Chatham Albatrosses, but extensive yellowish on the bill, including its sides (which are usually grayish in Salvin’s), confirm the identification as a Chatham Albatross. A first-cycle Salvin’s or Chatham reported in the same general area 29 Jul–10 Sep 2000 (2000-165) is still under review by the committee. Howell et al. (2014) considered both records as likely pertaining to the same bird, a Chatham Albatross on the basis of the characters outlined by Howell (2009, 2012).

293 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS Phoebastria albatrus (40**, 1). One in its first spring was 39 km southwest off Pt. Buchon, SLO, 29 May 2014 (SWe†; 2014-054). STEJNEGER’S PETREL Pterodroma longirostris (10, 1). One was seen from the R/V Ocean Starr during a NOAA survey 324 km west-southwest of Pt. Arena, MEN, 7 Nov 2014 (MF; 2014-147). CORY’S SHEARWATER Calonectris diomedea (3, 1). One stayed around a boat 8–13 km off Fort Bragg, MEN, 28 Sep 2014 (JLD; RA†, RHD†, RFow, KAH, RHu†, RJK†, BM, DEQ†; 2014-097; Figure 2). One off Bodega Bay, SON, on 9 Aug 2003 (San Miguel and McGrath 2005) and one frequenting the Islas Los Coronados in northwestern Baja California in 2005, 2006, and 2007 (N. Am. Birds 59:658, 60:441, 468 and 61:515), seen in San Diego waters on 4 Sep 2007 (Singer and Terrill 2009), represent the other two records for California and the North Pacific Ocean. Of the two subspecies of Cory’s Shearwater, both occurring in the Atlantic, only the larger borealis, is known to reach the Indian Ocean and has been recorded once in New Zealand (Oliver 1934). RED-TAILED TROPICBIRD Phaethon rubricauda (43, 9). Nine were reported from the R/V Ocean Starr during marine mammal and ecosystem surveys sponsored by the Marine Mammal and Turtle Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with an adult 330 km west of southwest Seal Rock, DN, 7 Sep 2014 (MF; 2014-163), a first-year bird 342 km west of Punta Gorda, HUM, 29 Sep 2014 (MF†; 2014-164), an adult 350 km southwest of Pt. Sur, MTY, 22 Nov 2014 (MF; 2014-165), an adult 363 km west-southwest of San Miguel I., SBA, 28 Nov 2014 (MF†; 2014-166), a second-year bird 342 km west-southwest of San Miguel I., SBA, 29 Nov 2014 (MF†; 2014-167), an adult 300 km southwest of San Nicolas I., VEN, 7 Dec 2014 (MF; 2014-168), and three adults together 295 km southwest of San Nicolas I., VEN, 7 Dec 2014 (MF; 2014-169). These birds were all far offshore west of the cold California Current, in warmer waters where the species is probably of regular occurrence in small numbers. MASKED BOOBY Sula dactylatra (21, 3). An adult was flying north over the ocean off Moss Beach, SM, 12 Aug 2014 (RST; 2014-140). Another adult was seen from the R/V Ocean Starr during a NOAA/ survey at 31° 50.1′ N, 119° 24.8′ W, 142 km southwest of San Clemente I., LA, 30 Nov 2014 (MF; 2014-158). A subadult found on the beach in Coronado, SD, 21 Sep 2014 (SC†; 2014-099) was recovered by Project Wildlife and cared for at Sea World but died 1 Dec 2014; the specimen is now at the San Diego Natural History Museum (SDNHM #54336). IDENTIFICA- TION NOT ESTABLISHED: Documentation of an immature booby seen in flight off Imperial Beach, SD, 25 Aug 2014 (2014-076) was insufficient to distinguish among the Masked, Nazca, or Blue-footed Boobies. NAZCA BOOBY Sula granti (2, 1). An adult well photographed from the Harbor Breeze Cruises’ boat Triumphant during a whale-watching cruise 7.4 km west- southwest of Pt. Vicente, LA, 27 Jun 2014 (TH†; 2014-063; Figure 3) was the second Nazca Booby recorded in California. The characteristic pinkish orange bill and extensive white on the central rectrices are clearly evident in the photographs. MASKED/NAZCA BOOBY Sula dactylatra/granti (18, 2). Single immature boobies, either Masked or Nazca, were seen from Pt. La Jolla, SD, 19 Jun 2014 (PEL; 2014-056), and off Moss Beach, SM, 25 Aug 2014 (RT; 2014-141). At this time no way to distinguish juveniles of these two species other than by genetic analysis is known; the pinker bill color of the Nazca does not appear until the bird is 4–8 months of age (Pyle 2008). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: A booby seen from Pt. La Jolla, SD, 21 Jun 2014 (2014-057) may have been the same bird as seen there two days earlier, but conflicting descriptions led the committee to treat it as unidentified.

294 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Figure 1. This Salvin’s Albatross off Half Moon Bay, San Mateo Co., 26 Jul 2014 (2014-069) was the first recorded in California and only the second for North America. The mostly white underwings with a small black intrusion at the very base of the leading edge identify it as one of the Shy Albatrosses (see photo on this issue's front cover), the gray hood limits it to Salvin’s or Chatham, and the gray bill lacking yellow coloration eliminates the Chatham Albatross. Photo by Tom Grey

A B Figure 2. This Cory’s Shearwater 8–13 km off Fort Bragg, Mendocino Co., 28 Sep 2014 (2014-097) was the third to be found off California and the North Pacific Ocean. (A) On the underside, note the white undertail and underwing coverts. The dark rather than white bases of the primaries specify subspecies C. d. borealis rather than C. d. diomedea. Note the primaries in molt, as expected in September for this species that breeds in the Northern Hemisphere. (B) The mostly yellowish bill distinguishes this large shearwater of the Atlantic from the somewhat similar Pink-footed Shearwater (Puffinus creatopus) of the Pacific. Photos by David E. Quady (A) and Roger Adamson (B)

295 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Figure 3. California’s second Nazca Booby was photographed during a whale- watching trip southwest of Pt. Vicente, Los Angeles Co., on 27 Jun 2014 (2014-063). The pinkish orange bill and extensively white central rectrices distinguish this bird from the Masked Booby. Photo by Tim Hammond

**BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY Sula nebouxii (352, 3). Up to two at Southeast Faral- lon I., SF, 5 Aug–4 Nov 2014 (JRT†, RW†; 2014-088) may have been returning birds associated with the major influx of Blue-footed Boobies in 2013 (Rottenborn et al. 2016); another was at Pt. La Jolla, SD, 13 Dec 2014 (GN†, PEL; 2014-151). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: Two reportedly seen flying south over the open ocean off Samoa, HUM, 2 Oct 2013 (2013-158) were not documented well enough to establish the record. Most committee members considered the documentation of one, seen only from a moving vehicle, flying east along Interstate Highway 8, 4.8 km west of Winterhaven, IMP, 27 Sep 2014 (2014-101) inadequate to support the identification of the bird as this species. The committee discontinued evaluating Blue-footed Boobies recorded after 2014, deleting the species from the review list. MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD Fregata magnificens (41**, 2). A juvenile that landed on a whale-watching boat 1.6 km off the mouth of Mitchell Creek, MEN, 7 Jan 2014 (RT†; 2014-006) was not only farther north than most frigatebirds recorded in California but also one of a very few in winter. One in La Jolla, SD, 22 Oct 2014 (GN; 2014-114) was somewhat late for a summer visitor, and it was an adult male rather than a more expected white-headed immature. MAGNIFICENT/GREATER/LESSER FRIGATEBIRD Fregata magnificens/minor/ ariel (6**, 5). A white-headed juvenile frigatebird over Malibu Lagoon, LA, on the unexpected date of 2 Apr 2013 (KD; 2013-242), as well as one off Pt. La Jolla, SD, 1 Jul 2014 (BM‡; 2014-066), another over Morton Bay at the Salton Sea, IMP, 11 Aug 2014 (ZC†, RS; 2014-073), and one high over Jacumba, SD, 12 Aug 2014 (EGK; 2014-074), were all seen at too great a distance to allow identification to species. Views of one in Newport Beach, ORA, 10 Sep 2011 (CW; DMcH, JMcH, SW; 2011-276), previously not accepted as a Magnificent Frigatebird (2011-130—see Nelson et al. 2013), were too brief for the bird to be identified more precisely than as a frigatebird. IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: The report of one at Ballona

296 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

B Figure 4. Unlike California’s first Marsh Sandpiper, photographed on a single day by a single observer, its second, southeast of Dixon, Yolo Co., 9–13 Apr 2014 (2014- 032), lingered for five days and was seen and photographed by many observers. The long, thin, straight, dark bill and white wedge on the back help identify this species. Photos by Joe Morlan (A) and David W. Nelson (B)

Creek, LA, 1 Sep 2011 (2011-278) failed to convince the majority of the committee that the bird was a frigatebird of any species. WHITE IBIS Eudocimus albus (7, 1). A first-winter bird that frequented the Yuma East Wetlands on the Arizona side of the Colorado River from 1 Dec 2013 (N. Am. Birds 68:259) to 11 May 2014 (N. Am. Birds 68:408) roosted on the California side of the river in Winterhaven, IMP, on multiple days from 26 Jan to 18 Mar 2014 (CMcC; GMcC, TAB†, CAM†; 2014-011). GLOSSY IBIS Plegadis falcinellus (32, 3). Single adults were at the Primm Valley

297 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Figure 5. This immature male Blue-throated Hummingbird at Crestline, San Bernardino Co., 18 Sep 2014 (2014-090), was the third recorded in California. The more stippled blue throat, mixed brighter and duller upperpart feathers, and lack of visible molt clines in the wings suggested a partial rather than the complete preformative molt typical of this species (Pyle 1997), although the relatively fresh remiges did not appear to be juvenile feathers. Photo by Curtis A. Marantz

Figure 6. This juvenile female Ruby-throated Hummingbird found in Eureka on 3 Sep 2014 (2014-080) was the second of that species recorded in Humboldt County. Distinguishing this species from the Black-chinned Hummingbird (A. alexandri) can be extremely difficult, but note the clean white throat, black mask, green crown, tail projecting well beyond the wingtips, and especially the narrow and tapered tenth primary just visible behind the broader ninth primary. Photo by Brad Elvert

298 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Figure 7. This Gray-cheeked Thrush at Primm, San Bernardino Co., 7 Jun 2014 (2014-048) represents both California’s third spring record and its third inland record. Distinguishing the Gray-cheeked Thrush from other Catharus thrushes is challenging, but the uniform cold gray-brown of the plumage, splotchy pale whitish pattern around the eyes and cheeks not forming distinct spectacles or eye-ring, and heavily spotted breast are all typical of this species. Photos by Thomas A. Benson

Golf Course 16 km northwest of Nipton, SBE, 24 May 2014 (TAB†; AEK; 2014-046), at the Piute Ponds on Edwards Air Force Base, LA, 11 Jun 2014 (JSF†; 2014-052), and at the Davis Wastewater Ponds in Davis, YOL, 27 Jun 2014 (MiSt†; 2014-062). BLACK VULTURE Coragyps atratus (10, 3). One was in Ferndale, HUM, 20–21 Feb 2014 (BE†; KMB†, RFow†; 2014-019). Occurrences at Tolay Creek Preserve, SON, 21 Mar 2014 (SPh; JCl; 2014-027), near Bodega, SON, 13–14 Apr 2014 (LHuS, LKaS, BMa; 2014-034), and near Laguna de Santa Rosa, SON, 16 Apr 2014 (GBe; 2014-061) were considered to represent one individual. One was in Jacumba, SD, 3 Aug 2014 (EGK†; 2014-071). One at Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, SLO, 15 Nov 2014–24 Apr 2015 (DML†; TAB†, TME†, MLS†; 2014-162) was considered the same bird that has returned to Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since September 2009 (Pyle et al. 2011). MISSISSIPPI KITE Ictinia mississippiensis (48, 1). One in its first spring near Palo Verde, RIV, 22 May 2014 (TR†, MTo†; 2014-045) was only the second recorded in Riverside County and the first in 29 years. GRAY HAWK Buteo plagiatus (1, 0). The bird first recorded in Carpinteria, SBA, in November 2012 (2012-193) returned for the third consecutive winter to the same location 29 Nov 2014–15 Feb 2015 (JBai†; TAB†, DD†, RFow†, BH, GK†; 2014- 155; Culbertson 2016). LESSER SAND-PLOVER Charadrius mongolus (14, 1). An adult in alternate plumage was at Bolsa Chica, ORA, 2 Aug 2014 (BED†; 2014-070). It showed the white forehead patches and black upper border to the breast band characteristic of the easternmost subspecies stegmanni (Hirschfeld et al. 2000, Garner et al. 2003.).

299 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

B Figure 8. California’s second Olive-backed Pipit at Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim, Orange Co., 1–5 Nov 2014 (2014-123), only the fourth of this species recorded in North America away from Alaska and Hawaii. Note the strong olive tinge to the upperparts, bicolored supercilium bordered above by a strong blackish lateral crown stripe, dark spot in the rear of the auricular, and heavily black-spotted breast with an underlying buffy wash contrasting with an unmarked white belly. Photos by Jeff Bray (A) and Christopher Taylor (B)

WILSON’S PLOVER Charadrius wilsonia (24, 1). One in its first spring, probably a female, was at the Sweetwater Marsh Unit of the San Diego Bay NWR in Chula Vista, SD, 10 Jun 2014 (MSa†; 2014-051). Well over 60% of the Wilson’s Plovers recorded in California have been found in San Diego and Orange counties. IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: The report of one along the Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline, CC, 28 Jan 2014 (2014-012) was intriguing but the documentation was insufficient for acceptance; there is only one previous winter record of this species in California.

300 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Figure 9. This first-fall male Red-faced Warbler at Galileo Hill Park, Kern Co., 7–8 Oct 2014 (2014-107) established the latest date for the species in California and the first record for Kern Co. Photo by Thomas A. Benson

Figure 10. This Rustic Bunting, which lingered in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, from 6 Dec 2014 to 30 Mar 2015 (2014-148), was the first recorded in California since 1996 and only the fifth overall. Photo by Bob Steele

301 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Figure 11. Varied Bunting, along the San Gabriel River near Duarte, Los Angeles Co., 26 Mar–20 Apr 2014, representing the fourth record for California. Photo by Michael Long

SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus (5, 0). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTAB- LISHED: One was reportedly seen, without the aid of optics, along the American River Parkway, SAC, 24 Aug 2014 (2014-098). It was described as in definitive basic plumage, unexpected on this date. With only five accepted records of this species for California, none since 1989, most committee members expressed reluctance to accept a record of so rare a bird in an atypical plumage without more documentation. MARSH SANDPIPER Tringa stagnatilis (2, 1). One southeast of Dixon, SOL, 9–13 Apr 2014 (TFH†, EH†, MJM†, GMcC, MM†, JM†, DWN†, LS†, JCS†, CSw†, SBT; 2014-032; Figure 4) represented a second California record. Pyle judged this bird to be in its first spring because of its eccentric wing-molt pattern. California’s first Marsh Sandpiper, near Mecca, RIV, 26 Oct 2013 (Rottenborn et al. 2016), may have been a juvenile, leading to speculation that both records may pertain to the same individual. HUDSONIAN GODWIT Limosa haemastica (51, 1). A juvenile was near Pt. Mugu, VEN, 5 Sep 2014 (LS†; DP; 2014-085). BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER Calidris falcinellus (0, 0). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: The report of one on Santa Rosa I., SBA, 12 Oct 1992 (1992-801) lacked details adequate for a species new to California. Rare in the western and central Aleutians and the Pribilofs, the Broad-billed Sandpiper has not been recorded along the Pacific coast southeast of those islands, though there is one unequivocal record from the northeast United States (Benner 1998).

302 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

RED-NECKED STINT Calidris ruficollis (17, 1). An adult in Richmond, CC, 20–21 Jul 2014 represented a first for Contra Costa County and San Francisco Bay (LK†; JLD, LH†, MP†, JCS†; 2014-067). BLACK-HEADED GULL Chroicocephalus ridibundus (26, 1). An adult near Mecca, RIV, 8–14 Jan 2014 (CM†; TAB†, JLD†, GMcC, BJS†; 2014-003) was only the second Black-headed Gull recorded in the Salton Sink. The first was a first-cycle bird in the same area in 2007 (Singer and Terrill 2009). LITTLE GULL Hydrocoloeus minutus (116, 3). Single adults were seen during a pelagic trip approximately 3 km west-southwest of Dana Pt., ORA, 11 Jan 2014 (JLD; CM†; 2014-016) and at the Modesto wastewater-treatment plant, STA, 26 Jan 2014 (HR†; 2014-179). One in its first spring was at the Hacienda Evaporation Ponds ~11 km southwest of Alpaugh, KIN, 2–6 May 2014 (SLS†; JCS†; 2014-041). BLACK-TAILED GULL Larus crassirostris (3, 0). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: One was reported from Venice Island, SJ, 4 Jan 2014 (2014-053). Despite a good description and sketch of some important characters, the brevity of the observation and the distance at which the bird was seen contributed to all but two members withholding support. With only three accepted records in California, most committee members concluded that more evidence was required for acceptance of a record of this accidental species. YELLOW-LEGGED GULL Larus michahellis (0, 0). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: An interesting second-cycle gull at the Elk R. mouth, HUM, 2–22 Aug 2014 (2014-172) posed an identification problem for observers and committee members. Considered by many to be a Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. fuscus), it had some field marks apparently inconsistent with that species at this age. Incoming gray mantle feathers better matched the shade of those of a California (L. californicus) or Herring Gull (L. argentatus), being notably paler than expected on a Lesser Black- backed Gull. While some committee members believed the Yellow-legged Gull couldn’t be eliminated as a possible identification, most members thought the bird better fit the Lesser Black-backed Gull, possibly of an Asian subspecies paler than the L. f. graellsii known from California, and no members voted to accept the identification as the Yellow-legged. ICELAND GULL Larus glaucoides (22, 1). One in its first cycle was at the mouth of Baldwin Cr., SCZ, 22 Jan 2014 (JP†; 2014-013). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: The report of an adult at Bishop, INY, 23–29 Jan 2014 (2014-009) went four rounds before a final decision was reached. Two committee members were unwilling to accept as an Iceland a gull with more pigmentation in the outer primaries and a bill slightly longer than average, and so possibly a hybrid Iceland × Thayer’s (L. thayeri) Gull. Similarly, most members expressed reservations over notable darkness in the tail, secondaries, and outer primaries of a supposed first-cycle Iceland Gull at Clear L., LAK, 27–29 Dec 2014 (2014-171). Both of these records exemplify the difficulty committee members frequently encounter with the Iceland Gull and its unresolved (and possibly unresolvable) issues of identification and taxonomy. SLATY-BACKED GULL Larus schistisagus (57, 4). Adults were in Tiburon, MRN, 7 Jan 2014 (NA†; 2014-002), near Dixon, SOL, 28 Feb–1 Mar 2014 (TE†; 2014-024), and at Crystal Springs Reservoir, SM, 4 Mar 2014 (RTh; 2014-039). A third-cycle bird was in Half Moon Bay, SM, 9 Jan 2014 (AJ†; 2014-005). IDENTI- FICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: A majority of committee members concluded that a reported first-cycle Slaty-backed Gull in Arcata, HUM, 9 Nov 2013–5 Mar 2014 (2013-292) was unidentifiable on the basis of current knowledge. Even within this species’ normal range in northeast Asia, distinguishing Slaty-backed Gulls of this age class from hybrids remains a considerable challenge. Efforts to expand our understand-

303 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS ing of identification criteria continue (see McKee et al. 2014). Another first-cycle gull, this one near Orick, HUM, 25 Jan 2014 (2014-010) was possibly of this species, but garnered no votes for acceptance because of insufficient documentation. An adult along the Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline in Richmond, CC, 5–8 Feb (2014-015) had a mantle too pale for a Slaty-backed Gull, approaching that of nearby California Gulls. Another adult in Half Moon Bay, SM, 11 Feb 2014 (2014-018) also had a mantle paler than expected for the Slaty-backed, as well as an anomalous wingtip pattern. SOOTY TERN Onychoprion fuscatus (14, 1). An adult was at Bolsa Chica, ORA, 5 Jul 2014 (RS†; 2014-065). ELF OWL Micrathene whitneyi (7**, 2). A nesting pair at Corn Spring, RIV, 17 Apr–30 Jun 2014 (EAE‡; JBo†, CAM§, 2014-064) was presumably the same nesting pair first found at this location in spring 2010 (2010-050; Johnson et al. 2012) and recorded in all subsequent years (Pike et al. 2014, Rottenborn et al. 2016). Two fledglings were located 30 Jun. See Johnson et al. (2012) and Rottenborn et al. (2016) for the recent history of the Elf Owl in California. BLUE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD Lampornis clemenciae (3, 2). One at Palomar Mountain, SD, 13 Jul 2014 (JBi†; 2014-120) furnished only the second record for the state and the first from southern California; the documentation did not allow assessment of age or sex. A second-year male at Crestline, SBE, 18 Sep 2014 (PR; TAB†, CAM†, BSi†; 2014-090; Figure 5) had been banded on 14 Jul 2013 in Portal, Arizona, where it had been recaptured three times, most recently on 8 Sep 2013. Remarkably, on 2 Dec 2014 the same individual was found with an injury in La Mesa, SD, and brought into a rehabilitation clinic (PH†, EL†; 2014-153); it was well enough to be released back at Portal on 26 Mar 2015. RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD Archilochus colubris (18, 3). A first-fall male in Nipomo, SLO, 30 Aug–2 Sep 2014 (JAL†; 2014-177) and an adult male in Arroyo Grande, SLO, 3–6 Sep 2014 (BKS†; DBe†, TAB†, BiB†, MBu†, MH†, CAM†, WM†, JO†, KP†, TS†, KZ†; 2014-079) provided the second and third records for San Luis Obispo County, and a first-fall female in Eureka, HUM, 3–10 Sep 2014 (BE†; JLD, EF†, RFow†, AL, CO, CRy†, SSt†; 2014-080; Figure 6) was the second Ruby- throated Hummingbird accepted from Humboldt County. The identification of first-fall and female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds out of range is difficult; that of the one in Humboldt County relied mostly on details of face pattern and flight-feather structure, especially the narrow tenth primary (Pyle 1997). The dates of these three records fit within the date range typical for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird in California. BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD Cynanthus latirostris (87, 3). Spring migrant males were at Montecito, SBA, 26–27 Mar 2014 (MS; JL; 2014-060) and at Chiriaco Summit, RIV, 22–23 May 2014 (LS†; TAB†, CAM†; 2014-043). A female was seen and heard briefly at a private residence near Blythe, RIV, 5 Dec 2014 (LBH; 2014-175). CRESTED CARACARA Caracara cheriway (17, 5). One at Borrego Springs, SD, 11 Mar 2014 (WH; 2014-026) is one of few records from California’s desert regions, closer to the species’ normal range. A strong majority of committee members considered the Crested Caracara at the Mid Hills Campground, Mojave National Preserve, SBE, 18 May 2013 (ES†; 2013-063) to be the same as the one near Oxnard, VEN, 11–14 Jun 2013 (AS, MZ†; 2013-108), on the basis of missing primaries on the left wing, while a lesser majority considered one moving among San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Santa Catalina Islands, SBA/LA, 6 Apr 2014–10 Sep 2014 (AMW†; MBr†, DaD†, RAE†, JLK†, MS†, YT†; 2014-031) also the same individual. One at Famosa Slough, SD, 9 Apr 2014 (CB†; 2014-033) was apparently the same bird as one 11 days later in Encinitas, SD, 21 Apr 2014 (SS†; 2014-038). Three records

304 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS from the central California coast were accepted as representing one bird moving south: at Pescadero, SM, 13 Mar 2014 (JR†; 2014-030), at Elkhorn Slough, MTY, 4 Sep 2014 (PJD†; 2014-118), and near the Big Sur R. mouth, MTY, 20 Sep–10 Oct 2014 (TW†; AH†, SL†, MP†, MR†, DR†, CW†; 2014-094). Around the Salton Sea, one at Desert Beach, RIV, 9 Nov 2014 (DRa, NT†; 2014-131) was most likely the same individual as one at Rock Hill, IMP, 25–26 Nov 2014 (JO†, ES; TAB†; 2014-145) and near Signal Mountain, IMP, 9 Dec 2014 (CB†; 2014-149). IDENTI- FICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: One in Lone Pine, INY, 12 Apr 2014 (2014-113) was variously identified as a Black Vulture and a Turkey Vulture by observers in the field and identified as the Crested Caracara only from a single photograph taken at a distance. After two rounds the record received little support. It serves as a reminder that written descriptions of a bird in the field can provide information more useful than long-range photographs. The report of one in Reliz Canyon, MTY, 6 Aug 2104 (2014-117) lacked any details of the bird’s appearance. GYRFALCON Falco rusticolus (14, 2). One in its first winter was observed at Bouldin I., SJ, 16 Jan 2014 (DY; 2014-020). California’s first adult Gyrfalcon, a lightly marked gray-morph bird, was near Ferndale, HUM, 2–21 Feb 2014 (BE†; KMB†, MDD, EF, TLi†; 2014-017). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: The report of one near Orick, HUM, 29 Sep–2 Oct 2014 (2011-280), previously not accepted (2011-208; Pike et al. 2014), was recirculated on the basis of new information submitted to the committee but failed to garner enough support for the committee to reverse its decision. The report of one at Lake Earl, DN, 19 Nov 2014 (2014-142) lacked documentation sufficient for members to support it. EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE Contopus virens (13, 1). A one-year-old bird at Pt. Reyes, MRN, 6–7 Jun 2014 (DSS§†; LK§†; 2014-049) was accepted unanimously largely on the basis of recordings of the distinctive song. This is the second record from Marin County and Pt. Reyes National Seashore. YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER Empidonax flaviventris (29, 1). The committee agreed that, except for a slight crest, a bird at Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 10 Sep 2014 (DMax†; AJS†; 2014-089) showed all characters typical of this species, including a wide dark bar between the pale secondary fringes and the lower wing-bar (Baumann et al. 2014); this identification feature needs further field testing. IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: The committee concluded that the report of a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher banded at Pt. Mugu Naval Base, VEN, 2 Oct 2009 (2009-262) did not eliminate the Pacific-slope Flycatcher (E. difficilis). DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER Myiarchus tuberculifer (101, 4). One in its first spring at Ralph Dills Park, Paramount City, LA, 7 Mar 2014–13 May 2014 (RB†; BDD†§, TF-H†, KLG†, CAM†, ES†, MAS†, MZ†; 2014-025) lingered quite late, although this is not unprecedented for a Dusky-capped Flycatcher in California (Rottenborn et al. 2016), and the bird likely wintered in the vicinity. One at Ocean Beach, SD, 4 May 2014 (TJ†; 2014-036) also likely wintered locally. An adult on San Clemente Island, LA, 20 Aug 2016 (JTS§†; SMe†, BeS†; 2014-075) was accepted unanimously on the second round on the basis of details of plumage and structure visible in photos and the observer’s description of the call and size. This is the first record from the Channel Islands and the first for California in August. Most Dusky-capped Flycatchers in California are discovered in November or December, and there are no records for the state from September or October. One in its first fall at Pt. Reyes, MRN, was found 2 Nov 2014 (BA†, BAr; 2014-127). GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER Myiarchus crinitus (60, 1). One at Refugio State Beach, SBA, 4 Oct 2014 (DMC; PG†, HPR†; 2014-104) was found near the species’ peak of occurrence in California.

305 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER Myiodynastes luteiventris (18, 1). A first-fall immature made a brief appearance at El Polin Springs in San Francisco, SF, 6 Sep 2014 (BG†; 2014-083), representing a new early date for this species in California in fall. The similar Streaked Flycatcher (M. maculatus), a candidate for vagrancy to California (CBRC 2007), was eliminated by the prominent malar stripe. THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD Tyrannus crassirostris (23, 1). An adult wintered at Horsethief Canyon Park in San Dimas, LA, 18 Jan–3 Feb 2014 (ESm†; JFi†, KL†, TGM†, JO†, GW†; 2014-007) and returned for a second winter 15 Nov 2014–19 Jan 2015 (TAB†, KLG; 2014-143). Another returned for its fifth winter to Otay Val- ley at the mouth of Poggi Canyon in Chula Vista, SD, 11 Dec 2014–25 Mar 2015 (SMR; SBr, JBr†, TF-H, GMcC, KR†, TWa†; 2014-152). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: Most committee members commented that the description of one reportedly in the San Pasqual Valley near Escondido, SD, 6 May 2014 (2014-040) was too incomplete for an exceptionally late record, and no calls were heard. WHITE-EYED VIREO Vireo griseus (75, 1). One at Oasis Ranch, MNO, 8–28 Jun 2014 (CMcC§; TAB†, CAM†, KNN, NJO†, SLS; 2014-050) was typical of California records of this species in that it was a singing male in spring, though the bird stayed longer than most and it may have attempted to summer. BLUE-HEADED VIREO Vireo solitarius (76, 1). An apparent first-fall male was at Bethany Curve Park in Santa Cruz, SCZ, 29 Sep 2014 (ARi†; 2014-102). IDEN- TIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: Photos of a vireo at Cottonwood Creek Park in Encinitas, SD, 2 Apr 2014 (2014-035) were difficult to evaluate as they appeared to show features of both the Blue-headed and Cassin’s vireos; most committee members agreed that Cassin’s Vireo could not be ruled out. Given brief views and the lack of photographs, the CBRC concluded that a bright Cassin’s could not be ruled out for a vireo seen at Veterans Cemetery in Crescent City, DN, 14 Dec 2014 (2014-154). *YELLOW-GREEN VIREO Vireo flavoviridis (133, 10). Following an exceptional influx of this species in 2013 (Rottenborn et al. 2016), 2014 again brought California an unusually large number of Yellow-green Vireos. Given this recent increase and a large number of total records in the state, the CBRC is discontinuing review of reports of the Yellow-green Vireo after 2014. Single individuals were at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Pt. Loma, SD, 9–10 Sep 2014 (JBo†; CAM†; 2014-087) and 11–17 Oct 2014 (DMar†; DBr†, GD†, JLD, CAM†, BSc†, AJS†, JCS†, MSt†, SBT, CAM†; 2014-108), at Lincoln Park in San Francisco, SF, 19–20 Sep 2014 (HC†; DK, LC, LK, KJ, DMo, JFa; 2014-093), at Presidio Park in San Diego, SD, 20–21 Sep 2014 (EA; CA†, RyA†, RJTS†; 2014-091), along Carbonera Creek in Santa Cruz, SCZ, 22–23 Sep 2014 (SG†; CS†, AJS†, 2014-095), at Half Moon Bay, SM, 25 Sep 2014 (AJ; 2014-096), in Owl Canyon at Bodega Bay, SON, 10–11 Oct 2014 (GB; 2014-109), banded on Southeast Farallon I., SF, 11 Oct 2014 (KNN†; RR; 2014-174), at Pt. Reyes Lighthouse, MRN, 29 Oct 2014 (DSS†; 2014-121), and along the West San Gabriel River Parkway Nature Trail, LA, 30 Oct 2014 (JoB†; 2014-146). All fall within the species’ typical window of occurrence. IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: Reports from Carpinteria, SBA, 2–7 Oct 2014 (2014-103), Golden Gate Park, SF, 2–5 Oct 2014 (2014-105), and Laguna Road near Oxnard, VEN, 9 Oct 2014 (2014-160) may have represented Yellow- green Vireos but did not adequately eliminate other species including the Red-eyed (V. olivaceus) and Warbling (V. gilvus) vireos. BLUE JAY Cyanocitta cristata (17, 1). One at Willow Creek, HUM, 1–9 Nov 2014 (RFow†, CAM†; 2014-137), probably in its first fall, occurred at a date and site typical for this species in California; Humboldt County has now hosted seven of California’s 17 Blue Jays.

306 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

WINTER WREN Troglodytes hiemalis (17, 1). The report of one at Central Park in Huntington Beach, ORA, 30 Dec 2014–31 Jan 2015 (JEP†, MB†, JeB†, JLD, TAB†, ES†, RS†, TF-H†, TEW§; 2014-161) was accepted largely on the basis of recordings of its call, the most easily evaluated feature distinguishing this species and the Pacific Wren (T. pacificus). This is the second record for this location; 11 of California’s 17 records come from the coastal slope. VEERY Catharus fuscescens (16, 0). One at Bassett’s Station, SIE, 11–16 Jun 2014 (EP§, GG§; 2014-055) had returned for its second consecutive summer (2013- 129; Rottenborn et al. 2016). GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH Catharus minimus (24, 1). One at the Primm Valley Golf Club, SBE, 7 Jun 2014 (TAB†, AEK; 2014-048; Figure 7) represents the third inland and third spring record for California, aligned temporally with the previous two (28 May and 11 June; 1989-021 and 1989-022, respectively). It is also the first away from Southeast Farallon I. since 1998. The CBRC continues to consider the possibility of a vagrant Bicknell’s Thrush (C. bicknelli) in California unlikely enough that records of the Gray-cheeked Thrush need not eliminate this species (see CBRC 2007), although the Primm Valley bird did show the colder gray and brown tones in the face and tail typical of the Gray-cheeked. RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN Turdus rufopalliatus (20, 1). An adult at Twentynine Palms, SBE, 25–29 Oct 2014 (TAB†; DA†; 2014-119) near the early end of the late fall to winter season in which the Rufous-backed Robin has been recorded in California. CURVE-BILLED THRASHER Toxostoma curvirostre (31, 1). One was singing at Parker Dam, SBE, 2–13 Mar 2014 (DAG†; DVP†; 2014-022). Like California’s previous Curve-billed Thrashers it showed blurry ventral spotting and indistinct white tail tips typical of the western subspecies palmeri. Most records from southeastern California are from the winter months. OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT Anthus hodgsoni (2, 1). One was at Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim, ORA, 1–5 Nov 2014 (JeB†; TAB†, MAC†, JLD, EE†, MFr†, NF†, KLG†, RHo†, GMcC, JO†, LS†, SLS†, JCS†, MSt†, CT†; 2014-123; Figure 8). In Alaska the species is an intermittent migrant in spring and casual in fall to the western Aleutians, where it probably nested in 1998 (Gibson and Byrd 2007). It is casual elsewhere in Alaska (Gibson and Withrow 2015). Elsewhere in North America, it has been collected near Reno, Nevada, on 16 May 1967 (Burleigh 1968) and seen at Cataviña, Baja California, 18–19 Oct 1996 (Hamilton et al. 2000). Small numbers (12–15 birds) have also been recorded on Kure Atoll, the northwesternmost island of Hawaii (Pyle 1984). California’s only previous record was of one on Southeast Farallon I., SF, 26–29 Sep 1998 (1999-010; Capitolo et al. 2000). Features that identified the bird at Yorba Regional Park as an Olive-backed Pipit included the strong olive tinge to the upperparts, the interrupted and bicolored supercilium bordered above by a strong blackish lateral crown stripe, a dark spot in the rear of the auriculars, and heavy black spots on a buff-washed throat and breast contrasting with an unmarked white belly. The largely unstreaked back strongly suggests that the bird was of the more northerly and migratory subspecies yunnanensis, although, Alström and Mild (2003) cautioned that throughout its range of nominate hodgsoni some examples are “only slightly more distinctly streaked above than yunnanensis.” All Alaska specimens are yunnanensis (Gibson and Withrow 2015). SNOW BUNTING Plectrophenax nivalis (131, 4). Two were near Ferndale, HUM, 2–17 Nov 2014 (BE†; CAM†, SBT†; 2014-125); another was in Tennessee Valley near the Marin Headlands, MRN, on 18 Nov 2014 (JCa†; 2014-150). In the interior, one was at Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, MOD, 17–19 Nov 2014 (DB†; 2014-176).

307 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

WORM-EATING WARBLER Helmitheros vermivorum (126, 2). One was seen at the Laguna Road tamarisks at Oxnard, VEN, 15 Oct 2014 (JB†; 2014-115). Another wintered at the Village Green community in Los Angeles, LA, 20 Dec 2014–30 Mar 2015 (DSt†; TAB†, JG†, KLG†, TF-H†, ES†; 2014-156). CONNECTICUT WARBLER Oporornis agilis (121, 2). A first-fall female was at the fish docks at Pt. Reyes National Seashore, MRN, 28 Sep 2014 (CC†; EB, DRM†; 2014-100), and another was on Southeast Farallon I., SF, 20 Sep 2014 (JRT; AJS†, 2014-112). MOURNING WARBLER Geothlypis philadelphia (148, 2). Southeast Farallon I., SF, had a first-fall female 10–12 Sep 2014 (DMax†, AJS†, JRT; 2014-111) and one of uncertain age and sex (good description but poor photos) on 20 Sep 2014 (AJS†; 2014-130). CAPE MAY WARBLER Setophaga tigrina (35**, 6). A first-fall female was at Pt. Loma, SD, 2 Nov 2014 (JTS†; 2014-126). Five first-fall males turned up at Pt. Reyes National Seashore, MRN: at the lighthouse 4 Sep 2014 (MaF, JMi; 2014-081) and 19–21 Sep 2014 (CAr†, KGi†, DDK†, RLeB†, MP†; 2014-092), at nearby Nunes Ranch 6 Sep 2014 (DGe, EH, DDK†, KSo; 2014-086) and 21 Sep 2014 (DDK†; 2014-106), and at Mendoza Ranch, 21–22 Sep 2014 (EC, RHa, MSa†; 2014-129). Good descriptions and/or photos informed the committee’s decisions to treat all these as distinct individuals. GRACE’S WARBLER Setophaga graciae (70, 3). One was at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Pt. Loma, SD, 6–10 Sep 2014 (RyA†; CAM†, 2014-084). A first-fall female at Pacific Grove, MTY, 6 Sep 2014, was only the third recorded in northern California (DR†; 2014-110). One at the North Campus Open Space, Goleta, SBA, 7 Nov 2014-10 Mar 2015 (JL; MGr†, CAM†, BMi, PSch†, DTh†; 2014-159) had evidently returned for a second winter (Rottenborn et al. 2016). RED-FACED WARBLER Cardellina rubrifrons (25, 1). A first-fall male at Galileo Hill Park, KER, 7–8 Oct 2014 (BK & KK†; TAB†, JCh†, JLD, HBK†, CAM†, JOl†, NJO†, ASh, BSt†, SLS, JCS†; 2014-107; Figure 9) established a first record for Kern County and was the latest Red-faced Warbler recorded in California in fall. CASSIN’S SPARROW Peucaea cassinii (52, 1). A singing male was west of Lancaster, LA, 22–28 May 2014 (JSF; TAB†, JLD†, KLG†, CAM†§, LSc, AJS†, JTS§, SLS; 2014-042). LE CONTE’S SPARROW Ammodramus leconteii (36, 1). One wintering at Abbotts Lagoon on Pt. Reyes National Seashore, MRN, 30 Dec 2014–24 Jan 2015 (KS†; CAM†, JM, DSS†, SSk & DSk†, SBT†; 2014-157) established a first record for well-birded Marin County. RUSTIC BUNTING Emberiza rustica (5, 1). One at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, SF, 6 Dec 2014–30 Mar 2015 (ASH; TAB†, WBr†, JLD, JFa†, TF-H†, JM†, TPo†, SLS, BSt†, BLS†; 2014-148; Figure 10) was the first Rustic Bunting recorded in California since 1996. In this species, the sexes differ little if at all in the nonbreeding plumage; by the end of its stay this bird showed no sign of incoming male plumage. Only one previous Rustic Bunting is known to have stayed an entire winter like this one (23 Dec 1995–17 Mar 1996 at Hoopa, HUM; 1996-008), although the one at Stone Lagoon, HUM, 7–8 Jan 1984 (1984-033) may have done so. VARIED BUNTING Passerina versicolor (5, 1). An adult male along the San Gabriel River near Duarte, LA, 26 Mar–20 Apr 2014 (ML†; JLD†, JSF†, TF-H†, CAM†, DEQ†, LS†; 2014-028; Figure 11) established the first record of the Varied Bunting for the coastal slope of California. The previous records involve two specimens from a flock of 15 to 20 birds near Blythe, RIV, 8–9 Feb 1914 (1977-145; Daggett

308 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

1914), an adult male at Mesquite Springs, Death Valley N.P., INY, 18–21 Nov 1977 (1977-130; Luther et al. 1979), and a first-fall immature at Horsethief Springs in the Kingston Mountains, SBE, 10–12 Oct 2012 (2012-155; Pike et al. 2014). While the identification was not an issue, this record went three rounds as the committee considered the bird’s natural occurrence and subspecies, the nearer pulchra breeding in southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and western Mexico, or the more distant versicolor from southeastern New Mexico, western Texas, and north-central and northeastern Mexico. Some authors (e.g., Dickinson and Christidis 2014) have treated the populations in western mainland Mexico and southeastern Arizona as subspecies dickeyae different from the resident population in Baja California Sur (pulchra sensu stricto), while others (Monson and Phillips 1981) have not. If the bird near Duarte was eastern versicolor it may more likely have been an escapee. To assess the subspecies issue, Curtis Marantz and Brian Daniels visited the Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, with James Maley, John McCormack, and Janet Scheel. They examined about 300 specimens, about a third of them adult males. They found that adult males from across northern Mexico showed extensive individual variation, corroborating the conclusion of Ridgway (1901), who identified no subspecies on the basis of adult males—the subspecies of the Varied Bunting currently recognized are defined primarily or exclusively by the color of the female and first-year male plumages (van Rossem 1934, Phillips et al. 1964). In the Moore Laboratory collection three March specimens show evidence of some prealternate molt, as reported by Groschupf and Thompson (1998). The Varied Bunting at Duarte was also molting some body feathers. After three rounds of circulation the Duarte record passed with two dissenting votes on natural occurrence. RUSTY BLACKBIRD Euphagus carolinus (**45, 7). Females were at the Santa Ynez R. mouth, Ocean Park, SBA, 1 Jan 2014 (JFi; 2014-001), at Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach, ORA, 25 Jan–3 Mar 2014 (RSc†; TAB†, JLD, TF-H†, MM†, LS†; 2014-008), and at Harkins Slough, Watsonville, SCZ, 28 Feb–15 Mar 2014 (CS†; BAl†, JB†, MBol†, WB†, PF†, JG†, LFL†, LP†, DR†, CR†, LR†, NS†, DSi†, PSo†, GT†, SBT†, DW†, NZ†; 2014-021). An unusual spring migrant was a male at Southeast Farallon I., SF, 12–18 Mar 2014 (BW; AnL†; AStu†; 2014-029). A male was at Baker, SBE, 9 Nov 2014 (BD†; 2014-132). A female, probably in its first fall, along Santa Fe Grade Road near Gustine, MER, 13–22 Nov 2014 was the first recorded in Merced County and one of the few ever recorded in the Central Valley (SM†; JD, JLD, RJE†, JM†, JGa†, LP†, KVV†; 2014-139). A male was at Mendoza Ranch at Pt. Reyes National Seashore, MRN, on 16 Nov 2014 (RMal†; 2014-144). IDENTIFICATION NOT ESTABLISHED: A singing male along the Mad River in Blue Lake, HUM, 31 May 2014 (2014-078) was substantiated by marginal photos and a brief audio recording. Six members of the committee questioned the identification during the one round of circulation. COMMON GRACKLE Quiscalus quiscula (94, 3). Males were at the Pt. Reyes National Seashore lighthouse, MRN, 3 Jun 2014 (MD†; 2014-047) and at Lake Tamarisk, Desert Center, RIV, 3 Nov 2014 (BS†; 2014-128); a female was at Baker, SBE, 9 Nov 2014 (TAB†; MM†; 2014-133). The two November records fit the species’ peak of occurrence in California. All three birds were of the northern and western subspecies versicolor, the Bronzed Grackle, the only subspecies recorded in the West. BRAMBLING Fringilla montifringilla (8, 3). Four Bramblings occurred in Cali- fornia in the fall of 2014, remarkable because only five records had been accepted previously (CBRC 2007). An adult male was at Rolling Hills Estates, LA, 10–22 Oct 2014 (CWo†; 2014-116), another male was in Trabuco Canyon above Lake Forest, ORA, 6–10 Nov 2014 (SD†; 2014-138), and a first-year male wintered at a feeder in Arcata, HUM, 10 Nov 2014–12 Mar 2015 (GJ†; TAB†, JLD, RFow†, SBT†; 2014-136). These represent the first records of this species since 1992. NATURAL

309 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

OCCURRENCE QUESTIONABLE: One female was on a cargo ship “within sight of land” off San Mateo Co. on 20 Oct 2014 (2014-135). It was one of six Bramblings that landed on this vessel just south of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, on 15 Oct. By 19 Oct all were gone but one. The ship eventually docked on 22 Oct in Long Beach, LA. The record was not accepted by eight members on the basis of questionable natural occurrence, though one member considered such records acceptable unless the bird was physically restrained during transit. Though vagrants’ hitchhiking on ships is always a possibility, this Asian species has a pattern of occurrence across North America, so most Bramblings have likely arrived under their own power.

MISCELLANEOUS The long-staying Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus; 2012-058) first seen at South- east Farallon I., SF, 25 Apr 2012, the female Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus; 2008-053) resident near Santa Rosa, SON, since 14 Apr 2008, and the Curve-billed Thrasher (2012-091) found at Starlite Estates near Bishop, INY, on 11 Jun 2012 were all still present on 31 Dec 2014.

CORRIGENDA The following corrections are made to the 39th report: the observers for Blue-footed Booby record 2013-130 should be listed as “DWN†, AlW†.” The sentence regarding Blue-footed Boobies occurring at Southeast Farallon I. should read, “Farther north, up to 4 were at Southeast Farallon I., SF, 18 Sep–8 Oct 2013 (DM†, CR†, JRT; 2013- 259).” The date span for the Gray Hawk (2012-193) should be 25 Nov 2012–16 Mar 2013. The initials “DLS” pertained to Debra L. Shearwater for Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis) 2013-100 and to David L. Suddjian for Blue-footed Boobies 2013-271 and 2013-280 and for Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) 2013-066. Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) 2006-227 was not banded but was captured, photographed, and released unbanded.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Brian Daniels, Curtis Marantz, Janet Scheel, and the staff at the Moore Lab of Zoology, John McCormack and James Maley, for their review of Varied Bunting specimens. We extend special thanks to James R. Tietz for updating the table of records published in Rare Birds of California (www.californiabirds.org/ cbrc_book/update.pdf ) and to Joseph Morlan for maintaining the corrigenda to Rare Birds of California (www.californiabirds.org/corrections.html). The Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo and H. T. Harvey and Associates in Los Gatos graciously hosted the committee’s two previous meetings. The following past and present CBRC members provided comments on drafts of the manuscript: Tom Benson, John Garrett, Peter Pyle, and Steve Rottenborn. We thank Steve Heinl and Paul Hess for their speedy review of the final draft.

CONTRIBUTORS The CBRC would not exist without the cooperation of birders and ornithologists throughout California. We especially thank the following 257 people who contributed observations for records included in this report: Roger Adamson, Christopher Adler, Bilal Al-Shahwany (BAl), Jeff Allen, Jacqueline L. Allison, Eitan Altman, Dorian Anderson, Ryan Andrews (RyA), Carlo Arreglo (CAr), Bettina Arrigoni, Bob Arrigoni (BAr), Noah Arthur, Dominic Bachman, Samantha Bacon, John Bailey (JBai), Larry Ballard, Joel Barrett (JBa), Richard Barth, Eddie Bartley, Dave Batzler (DBa), Dawn Beattie (DBe), Gordon Beebe, Chris Bender, Thomas A. Benson, Michelle Bigelow,

310 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Jim Billups (JBi), Jeff Bleam, Michael Bolte (MBol), Michael Boughey, Bill Bouton (BiB), Johnny Bovee (JBo), Stevan Brad (SBr), Joyce Brady (JoB), Jeff Bray (JeB), Matthew Brinkman (MBr), Will Brooks, Dan Brown (DBr), John Bruin (JBr), Kenneth M. Burton, Mike Bush, Jim Caldwell (JCa), Juli Chamberlin (JCh), Lee-Hong Chang, Mark A. Chappell, Nancy Christensen, Everett Clark, Josiah Clark, Daryl Coldren, David M. Compton, Chris Conard, Zeke Cornell, Stephanie Costelow, Hugh Cotter, Brian E. Daniels, Bradley D. Dawson, Malia De Felice, Katy Delaney, Matthew D. Delgado, Frank De Martino, Shirley Demmon, Rob Denholtz, Bill Deppe, Mark Dettling, Jim Devine, David Dewey (DaD), Denise Dewire (DeD), Dean DiTomasso, Robert H. Doster, George Doyle, Jon L. Dunn, Peter J. Dunn, Todd Easterla, Elias A. Elias, Robert J. Ellis Jr., Brad Elvert, Richard A. Erickson, John Facchini (JFa), Jon S. Feenstra, Paul Fenwick, Elizabeth Feucht, Jon Fisher (JFi), Michael Force, Thomas Ford-Hutchinson (TF-H), Mark Forney (MaF), Rob Fowler (RFow), Mary Freeman (MFr), Nicholas Freeman, Peter Gaede, Jim Gain (JGa), Douglas Galasko, John Garrett, Kimball L. Garrett, Daniel George (DGe), Steve Gerow, David A. Goodward, Tom Grey, George Griffeth, Bob Gunderson, Pamela Haehn, Edward Hall (EHa), Tim Hammond, Marlin Harms, Stanley W. Harris, Roger Harshaw (RHa), Lauren B. Harter, Karen A. Havlena, Floyd Hayes, Jo Heindel, Tom Heindel, Bruce Henderson, Wes Hetrick, Rob Hewitt, Alfred Hochstaedter, Ronald Holland (RHo), Ken Hollinga, Chris Howard, Rosie Howard, Richard Hubacek (RHu), Lisa Hug, Eugene Hunn, Kimberly Jannarone, Alvaro Jaramillo, Tom Johnson, Glenn Jones, Logan Kahle, Eric G. Kallen, Durrell D. Kapan, Robert J. Keiffer, Glenn Kincaid, Howard B. King, Julie King, Alexander E. Koonce, Tony Kurz, Brenda & Ken Kyle, Alexandra Lamb, Sarah Lane, Lisa Fay Larson, Anna Lasko (AnL), David Lawrence, Peter Leahy, Rick LeBaudour (RLeB), Paul E. Lehman, Joan Lentz, Tom Leskiw, Tim Liguori (TLi), Albert W. Linkowski, Kevin Long, Michael Long, Emerald Louise, Ron Mallory (RMal), Michael J. Mammoser, Curtis A. Marantz, Cindy Margulis, Don Marsh (DMar), Rose Marx, Bruce Mast (BMa), Dan Maxwell (DMax), Guy McCaskie (GMcC), Chris McCreedy (CMcC), Dorthy McHaney, Jim McHaney, Tristan McKee, Sue Meiman (SMe), Tom Meixner, Martin Meyers, Jim Moore (JMo), Thomas G. Miko, Jeff Miller (JMi), Barbara Millet (BMi), Wendy Money, David R. Moore, William Moramarco, Joseph Morlan, Dominik Mosur (DMo), Brennan Mulrooney, Susan Murphy, Dan W. Nelson, David W. Nelson, Kristie N. Nelson, Richard J. Norton, Gary Nunn, Brittany O’Connor, Orion O’Connor, Chet Ogan, John Oliver, Ron Oriti, Nancy J. Overholtz, Ron Overholtz, Ed Pandolfino, Michael Park, Debby Parker, Jim Parker, David Pereksta, Kaaren Perry, Steve Phillips, Sandra Pickett, James E. Pike, Linda Pittman, Tyler Pockette, Jeff Poklen, Peter Pyle, David E. Quady, Kurt A. Radamaker, Jose Ramirez, David Rankin, Hugh P. Ranson, Harold Reeve, Michael Rieser, Alex Rinkert (ARi), Steven M. Ritt, Don Roberson, Peter Robertshaw, Katherine Rogowski, Carole Rose, Larry Rose, Kerry Ross, RJ Roush, Casey Ryan (CRy), Thomas Ryan, Matt Sadowski, Edana Salisbury, Nelson Samuels, Florence Sanchez (FlS), Darliss Sanderson, Frank Sanderson, Ben Sandstrom (BeS), Brian Sandstrom, Larry Sansone, Paul Saraceni, Mark Sawyer (MSa), Mark A. Scheel, Larry Schmahl (LSc), Bill Schmoker (BSc), Ken Schneider, Roger Schoedl (RSc), Elliot Schoenig, Brad K. Schram, Christian Schwarz, Adam J. Searcy, Andy Selters, Mark Senning, Robyn Shea, Allison Sheehey (ASh), Mary Sheldon, David Sidle (DSi), Brad Singer (BSi), Daniel S. Singer, Dan Skalos (DSk), Shannon Skalos (SSk), Tom Slater, Eric Smith (ESm), Greg Smith, Susan E. Smith, Kenneth Sobon (KSo), Peter Sole (PSo), BJ Stacey, Justyn T. Stahl, Bob Steele (BSt), Susan L. Steele, Don Sterba (DSt), John C. Sterling, Mark Stratton (MSt), Michael Strom (MiSt), Steve Stump (SSt), Brian L. Sullivan, Rebecca Suomala, Craig Swolgaard, Yozora Tadehara, Christopher Taylor, Glen Tepke, Scott B. Terrill, Ninad Thakoor, James R. Tietz, Ronald S. Thorn, Richard Thornton, Mike Tidwell, Michelle Tobin (MTo), Steve Tucker, David Vander Pluym, Kent Van Vuren, Matt Victoria, Todd Vogel, Stanley Walens (SWa), Torin

311 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Waters (TWa), Catherine Webb, Sophie Webb (SWe), Byron White, David Wilhelm, Todd Willis, Chris Wojtowich (CWo), Ron Wolf, Grace Wong, Anna M. Wrona, Connie Wulkowicy, Stan Wulkowicy, Thomas E. Wurster, David Yee, Michael Zarky, Nickie Zavinsky, Kevin Zimmer.

LITERATURE CITED Alström, P. and Mild, K. 2003. Pipits and Wagtails. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ. Benner, W. L. 1998. Broad-billed Sandpiper: Jamaica Bay, New York. Field Notes 52:513–516. Benter, R. B., Renner H. M., and Renner, M. 2005. First record of a Shy Albatross in Alaska. W. Birds 36:135–137. Baumann, M. J., Galen, S. C., Pederson, N. D., and Witt, C. C. 2014. Simple technique for distinguishing Yellow-bellied Flycatchers from Cordilleran and Pacific- slope flycatchers. J. Field Ornithol. 85:391–396. Burleigh, T. D. 1968. The Indian Tree Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) recorded for the first time in North America. Auk 85:323. California Bird Records Committee [CBRC] (R. A. Hamilton, M. A. Patten, and R. A. Erickson, eds.). 2007. Rare Birds of California. W. Field Ornithol., Camarillo, CA. Capitolo, P., Richardson, W., Burnett, R., and Pyle, P. 2000. First record of an Olive- backed Pipit in California. W. Birds 31:112–116. Chesser, R. T., Banks, R. C., Cicero, C., Dunn, J. L., Kratter, A. W. Lovette, I. J., Navarro-Sigüenza, A. G., Rasmussen, P. C., Remsen, J. V. Jr., Rising, J. D., Stotz, D. F., and Winker, K. 2014. Fifty-fifth Supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 131:CSi–CSxv. Chesser, R. T., Burns, K. J., Cicero, C., Dunn, J. L., Kratter, A. W., Lovette, I. J., Rasmussen, P. C., Remsen, J. V. Jr., Rising, J. D. Stotz, D. F. and Winker, K. J. 2016. Fifty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 133:544–560. Cole, L. 2000. A first Shy Albatross, Thalassarche cauta, in California and a critical re-examination of northern hemisphere records of the former Diomedea cauta complex. N. Am. Birds 54:124–135. Culbertson, E. B. 2016. First documented record of the Gray Hawk in California. W. Birds 47:177–179. Daggett, F. S. 1914. Beautiful Bunting in California. Condor 16:260. Dickinson, E. C., and Christidis, L. (eds). 2014. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World, 4th ed., vol. 1: Non-passerines. Aves Press, Eastbourne, England. Garner, M., Lewington, I., and Slack, R. 2003. Mongolian and Lesser Sand-Plovers: An identification overview. Birding World 16: 377–385. Garrett, K. L., and Wilson, J. C. 2003. Report of the California Bird Records Com- mittee: 2001 records. W. Birds 34:15–41. Gibson, D. D., and Byrd, G. V. 2007. Birds of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Nuttall Ornithol. Club and Am. Ornithol. Union. Ser. Ornithol. 1. Gibson, D. D., and Withrow, J. 2015. Inventory of the species and subspecies of Alaska birds, second edition. W. Birds 46:94–185. Groschupf, K. D., and Thompson, C. W. 1998. Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor), in The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.), no. 351. Birds N. Am., Philadelphia. Hamilton, R. A., Pike, J. E., Wurster, T. E., and Radamaker, K. 2000. First record of an Olive-backed Pipit in Mexico. W. Birds 31:117–119. Harris, S. W. 1996. Northwestern California Birds. Humboldt State Univ. Press, Arcata, CA.

312 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2014 RECORDS

Hirschfeld, E., Roselaar, C. S., and Shirihai, H. 2000. Identification, taxonomy and distribution of Greater and Lesser Sand-Plovers. Br. Birds 93:162–189. Howell, S. N. G. 2009. Identification of immature Salvin’s, Chatham and Buller’s Albatross. Neotropical Birding 4:19–25. Howell, S. N. G. 2012. Petrels, Albatrosses and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ. Howell, S. N. G., Lewington, I., and Russell, W. 2014. Rare Birds of North America. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ. Johnson, O., Sullivan, B. L., and McCaskie, G. 2012. The 36th report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2010 records. W. Birds 43:164–188. Luther, J. S., McCaskie, G., and Dunn, J. 1979. Third report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 10:169–187. McKee, T., Pyle, P., and Moores, N. 2014. Vagrancy and identification of first-cycle Slaty-backed Gulls. Birding 46:38–51. Monson, G., and A. Phillips. 1981. Annotated Checklist to the Birds of Arizona, 2nd ed. Univ. of Ariz. Press, Tucson. Nelson, K. N., Rottenborn, S. C., and Terrill, S. B. 2013. The 37th annual report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2011 records. W. Birds 44:206–236. Oliver, W. R. B. 1934. Occurrence of the Mediterranean Shearwater in New Zealand. Emu 34:23–24. Phillips, A., Marshall, J., and Monson, G. 1964. The Birds of Arizona. Univ of Ariz. Press, Tuscon. Pike, J. E., Garrett, K. L., and Searcy, A. J. 2014. The 38th report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2012 records. W. Birds 41:246–275. Pyle, P. 1984. Observations of migrant and vagrant birds from Kure and Midway atolls, 1982–1983. ‘Elepaio 44:107–111. Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds, part I. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA. Pyle, P. 2008. Identification Guide to North American Birds, part II, Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA. Pyle, P., and McCaskie, G. 1992. Thirteenth report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 23:97–132. Pyle, P., Tietz, J., and McCaskie, G. 2011. The 35th report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 42:134–163. Ridgway, R. 1901. The birds of North and Middle America. U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 50, part 1. Rottenborn, S. C., McCaskie, G., Daniels, B. G., and Garrett, J. 2016. The 39th report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2013 records. W. Birds 47:2–26. San Miguel, M., and McGrath, T. 2005. Report of the California Bird Records Com- mittee: 2003 records. W. Birds 36:78–113. Singer, D. S., and Terrill, S. B. 2009. The 33rd report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2010 records. W. Birds 40:158–190. Van Rossem, A. J. 1934. A northwestern race of the Varied Bunting. Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. 7:369–370. Accepted 11 November 2016

313 THE PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF THE SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA JOHN F. GARRETT, 711 South Mentor Ave, Pasadena, California 91106; [email protected] KIMBALL L. GARRETT, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California 90007; [email protected]

ABSTRACT: Populations of the Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura), native to sub-Saharan Africa, have greatly increased in southern California in recent years, prompting speculation as to which species serve as hosts to this obligate brood parasite. Field studies and opportunistic sightings during the summer of 2014 strongly suggest that the Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata), an introduced species also derived from the pet trade, is the principal host species in the region. We present evidence for this based on investigation of munia nests by female whydahs and several instances of adult munias feeding recently fledged whydahs. This novel host–parasite relationship implies that any potential spread of the Pin-tailed Whydah in North America is at least partly dependent on the distribution of the Scaly-breasted Munia.

The Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura), a sub-Saharan African passerine of the family Viduidae, is an obligate brood parasite on finches of the family Estrildidae (Payne 2010a). In its native range, it preferentially parasitizes the Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild). This closely co-evolved relationship includes mimicry of the pattern of the spotting on the inside of the mouths of nestling waxbills by nestling whydahs, in order to stimulate feeding by the foster parents (Mines 1999). In some regions of Africa with fewer Common Waxbills, Pin-tailed Whydahs utilize Swee Waxbills (Coccopygia melanotis), Bronze Mannikins (Spermestes cucullata), and other estrildids as hosts (Friedmann 1960, Mines 1999, Lansverk et al. 2015, Lowther 2016). Since at least the 1990s, small numbers of Pin-tailed Whydahs have been noted in weedy river beds, parks, and flood-control basins on the coastal slope of southern California, particularly concentrated from La Mirada in southeastern Los Angeles County to the Santa Ana River in Orange County. Initially, because of the small numbers of whydahs and lack of traditional hosts, birders attributed sightings to recent escapees and not local breeding. More recently, however, the number of observations and the size of flocks have increased dramatically, raising the question of local breeding. For example, at least 83 individuals were foraging together at La Mirada Park on 31 October 2013 (M. C. Long, L. Garrett, and E. MacPherson; http:// ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15534115) and 75–100 were at the Fairhaven Momorial Park in northeast Santa Ana, Orange County, in the fall of 2013 (T. E. Wurster, fide D. R. Willick, pers. comm). Such observations included birds in juvenal and formative plumage, evidence that whydahs were breeding locally. Urban regions of the coastal slope of southern California have seen an increasing suite of non-native passerines with breeding populations established from released or escaped birds imported for the pet trade (Johnston and Garrett 1994, Pranty and Garrett 2011). Among the most successful of these is the Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata punctulata)

314 Western Birds 47:314–322, 2016; doi 10.21199/WB47.4.4 PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA of the Indian subcontinent, now well-established over much of the region (Pike et al. 2014). While occasional escapees of known whydah hosts of the genera Estrilda and Amandava are detected in southern California, there are no known breeding populations of these potential hosts; for example, Bronze Mannikins are regularly noted in small numbers in urban southern California, and are suspected of but not yet documented as breeding. There- fore, we considered the most likely host to be the Scaly-breasted Munia, the only estrildid widely established in southern California. Furthermore, data at www.eBird.org revealed close range congruence between the current ranges of the Pin-tailed Whydah and Scaly-breasted Munia; the munia is found extensively from San Luis Obispo County to San Diego County, and the whydah shadows this distribution, particularly in Los Angeles and Orange counties. To investigate host–parasite relationships, J. F. Garrett sought breeding whydahs in southern California in 2014 by monitoring key areas from La Mirada in southeastern Los Angeles County to Tustin in central Orange County.

METHODS We used www.eBird.org to identify sites of concentrations of Pin-tailed Whydahs in summer or fall. The main sites we visited were La Mirada Park and La Mirada Creek Park in La Mirada and Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, Orange County; J. F. Garrett visited each of these sites at least three times each week from 16 June to 19 September 2014 and made at least one visit to each of the following additional sites: in Orange County, Arovista Park in Brea, the Santa Ana River from Lincoln Avenue to Tustin Avenue in Orange, Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim, Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley, Gilman Park in Fullerton, Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach, and San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine; in Los Angeles County, Viña Vieja Park in Pasadena and the Whittier Narrows and the Rio Hondo in South El Monte. We further solicited observations from local birders of any evidence of breeding by Pin-tailed Whydahs in these or any nearby areas. We followed female Pin-tailed Whydahs to see if they displayed any interest in the nests of other birds, and we also investigated nests of the Scaly-breasted Munia and any other estrildids for signs of whydah parasitism, although direct examination of nest contents was not possible. J. F. Garrett recorded additional observations on the Pin-tailed Whydah’s natural history, including habitats, movements, and behavior. We calculated range overlap between the Pin-tailed Whydah and Scaly- breasted Munia in their core range in California by summing the number of ten-minute blocks in which each species has been recorded in eBird; we did not include in the tally outlying ten-minute blocks from which only a single individual had been reported.

RESULTS Habitats Male Pin-tailed Whydahs generally displayed in habitats similar to those used by nesting Scaly-breasted Munias: tall trees, often pines, an adjacent

315 PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA

Figure 1. Female Pin-tailed Whydah at entrance to nest of the Scaly-breasted Munia in a pine tree at La Mirada Creek Park, Los Angeles County, California, 16 June 2014. Photo by John F. Garrett

Figure 2. Fledgling Pin-tailed Whydah accompanying an adult Scaly-breasted Munia at San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine, Orange County, California, 29 July 2014. Photo by Jeff Bray

316 PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA

Figure 3. Fledgling Pin-tailed Whydah being fed by an adult Scaly-breasted Munia at Riverdale Park, Anaheim, Orange County, California, 6 September 2014. Photo by Jeff Bray

Figure 4. Scaly-breasted Munia feeding two fledged Pin-tailed Whydahs at La Mirada Creek Park, Los Angeles County, California, 11 August 2014. Photo by John F. Garrett

317 PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA

kHz S 2.272 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 Figure 5. Begging call of a fledgling Pin-tailed Whydah, recorded by J. F. Garrett at La Mirada Creek Park, Los Angeles County, California, 28 August 2014.

expanse of open lawn, and at least a trickle of running water. Early in the breeding season, however, whydahs rarely foraged with other species. Dur- ing this time, whydahs of various ages often behaved aggressively toward munias and other passerines such as the House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), often hovering in mid-air and darting repeatedly at targets. In late fall and winter, whydahs often formed large single-species flocks on lawns or along watercourses but sometimes joined other granivorous passerines, particularly Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina). Of 40–45 Scaly-breasted Munia nests discovered, it was unclear how many were active, as many were built but subsequently unused. Most nests were 6–25 m high in planted Pinus spp., although a few were built in Liquidam- bar styraciflua or Jacaranda mimosifolia. Paralleling the habitats where male whydahs displayed, all nests were located near large lawns, usually near some weedy watercourse that the birds used for foraging and collecting nest material. Because of their height above ground none of the nests we found was accessible for direct examination of eggs or young. Breeding Several times early in the munias’ summer/fall breeding season J. F. Gar- rett observed a female Pin-tailed Whydah closely investigating munia nests (Figure 1). Although no whydahs were observed to enter an active nest or deposit an egg, he observed a female entering an abandoned munia nest on 16 June and 19 September 2014. The first confirmation of the Pin-tailed Whydah using the Scaly-breasted Munia as a host came from the San Joaquin Marsh, where Jeff Bray photographed a juvenile whydah following and being fed by adult munias on 29 July 2014 (Figure 2). Bray obtained numerous photos of another munia feeding a very recently fledged whydah at Riverdale Park in Anaheim on 6 September 2014 (Figure 3). Additionally, J. F. Garrett found at least three “families” of Scaly-breasted Munias feeding whydahs at La Mirada Creek Park on 11 August 2014 (Figure 4). Once he learned the juvenile Pin-tailed Whydah’s distinctive begging calls (Figure 5), it became evident that fledg-

318 PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA ling whydahs were widespread in the residential neighborhood surrounding La Mirada Creek Park. Additionally, he found one group of seven begging juvenile whydahs being fed by a pair of munias at Craig Regional Park on 2 September 2014. Adult munias often fed mixed broods of juvenile munias and whydahs and of whydahs exclusively. They fed their own young and the whydahs the same material, a regurgitated mash of seeds and vegetative material. Juvenile whydahs were more openly aggressive than their foster sibling munias, begging much more frequently and loudly, following their foster parents more closely, and often positioning themselves between an adult munia and its offspring.

DISCUSSION Identification Because the native ranges of the Pin-tailed Whydah and Scaly-breasted Munia are allopatric, few references compare the two species. Juvenile Pin-tailed Whydahs are somewhat similar in appearance to juvenile Scaly- breasted Munias, so an overview of the criteria distinguishing them is warranted. Juvenile Pin-tailed Whydahs are slightly smaller than a munia, with a shorter tail and a smaller, blunter bill. Young whydahs are overall slightly colder brown than the uniform warm cinnamon-brown of the Scaly-breasted Munia, and their underparts are a much lighter off-white color. Whydahs possess a slightly paler supercilium offset by a dark eyeline not shown by young munias, as well as more contrasting dark lores. Particularly prominent is the gape pattern: young munias show a simple yellow patch, while juvenile whydahs display an elaborate and conspicuous upside-down “U” shape. The begging calls of a juvenile whydah (Figure 5) are distinctly different from those of a juvenile munia (the latter sounding much like the disyllabic “ki-bee” calls of an adult munia).

Other Potential Hosts In California the Pin-tailed Whydah could be exploiting brood hosts besides the Scaly-breasted Munia, although its use of any other species is probably limited. The Bronze Mannikin has no known breeding populations in California, but eBird data indicate that numbers of this species are increasing, with up to 25 individuals per day reported at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley, Orange County. Smaller numbers are found in other localities, such as Huntington Beach and the Whittier Nar- rows. While J. F. Garrett and others have observed Bronze Mannikins building nests at Mile Square Regional Park, this species constructs com- munal nest-like roosts (Fry 2004), and actual nesting, though likely, has not been confirmed. The Orange-cheeked Waxbill (Estrilda melpoda) is encountered less frequently than the Bronze Mannikin but also occasion- ally observed as an escapee in southern California. At Mile Square Park on 12 September 2015, T. Gussler counted and photographed at least 10, including pairs of adults and juveniles (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/

319 PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA checklist?subID=S24997000). Although this species is not known to nest in California, it is a confirmed host of the Pin-tailed Whydah in its native range (Lowther 2016); if it were to nest in California, it seems plausible that the whydah should exploit it. A less likely additional possible host is the Northern Red Bishop (Euplectes franciscanus) of the weaver family Ploceidae. Its distribution also overlaps substantially with that of the Pin-tailed Whydah in southern California. Whydahs have been observed investigating bishop nests (S. Duncan, pers. comm.), but so far there is no stronger evidence of parasitism. Although native cardueline fringillids the Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria), American Goldfinch (S. tristis), and House Finch are also granivores, roughly similar in size to the munia, and frequently nest in the same areas, they are unlikely candidates for parasitism by the whydah, as all build open-cup nests (Hill 1993, Middleton 1993, Watt and Willoughby 1999). All known estrildid hosts of the whydah build domed nests with side entrances (Goodwin 1982). However, Friedmann (1960) cited single apparent instances in Kenya of Pin-tailed Whydah eggs found in the nest of a cardueline finch (Streaky Seedeater, Crithagra striolata) and an emberizid bunting (Golden-breasted Bunting, Emberiza flaviventris). It is worth noting that Scaly-breasted Munias in California breed primarily in late summer and fall, with a smaller peak in late winter and some breeding continuously year round (Smithson 2000; our observations), while native cardueline granivores nest mainly in spring and early summer (Allen et al. 2016). Given the Pin-tailed Whydah’s flexibility in host selection, it may be able to select hosts that breed at a season different from the Scaly-breasted Munia’s. In Africa breeding by whydahs can occur year -round but is concentrated in rainy periods (Payne 2004).

Other Populations The Pin-tailed Whydah has been introduced to several regions away from Africa, including Puerto Rico (Raffaele 1989) and possibly Florida (Greenlaw et al. 2014). While hosts in Florida are unknown, in Puerto Rico the whydah has parasitized the similarly introduced Orange-cheeked Waxbill as hosts (Payne 2010a). Several introduced estrildids, including the Scaly-breasted Munia, have established themselves in Puerto Rico, and it is possible that Pin-tailed Whydahs parasitize them there. Given that at least some Califor- nia populations of both the Pin-tailed Whydah and Scaly-breasted Munia originated from Puerto Rico rather than through imports directly from Africa and Asia, respectively (S. Duncan, pers. comm.), the entire relationship between host and parasite may have been transplanted from Puerto Rico to California. Also established in Puerto Rico, however, are other estrildids including the Bronze Mannikin and lesser numbers of the Indian Silverbill (Euodice malabarica), Tricolored Munia (Lonchura malacca), and Java Sparrow (Lonchura oryzivora) (Raffaele 1989, Raffaele et al. 2003; www. eBird.org). Apparent plasticity in selection of a host and the absence of a close correlation between degree of mouthpart mimicry and nestling provi- sioning and survival in the Pin-tailed Whydah (Schuetz 2005) suggest that

320 PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA any of these species could be exploited as a brood host. Implications of the Munia–Whydah Host–Parasite Relationship It is uncertain if the increasing California population of the Pin-tailed Whydah might act as a check on the population of the Scaly-breasted Munias; the latter is considered an actual or potential agricultural pest in its native and introduced ranges (Payne 2010b). Currently the California range of the Pin-tailed Whydah is nested within only about 40% of the quasi-contiguous range of the Scaly-breasted Munia in southern and central California (www. eBird.org), shadowing the regions with the densest munia populations. A continued expansion of the whydah’s range seems likely if the munia is in- deed the primary host. We recommend monitoring the whydah’s population ecology and behavior as well as the munia and other potential host species that appear to be in the early stages of naturalization in California. Addition- ally, the troubling, albeit slim, possibility that the Pin-tailed Whydah could parasitize native open-cup nesting granivores such as cardueline finches or emberizid sparrows bears close investigation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are grateful for a research grant from Pasadena Audubon Society to J. F. Garrett to facilitate field work. Many thanks to Jeff Bray for kindly providing his photographs documenting whydah parasitism of munias in Orange County, to Mickey Long for his important sightings, and to Steve Duncan for background on the trade in whydahs and estrildids. Careful reviews by Allison L. Lansverk, Peter Lowther, and Daniel Ruthrauff greatly improved this paper.

LITERATURE CITED Allen, L. W., Garrett, K. L., and Wimer, M. C. 2016. Los Angeles County Breeding Bird Atlas. Los Angeles Audubon Soc., Los Angeles, CA. Friedmann, H. 1960. The parasitic weaverbirds. Bull. U.S.Natl. Mus. 223. Fry, C. H. 2004. Spermestes cucullata, in in The Birds of Africa (C. H. Fry and S. Keith, eds.), vol. 7, pp. 401–405. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ. Goodwin, D. 1982. Estrildid Finches of the World. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, NY. Greenlaw, J. S., Pranty, B., and Bowman, R. 2014. Florida bird species: an annotated list. Fla. Ornithol. Soc. Special Publ. 8. Hill, G. E. 1993. House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) in The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.), no. 46. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia. Johnston, R. F., and Garrett, K. L. 1994. Population trends of introduced birds in western North America. Studies Avian Biol. 15:221–231. Lansverk, A. L., Dogmo, J.-B., Schuetz, J. G., and Balakrishnan, C. N. 2015. Para- sitism of the Black-crowned Waxbill (Estrilda nonnula) by the Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura): Implications for host-specific adaptation by a generalist brood- parasite. Wilson J. Ornithol. 127:733–739. Lowther, P. E. 2016. Host list of avian brood parasites – 5 – Passeriformes; Viduidae, version 19 Jan 2016; www.fieldmuseum.org/sites/default/files/ plowther/2016/01/21/vidua-hosts-19jan2016.pdf. Middleton, A. L. A. 1993. American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis), in The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.), no. 80. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia. Mines, B. M. 1999. Hosts of the Pintailed Whydah (Vidua macroura) in southern Africa. Bird Numbers 8:15–21.

321 PIN-TAILED WHYDAH AS A BROOD PARASITE OF SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA

Payne, R. B. 2004. Vidua macroura, in The Birds of Africa (C. H. Fry and S. Keith, eds.), vol. 7, pp. 420–423. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ. Payne, R. B. 2010a. Family Viduidae (whydahs and indigobirds), in Handbook of the Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, and D. A. Christie, eds), vol. 15, pp. 198–232. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Payne, R. B. 2010b. Family Estrildidae (waxbills), in Handbook of the Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, and D. A. Christie, eds.), vol. 15, pp. 234–377. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Pike, J. E., Garrett, K. L., and Searcy, A. J. 2014. The 38th annual report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2012 records. W. Birds 45:246–275. Pranty, B., and Garrett, K. L. 2011. Under the radar: Non-countable exotic birds in the ABA area. Birding 43:46–58. Raffaele, H. A. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ. Raffaele, H., Wiley, J., Garrido, O., Keith, A., and Raffaele, J. 2003. Birds of the West Indies. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ. Schuetz, J. 2005. Low survival of parasite chicks may result from their imperfect adaptation to hosts rather than expression of defenses against parasitism. Evolu- tion 59:2017–2024. Smithson, W. S. 2000. Breeding biology of the Orange Bishop (Euplectes franciscanus) and Nutmeg Mannikin (Lonchura punctulata) in southern California. Master’s thesis, Calif. State Univ., Long Beach. Watt, D. J., and Willoughby, E. J. 1999. Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria), in The Birds of North America (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.), no. 392. Birds N. Am., Philadelphia. Accepted 24 October 2016

Pin-tailed Whydah Sketch by Tim Manolis

322 BOOK REVIEW

Listening to a Continent Sing: Birdsong by Bicycle from the Atlantic to the Pacific, by Donald Kroodsma. 2016. Princeton University Press. xvi + 287 pp., 125 line drawings, 381 QR codes. Clothbound, $29.95. ISBN 978-0-691-16681-0.

Like any good travelogue, Listening to a Continent Sing is built on a variety of aspects. Naturally there are stories of adventure and mishap, as well as personal reflections on family, career, and revisiting memorable places. History, geology, and the culture of cycling all have major roles in the story. The main topic of the book, however, is bird song. Kroodsma reflects on his career of investigation into the subject as he traverses the country, noting the birds and their songs along the way. Kroodsma and his son embarked on a 71-day, 5000-mile bicycle tour from Virginia to Oregon, retracing the 1976 TransAmerica route. He made every effort to experience the dawn chorus each morning. The best musings on bird song are those based on Kroodsma’s past research experience, such as the importance of repertoire size in the Song Sparrow or the likely species boundaries between the eastern and western Marsh Wrens. At other times, Kroodsma explores various questions such as similari- ties in singing style among different species of vireos, local dialects in the Dickcissel, and amazing mimicry in the European Starling. Other descriptions of the auditory landscape are purely aesthetic, such as the paragraph detailing the dawn chorus of singing Brewer’s Sparrows (p. 167). What really sets this book apart is its soundtrack, a multimedia approach to storytelling that adds much more information than could fit in a 287-page book. There are 381 “quick response” (QR) codes peppered throughout the pages. By scanning a QR code with a smartphone, the reader can listen along to the song or soundscape being described in the text, some of them recorded during the trip. Helpfully, the book begins with instructions on how to scan the QR codes to listen to and download recordings. It also includes a brief introduction to programs that can produce a sonogram of the sound, to help readers gain more from the auditory experience. As Kroodsma says, “as I have learned over the last 40 years, learning to hear with your eyes will give your ears a big boost” (p. vii). The vast majority of QR codes are of bird sounds, but a few represent the soundscape of a cycling trip (e.g., barking dogs, bubbling geysers), and some of my favorites are interviews with people encountered along the way. It’s fun to hear everyday people, with dialects of their own, describe how they experience and enjoy birds and bird song. I made the mistake of first opening this book on an airplane, without the access to the Internet necessary to scan the QR codes and listen along. It was still a fun travelogue containing interesting tidbits of information, but I had to go back and listen to the recordings to get the full, engaging experience. Another dimension to the multimedia experience is the inclusion of 125 line drawings throughout the pages. Most are of birds, but a few depict landscapes or people, adding a visual component to the reader’s immersion in the journey. When a QR code is scanned, it brings up on the smartphone a page with one or more audio clips to play, text describing the sound and often analyzing it in some way, and a photo of the species. All 381 recordings of over 200 species are also searchable on the website, http://www.listeningtoacontinentsing.com, where recordings are downloadable, searchable, and also organized by species and by state. The photos on the website are the main source of errors accompanying a very well-edited book. For example, the page corresponding to recording VA-116 of a singing Common Grackle shows a photo of a female Boat-tailed Grackle, and the page corresponding to recording VA-56 (Alder Flycatcher) also includes an inexplicable photo of a Baltimore Oriole. Such mistakes are, however, few and far between. In all, Listening to a Continent Sing is most valuable for its unique approach to multimedia storytelling and learning. The system of QR codes linking book and

Western Birds 47:323–324, 2016 323 BOOK REVIEW online resources works tremendously well for these purposes, and I expect to see this technique become common if not the norm for reference books as well. As a travelogue, the story of Donald and David Kroodsma’s adventure is heartfelt, inspiring, and interesting. For an enthusiast of birding by ear, the accompanying recordings and diverse information throughout enrich the experience, although Kroodsma’s The Singing Life of Birds (2005, Houghton Mifflin) makes a better reference for much of the same information. Readers will enjoy Listening to a Continent Sing as a story and to see and hear birds from Kroodsma’s experienced point of view. Lauren B. Harter

THANKS TO WESTERN BIRDS’ REVIEWERS AND ASSOCIATE EDITORS Peer review is a critical step in the publication of a scientific journal. I thank the following people for their generosity in taking the time to provide this essential service sustaining the scientific quality of Western Birds for volume 47: Dan Anderson, Kurt E. Anderson, James Bailey, Lance Benner, Christopher J. Clark, William S. Clark, David Craig, R. W. R. J. Dekker, Stephen J. Dinsmore, Rob Doster, James and Patricia Duncan, Jon L. Dunn*, Richard A. Erickson, Douglas W. Faulkner*, Kimball L. Gar- rett*, Rich Glinski, Richard T. Golightly, Steven C. Heinl, Paul Hess, Adam Hutchings, Robert S. A. Kaler, David J. Krueper, Barbara E. Kus, Allison L. Lansverk, Paul E. Lehman*, Steve B. Lewis, Michael Long, Peter Lowther, Jeff Marks, Ron Martin, Chet McGaugh, Carol L. McIntyre, Kathy C. Molina, Brian Myers, Klaus Malling Olsen, Chris Olson, Allison Patterson, Brian D. Peer, Larkin Powell, Peter Pyle*, David E. Quady, Spencer Sealy, John Sterling, Scott Terrill, Bill Tweit, Nils Warnock, Mary Whitfield, Karen Wiebe, R. Haven Wiley, Jack J. Withrow*, and Christopher C. Witt*. Asterisks designate reviewers who reviewed more than one paper. In addition our associate editors, Kenneth P. Able, Matthew J. Baumann, Daniel S. Cooper, Thomas Gardali, Daniel D. Gibson, Robert E. Gill, Ronald R. LeValley, and Dan Reinking, and Daniel R. Ruthrauff, plus featured-photo editor John Sterling, also serve as reviewers of the manuscripts whose review they coordinate, and often of additional manuscripts at the request of other associate editors. Western Birds is not possible without their teamwork and dedication. And I thank book-review editor Lauren Harter, assistant editor Dan Gibson, graphics manager Ginger Johnson, photo editor Peter LaTourrette, and webmaster/designer/typographer Tim Brittain for continuing in their roles as vital players in our team producing Western Birds. Philip Unitt

324 FEATURED PHOTO Common Black Hawk × Red-shouldered Hawk in California Lisa Hug, 507 North Main St., Sebastopol, California 95472; [email protected]

Since at least May 2005, a Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) has resided at Delta Pond, between Graton and Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California (Iliff et al. 2007). It was likely at the same location in October 2000, but that report was inadequately supported (McKee and Erickson 2002, Iliff et al. 2007). On 18 February 2009 Stan Moore banded the bird, identifying it as a female. On 21 July 2012, during a Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation field trip, I saw a juvenile hawk, closely following the adult female Common Black Hawk, with the birds calling to each other continuously. I saw the juvenile on two additional visits in summer 2012, each time with the Common Black Hawk. In 2014, Stan Moore (pers. comm.) observed the female nesting with a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). Recordings of the juvenile and the female Common Black Hawk are available at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=XXgU928a7Jg. The overall plumage and facial pattern of the juvenile hawk matched the streaked pattern of a juvenile Common Black Hawk (see ventral view on this issue’s outside back cover). The bird had a prominent light buffy eyebrow, a dark malar stripe, a pale lower cheek, and a dark mask over its eye. However, the bird looked slightly slimmer, with a slightly smaller bill, and perhaps slimmer legs, than a typical Common Black Hawk. Also, a Common Black Hawk typically has wavy white bands on the upper surface of the tail. This bird had straight buffy barring, as seen in the dorsal view on this issue’s outside back cover. It also lacked the pale base of the bill of a juvenile Common Black Hawk (B. Clark pers. comm.). The Common Black Hawk is an extremely rare vagrant in California. The California Bird Records Committee has accepted records representing at least 10 individuals. In addition to Delta Pond, sites of other northern California records include Stockton, San Joaquin County (24 February–12 March 2004 and 1 October 2004–12 March 2005), Aromas, San Benito County (31 March 2008), and near Tiburon, Marin County (2 April 2008). The California Bird Records Committee considers at least the sightings in San Benito and Marin counties in 2008 to represent the same individual that has spent most of the last 11 years in Sonoma County (Hamilton et al. 2007, www.californiabirds.org/cbrc_book/update.pdf). A comprehensive literature search revealed no other records of a Common Black- Hawk hybridizing with a Red-shouldered Hawk. In general, hybridization of these two species is extremely unlikely because there is very little overlap in their breeding ranges and intergeneric avian hybrids are relatively rare in nature. The Red-shouldered Hawk has recently bred in Arizona, where it was formerly an “irregular and sparse visitor” (Monson and Phillips 1981). It continues to be rare throughout Arizona, but a small resident breeding population has become established on the Hassayampa River in Maricopa County (Corman and Wise-Gervais 2005), also the only site resulting from a search at www. eBird.org for localities of June/July records the Red-shouldered and Common Black hawks have in common. In spite of the report of the Common Black Hawk there on 17 July 1997 (J. Holloway), surveys in this area in spring 2016 by C. Kondrat-Smith (fide R. Glinski pers. comm.) have confirmed three nesting pairs of the Red-shouldered Hawk but no breeding of the Common Black Hawk—a significant change since 2006. The Red-shouldered Hawk is expanding its range in Arizona while

Western Birds 47:325–326, 2016; doi 10.21199/WB47.4.5 325 featured photo populations of the Common Black Hawk populations are holding steady (R. Glinski pers. comm.), possibly increasing the opportunities for these species to hybridize. There is also a slight possibility of the two species occurring together during breeding season along the Rio Grande in Texas. The Texas Breeding Bird Atlas map shows confirmed breeding of the Common Black Hawk coinciding with possible breeding of the Red-shouldered Hawk in Val Verde County (Telfair 2007, Tweit 2007). In the lower Rio Grande valley, breeding of the Red-shouldered Hawk was confirmed during the Texas Breeding Bird Atlas survey period (1987–1992), but there are no recent breeding records and no records of breeding of the Common Black Hawk at any time (B. Clark pers. comm.). I thank Guy Smith for allowing property access to observe this hawk. I also thank Stan Moore for all his time and patience that he spent studying the Common Black Hawk’s habits and behavior over the years. Thank you Steve Howell for helping me document the 2012 hybrid juvenile bird. I also thank John Sterling, Bill Clark, Rich Glinski, Philip Unitt, and Scott Terrill for information and their patient editing work.

LITERATURE CITED Corman, T. E., and Wise-Gervais, C. 2005. Arizona Breeding Bird Atlas. Univ. New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. Hamilton, R. A., Patten, M. A., and Erickson, R. A. (eds.). 2007. Rare Birds of California. W. Field Ornithol., Camarillo, CA. Iliff, M. J., McCaskie, G., and Heindel, M. T. 2007. The 31st report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2005 records. W. Birds 38:161–205. McKee, T., and Erickson, R. A. 2002. Report of the California Bird Records Com- mittee: 2000 records. W. Birds 33:175–201. Telfair, R. C. II. 2007. Red-shouldered Hawk, in The Texas Breeding Bird Atlas (K. L. P. Benson and K. A. Arnold, eds.), Texas A&M Univ. System, College Station and Corpus Christi, TX; http://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/red-shouldered- hawk/. Tweit, R. C. 2007. Common Black Hawk, in The Texas Breeding Bird Atlas (K. L. P. Benson and K. A. Arnold, eds.), Texas A&M Univ. System, College Station and Corpus Christi, TX; http://txtbba.tamu.edu/species-accounts/common- black-hawk.

Wing your way to…. Western Field Ornithologists’ 42nd Annual Conference

Pueblo Convention Center 320 Central Main Street Pueblo, Colorado 16–20 August 2017

326 WESTERN BIRDS, INDEX, VOLUME 47, 2016 Compiled by Daniel D. Gibson Acanthis flammea, 22–23 Bean-Goose, Tundra, 4 hornemanni, 110–111, 114 Beauprez, Grant M., see Meyer, R. A. Actitis hypoleucos, 167–169 berryorum, Rallus longirostris, 262–273 macularius, 138–150 bewickii, Cygnus columbianus, 88 Aechmophorus clarkii, 138–150 Bittern, American, 138–150 Aegolius acadicus, 227–230 Blackbird, Brewer’s, 138–150 Aethia cristatella, 112 Red-winged, 138–150 Agelaius phoeniceus, 138–150 Rusty, 22, 288, 309 tricolor, 138–150 Tricolored, 138–150 Aix sponsa, 138–150 Yellow-headed, 138–150 Albatross, Chatham, 293 Blailes, Princess, see Olsen, A. R. Salvin’s, 293 Bluebird, Western, 138–150 Short-tailed, 5, 89, 294 Bombycilla cedrorum, 138–150 Ammodramus leconteii, 21, 288, 308 Booby, Blue-footed, 7–9, 296 savannarum, 133, 138–150, 288 Brown, 90, 124 Anas acuta, 138–150 Masked, 6, 294 americana, 138–150 Masked/Nazca, 6, 294 clypeata, 138–150 Nazca, 6–7, 58–66, 294 crecca, 138–150 Botaurus lentiginosus, 138–150 cyanoptera, 138–150 Brachyramphus perdix, 94–95, 112 discors, 138–150 Brambling, 110, 114, 309 falcata, 88, 293 Brant, 122 platyrhynchos, 138–150 Branta bernicla, 122 querquedula, 88, 293 canadensis, 138–150 rubripes, 111, 277 leucopsis, 114 strepera, 138–150 Bubo scandiacus, 130 Anser albifrons, 138–150 virginianus, 138–150 serrirostris, 4 Bubulcus ibis, 138–150 Anthus hodgsoni, 287, 307 Bunting, Indigo, 109 rubescens, 138–150 Lazuli, 138–150 Antrostomus carolinensis, 283 Little, 21 vociferus, 16 McKay’s, 104–106 Aphelocoma californica, 138–150 Painted, 109, 114, 135, 288 Apus apus, 16–17 Rustic, 308 Archilochus alexandri, 138–150 Snow, 20, 307 colubris, 17, 283, 304 Varied, 308–309 Ardea alba, 138–150 Bushtit, 102, 138–150 herodias, 138–150 Bushuev, Andrey V., and Ershova, Eliza- Arenaria interpres, 128 veta A., A record of a Siberian Ruby- Asio flammeus, 151–160 throat in the Arctic Ocean, 74–75 Athene cunicularia, 138–150 Buteo brachyurus, 10 Auklet, Crested, 112 jamaicensis, 138–150, 234–236 Avocet, American, 138–150 lineatus, 91, 325–326 Aythya affinis, 138–150 lineatus × Buteogallus anthracinus, americana, 138–150 325–326 collaris, 138–150 plagiatus, 10, 177–179, 299 fuligula, 88–89, 111 platypterus, 91, 111–112 valisineria, 138–150 swainsoni, 138–150 Buteogallus anthracinus, 126, 278, Baeolophus inornatus, 138–150 310, 325–326 Bartels, Matt, see Mlodinow, S. G. × Buteo lineatus, 325–326

Western Birds 47:327–335, 2016 327 Index

Butorides virescens, 138–150 Circus cyaneus, 138–150, 231–233 Cistothorus palustris, 138–150 Calcarius ornatus, 102, 133 Coccyzus americanus, 98 pictus, 102 Columbina passerina, 282 Calidris falcinellus, 302 talpacoti, 282–283 ferruginea, 12–13, 94, 112 Contopus sordidulus, 138–150 fuscicollis, 13, 94, 112 virens, 17, 99, 305 mauri, 138–150 Coot, American, 138–150 minuta, 13, 58–66 Coragyps atratus, 9–10, 299 minutilla, 138–150 Cormorant, Double-crested, 138–150 pugnax, 128, 279 Neotropic, 9, 124, 277–279 ruficollis, 13, 94, 112, 303 Red-faced, 9, 111 subruficollis, 128, 279–282 Corvus brachyrhynchos, 138–150 Callipepla californica, 138–150 corax, 138–150 Calonectris diomedea, 294 Cowbird, Bronzed, 135 Calypte anna, 138–150, 237–241 Brown-headed, 138–150 costae, 99, 112–113 Crow, American, 138–150 Canvasback, 138–150 Cuckoo, Yellow-billed, 98 Caracara, Crested, 17, 304–305 Culbertson, Eric B., First documented re- Caracara cheriway, 17, 304–305 cord of the Gray Hawk in California, Cardellina canadensis, 107 177–179 pusilla, 138–150 Curlew, Long-billed, 138–150 rubrifrons, 21, 133, 308 Cyanocitta cristata, 132, 287, 306 Cardinal, Northern, 114–115, 134–135 Cygnus buccinator, 277 Cardinalis cardinalis, 114–115, columbianus, 88 134–135 Cynanthus latirostris, 17, 304 sinuatus, 21–22, 135 Carling, Matthew D., see Maley, J. M. Daniels, Brian E., see Rottenborn, S. C. Carlisle, Jay, Southernmost breeding David, Reginald E., see Pratt, T. K. of the Northern Hawk Owl in the Dendrocygna autumnalis, 292 United States, 81–83 Dickcissel, 109, 135 Cathartes aura, 138–150 DiGaudio, Ryan, see Kahara, S. N. Catharus fuscescens, 20, 132, 307 Dixon, Mark D., see Swanson, D. L. minimus, 113, 287, 307 Dove, Common Ground-, 282 Catherpes mexicanus, 50–57 Mourning, 138–150 Chamaea fasciata, 138–150 Ruddy Ground-, 282–283 Charadrius hiaticula, 112 White-winged, 98 mongolus, 10, 91, 299 Dowitcher, Long-billed, 138–150 montanus, 91–94 Duck, American Black, 111, 277 nivosus, 38–49 Black-bellied Whistling-, 292 semipalmatus, 138–150 Falcated, 88, 293 vociferus, 138–150 Ring-necked, 138–150 wilsonia, 10, 91, 300 Ruddy, 138–150 Chen, Po-Hao, see Olsen, A. R. Tufted, 88–89, 111 Chen caerulescens, 138–150 Wood, 138–150 canagica, 4, 88, 111 Duffy, Walter G., see Kahara, S. N. Chlidonias niger, 182–213 Dunn, Jon L., see Singer, D. S. Choi, Chang-Yong, and Xiao, Xiangming, Collision of a Red-tailed Hawk with Eberdong, Milang, see Olsen, A. R. an artificial duck-nesting structure, Egret, Cattle, 138–150 234–236 Great, 138–150 Chondestes grammacus, 138–150 Reddish, 126 Chroicocephalus ridibundus, 97, 303 Snowy, 91, 138–150 Chuck-will’s-widow, 283 Egretta caerulea, 91, 125–126

328 Index

rufescens, 126 The Pin-tailed Whydah as a brood thula, 91, 138–150 parasite of the Scaly-breasted Munia Eider, Common, 89 in southern California, 314–322; see King, 4, 293 Rottenborn, S. C. Elanoides forficatus, 10 Garrett, Kimball L., see Garrett, J. F. Elanus leucurus, 126, 138–150 Gavia adamsii, 5, 122, 293 Emberiza pusilla, 21 arctica, 5, 111, 293 rustica, 308 stellata, 122, 277 Empidonax alnorum, 113 Geothlypis formosa, 287 flaviventris, 17, 305 philadelphia, 20, 113, 308 Eremophila alpestris, 138–150 trichas, 138–150 Erickson, Richard A., Allen’s Humming- Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray, 102 bird nests in Mexico: Expansion of Godwit, Bar-tailed, 12 Selasphorus sasin sedentarius into Hudsonian, 12, 302 Baja California, 161–166 Golden-Plover, American, 279 Ershova, Elizaveta A., see Bushuev, A. V. Goldfinch, American, 138–150 Eudocimus albus, 297 Lawrence’s, 111 Eugenes fulgens, 283 Goose, Barnacle, 114 Euphagus carolinus, 22, 288, 309 Canada, 138–150 cyanocephalus, 138–150 Emperor, 4, 88, 111 Greater White-fronted, 138–150 Falco rusticolus, 305 Snow, 138–150 sparverius, 138–150 Tundra Bean-, 4 Finch, House, 138–150 Grackle, Common, 22, 109–110, 309 Purple, 110, 114, 288–289 Great-tailed, 110, 138–150 Fletcher, Dawn, Vander Pluym, David, Grebe, Clark’s, 138–150 Preston, Mel, and Leist, Amy, Can- Great Crested, 111 yon Wrens breeding in desert riparian Pied-billed, 138–150 vegetation: First records in a novel Grosbeak, Black-headed, 138–150 habitat, 50–57 Blue, 138–150 Flycatcher, Alder, 113 Ground-Dove, Common, 282 Ash-throated, 138–150 Ruddy, 282–283 Dusky-capped, 17–18, 305 Gull, Black-headed, 97, 303 Great Crested, 18, 305 Black-tailed, 97, 112, 303 Scissor-tailed, 100, 132 Glaucous, 130, 282 Sulphur-bellied, 306 Great Black-backed, 15 Vermilion, 100 Heermann’s, 129, 282 Yellow-bellied, 17, 305 Herring, 97–98 Fratercula corniculata, 95–96, 112 Iceland, 13–15, 98, 112, 303 Fregata magnificens, 6, 124, 296 Lesser Black-backed, 98, 129–130, magnificens/minor/ariel, 6, 296–297 282 Fregata (sp.), 90 Little, 13, 129, 303 Frigatebird, Magnificent, 6, 124, 296 Mew, 129 Magnificent/Great/Lesser, 6, 296–297 Ring-billed, 138–150 frigatebird (sp.), 90 Ross’s, 97 Fringilla montifringilla, 110, 114, 309 Slaty-backed, 15, 98, 303–304 Fulica americana, 138–150 Western, 129, 170–172 Yellow-legged, 303 Gadwall, 138–150 Gyrfalcon, 305 Gallinula galeata, 138–150 Gallinule, Common, 138–150 Haemorhous mexicanus, 138–150 Gannet, Northern, 310 purpureus, 110, 114, 288–289 Garganey, 88, 293 Haines, David B., see Shuford, W. D. Garrett, John F., and Garrett, Kimball L., Harrier, Northern, 138–150, 231–233

329 Index

Harter, Lauren B., Book Review: Better Parasitic, 129, 242–257, 282 Birding: Tips, Tools & Concepts for Pomarine, 242–257 the Field, 173–175; Book Review: Janes, Stewart W., and Ryker, Lee, Type Listening to a Continent Sing: Bird- I and II songs of Townsend’s Warblers song by Bicycle from the Atlantic in Oregon and Washington, 67–73 to the Pacific, 323–324; see Singer, Jay, Blue, 132, 287, 306 D. S. Gray, 286–287 Hawk, Broad-winged, 91, 111–112 Western Scrub-, 138–150 Common Black, 126, 278, 310, Juárez, Roselvy C., see Maley, J. M. 325–326 Common Black × Red-shouldered, Kahara, Sharon N., Duffy, Walter G., 325–326 DiGaudio, Ryan, and Records, Rose- Gray, 10, 177–179, 299 mary, Factors influencing nontarget Harris’s, 126–128 bird occupancy of restored wet- Red-shouldered, 91, 325–326 lands in California’s Central Valley, Red-tailed, 138–150, 234–236 138–150 Short-tailed, 10 Kestrel, American, 138–150 Swainson’s, 138–150 Ketebengang, Heather, see Olsen, A. R. Heath, Sacha K., see Shuford, W. D. Killdeer, 138–150 Helmitheros vermivorum, 308 Kingbird, Couch’s, 286–287 Heron, Black-crowned Night-, 138–150 Thick-billed, 18, 286, 306 Great Blue, 138–150 Tropical, 100, 130–132 Green, 138–150 Tropical/Couch’s, 100 Little Blue, 91, 125–126 Western, 138–150 Himantopus mexicanus, 138–150 Kingfisher, Belted, 138–150 Hirundo rustica, 138–150 Kite, Mississippi, 10, 299 Hug, Lisa, Common Black Hawk × Swallow-tailed, 10 Red-shouldered Hawk in California, White-tailed, 126, 138–150 325–326 Kittiwake, Black-legged, 129 Hummingbird, Allen’s, 161–166 Red-legged, 96 Anna’s, 138–150, 237–241 Black-chinned, 138–150 Lampornis clemenciae, 304 Blue-throated, 304 Lanius ludovicianus, 138–150 Broad-billed, 17, 304 Lark, Horned, 138–150 Broad-tailed, 113 Larus argentatus, 97–98 Costa’s, 99, 112–113 brachyrhynchus, 129 Magnificent, 283 crassirostris, 97, 112, 303 Ruby-throated, 17, 283, 304 delawarensis, 138–150 Hydrocoloeus minutus, 13, 129, 303 fuscus, 98, 129–130, 282 Hydroprogne caspia, 138–150, glaucoides, 13–15, 98, 112, 303 182–213 heermanni, 129, 282 Hylocichla mustelina, 20 hyperboreus, 130, 282 marinus, 15 Ibis, Glossy, 9, 297–299 michahellis, 303 White, 297 occidentalis, 129, 170–172 White-faced, 138–150 schistisagus, 15, 98, 303–304 Icterus bullockii, 138–150 Laterallus jamaicensis, 279 cucullatus, 110 Leist, Amy, see Fletcher, D. galbula, 110, 136, 288 Limnodromus scolopaceus, 138–150 spurius, 110, 135–136, 288 Limosa haemastica, 12, 302 Ictinia mississippiensis, 10, 299 lapponica, 12 iliaca, Passerella iliaca, 109, 114 Lonchura punctulata, 314–322 Longspur, Chestnut-collared, 102, 133 Jaeger, Long-tailed, 129, 242–257 McCown’s, 102–104, 133

330 Index

Smith’s, 102 Motacilla alba, 20 Loon, Arctic, 5, 111, 293 Munia, Scaly-breasted, 314–322 Red-throated, 122, 277 Murre, Thick-billed, 94, 112 Yellow-billed, 5, 122, 293 Murrelet, Guadalupe, 95 Luscinia calliope, 74–75 Long-billed, 94–95, 112 Scripps’s, 95 Magpie, Yellow-billed, 138–150 Scripps’s/Craveri’s, 95 Maley, James M., McCormack, John E., Scripps’s/Guadalupe, 95 Tsai, Whitney L. E., Schwab, Emiko Scripps’s/Guadalupe/Craveri’s, 95, M., van Dort, John, Juárez, Roselvy 112 C., and Carling, Matthew D., Fonse- Mycteria americana, 124 ca Mangrove Rail: A new subspecies Myiarchus cinerascens, 138–150 from Honduras, 262–273 crinitus, 18, 305 Mallard, 138–150 tuberculifer, 17–18, 305 Martin, Purple, 132, 287 Myioborus pictus, 133, 288 McCaskie, Guy, see Rottenborn, S. C.; Myiodynastes luteiventris, 306 see Singer, D. S. McCormack, John E., see Maley, J. M. Nelson, Kristie N., see Shuford, W. D. Meadowlark, Eastern, 109 Night-Heron, Black-crowned, 138–150 Western, 138–150 Numenius americanus, 138–150 Megapode, Micronesian, 27–37 phaeopus, 138–150 Megapodius laperouse, 27–37 Nuthatch, White-breasted, 138–150 megarhyncha, Passerella iliaca, Nycticorax nycticorax, 138–150 107–109 Melanitta americana, 122, 277 Oceanodroma castro, 111 Meleagris gallopavo, 138–150 homochroa, 111 Meliopoulos, Deeanne T., see Meyer, microsoma, 122–124 R. A. Oenanthe oenanthe, 102 Melospiza melodia, 138–150 Olsen, Alan R., Eberdong, Milang, Melozone crissalis, 138–150 Ketebengang, Heather, Blailes, Prin- Meyer, Raymond A., Meliopoulos, Dee- cess, and Chen, Po-Hao, Survey of anne T., Beauprez, Grant M., and megapode nesting mounds in Palau, Williams, Sartor O. III, Breeding of Micronesia, 27–37 the Short-eared Owl in New Mexico, Onychoprion fuscatus, 304 151–160 Oporornis agilis, 287, 308 Meyers, Martin, Nevada Bird Records Oreothlypis celata, 138–150 Committee report for 2014, peregrina, 106, 113 120–137; see Tinsman, J. ruficapilla, 106 Micrathene whitneyi, 16, 283, 304 virginiae, 214–226 Mimus polyglottos, 138–150 Oriole, Baltimore, 110, 136, 288 Mlodinow, Steven, Book Review: Rare Bullock’s, 138–150 Birds of North America, 76–78; Hooded, 110 and Bartels, Matt, Tenth report of the Orchard, 110, 135–136, 288 Washington Bird Records Commit- Ovenbird, 106 tee, 86–119 Owl, Burrowing, 138–150 Mniotilta varia, 106, 113 Elf, 16, 283, 304 Mockingbird, Northern, 138–150 Great Horned, 138–150 Molothrus aeneus, 135 Northern Hawk, 81–83, 98–99 ater, 138–150 Northern Saw-whet, 227–230 Morrow, Jill, see Morrow, L. Short-eared, 151–160 Morrow, Lance, and Morrow, Jill, North- Snowy, 130 ern Harriers nesting in sagebrush Oxyura jamaicensis, 138–150 steppe in central Wyoming, 231–233 Morus bassanus, 310 Page, Gary W., see Shuford, W. D.

331 Index

Palmer, Jeffrey S., see Swanson D. L. Pipit, American, 138–150 Parabuteo unicinctus, 126–128 Olive-backed, 287, 307 Parkesia motacilla, 20, 133, 287 Piranga flava, 133–134 Parula, Northern, 106–107 ludoviciana, 138–150 Passer domesticus, 138–150 rubra, 109 Passerculus sandwichensis, 138–150 Plectrophenax hyperboreus, 104–106 Passerella iliaca, 107–109, 114 nivalis, 20, 307 Passerina amoena, 138–150 Plegadis chihi, 138–150 caerulea, 138–150 falcinellus, 9, 297–299 ciris, 109, 114, 135, 288 Plover, American Golden-, 279 cyanea, 109 Black-bellied, 138–150 versicolor, 308–309 Common Ringed, 112 Paxton, Eben H., see Pratt, T. K. Lesser Sand-, 10, 91, 299 Pelecanus erythrorhynchus, 138–150 Mountain, 91–94 occidentalis, 124–125, 170–172, Semipalmated, 138–150 279 Snowy, 38–49 Pelican, American White, 138–150 Wilson’s, 10, 91, 300 Brown, 124–125, 170–172, 279 plumbeus, Psaltriparus minimus, 102 Perisoreus canadensis, 286–287 Pluvialis dominica, 279 Petrel, Ashy Storm-, 111 squatarola, 138–150 Band-rumped Storm-, 111 Podiceps cristatus, 111 Galapagos/Hawaiian, 5 Podilymbus podiceps, 138–150 Hawaiian, 5 Polioptila caerulea, 102 Least Storm-, 122–124 Pratt, Thane K., David, Reginald E., and Mottled, 89–90 Paxton, Eben H., First record of the Murphy’s, 89 Common Sandpiper for the Hawai- Stejneger’s, 294 ian Islands, 167–169 Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, 138–150 Preston, Mel, see Fletcher, D. Peucaea cassinii, 308 Progne subis, 132, 287 Pewee, Eastern Wood-, 17, 99, 305 Psaltriparus minimus, 102, 138–150 Western Wood-, 138–150 Pterodroma inexpectata, 89–90 Phaethon rubricauda, 294 longirostris, 294 Phainopepla, 113 phaeopygia/sandwichensis, 5 Phainopepla nitens, 113 sandwichensis, 5 Phalacrocorax auritus, 138–150 ultima, 89 brasilianus, 9, 124, 277–279 Puffin, Horned, 95–96, 112 urile, 9, 111 Puffinus gravis, 5–6, 90 Phalarope, Red, 128–129 pacificus, 6, 90 Red-necked, 138–150 purpureus, Haemorhous purpureus, Wilson’s, 138–150 110, 114 Phalaropus fulicarius, 128–129 Pyle, Peter, and Reed, Martin, Molts and lobatus, 138–150 plumages in the Long-tailed and tricolor, 138–150 other jaegers: An “alternate” expla- Phasianus colchicus, 138–150 nation for nonbreeding plumages?, Pheasant, Ring-necked, 138–150 242–257 Pheucticus melanocephalus, 138–150 Pyrocephalus rubinus, 100 Phoebastria albatrus, 5, 89, 294 Pyrrhuloxia, 21–22, 135 Phoebe, Black, 99–100, 138–150 Eastern, 100, 113 Pica nuttalli, 138–150 Quady, David E., Book Review: Solano Picoides nuttallii, 138–150 County Breeding Bird Atlas, 78–79 pubescens, 138–150 Quail, California, 138–150 Pintail, Northern, 138–150 Quiscalus mexicanus, 110, 138–150 Pipilo maculatus, 138–150 quiscula, 22, 109–110, 309

332 Index

Rail, Black, 279 Searcy, Adam James, see Yang, D-S. Mangrove, 262–273 sedentarius, Selasphorus sasin, Virginia, 138–150 161–166 Rallus limicola, 138–150 Seiurus aurocapilla, 106 longirostris, 262–273 Selasphorus platycercus, 113 Raven, Common, 138–150 sasin, 161–166 Records, Rosemary, see Kahara, S. N. senex, Megapodius laperouse, 27–37 Recurvirostra americana, 138–150 Sesser, Kristin A., see Shuford, W. D. Redhead, 138–150 Setophaga americana, 106–107 Redpoll, Common, 22–23 caerulescens, 107 Hoary, 110–111, 114 castanea, 107, 113 Redshank, Spotted, 302 citrina, 106, 113 Redstart, Painted, 133, 288 fusca, 113–114, 288 Redwing, 113 graciae, 21, 308 Reed, Martin, see Pyle, P. magnolia, 107 Rhodostethia rosea, 97 pensylvanica, 107 Rhynchophanes mccownii, 102–104, petechia, 138–150 133 pinus, 21 Rissa brevirostris, 96 striata, 107, 114 tridactyla, 129 tigrina, 20–21, 308 Robin, American, 138–150 townsendi, 67–73 Rufous-backed, 20, 307 Shearwater, Cory’s, 294 Rottenborn, Stephen C., McCaskie, Guy, Great, 5–6, 90 Daniels, Brian E., and Garrett, John, Wedge-tailed, 6, 90 The 39th annual report of the Califor- Shoveler, Northern, 138–150 nia Bird Records Committee: 2013 Shrike, Loggerhead, 138–150 records, 2–26; see Yang, D-S. Shuford, W. David, Page, Gary W., Rubythroat, Siberian, 74–75 Heath, Sacha K., and Nelson, Kristie Rudeen, Carl, and Bassett, Fred, Appar- N., Factors influencing the abundance ent breeding by Anna’s Hummingbird and distribution of the Snowy Plover in Idaho, 237–241 at Mono Lake, California, 38–49; Ruff, 128, 279 and Sesser, Kristin A., Strum, Khara ruficapilla, Oreothlypis ruficapilla, 106 M., Haines, David B., and Skalos, Ryker, Lee, see Janes, S. W. Daniel A., Numbers of terns breeding inland in California: Trends or tribula- Sandpiper, Broad-billed, 302 tions?, 182–213 Buff-breasted, 128, 279–282 Sialia mexicana, 138–150 Common, 167–169 Singer, Daniel S., Dunn, Jon L., Harter, Curlew, 12–13, 94, 112 Lauren B., and McCaskie, Guy, The Least, 138–150 40th annual report of the California Marsh, 10–12, 302 Bird Records Committee: 2014 Spotted, 138–150 records, 291–313 Western, 138–150 Sitta carolinensis, 138–150 White-rumped, 13, 94, 112 Skalos, Daniel A., see Shuford, W. D. Wood, 94 Snipe, Wilson’s, 138–150 Sand-Plover, Lesser, 10, 91, 299 Somateria mollissima, 89 Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied, 99 spectabilis, 4, 293 Sayornis nigricans, 99–100, 138–150 Sparrow, Cassin’s, 308 phoebe, 100, 113 Field, 21 Scaup, Lesser, 138–150 Fox, 107, 109, 114 Schwab, Emiko M., see Maley, J. M. Grasshopper, 133, 138–150, 288 Scolopax minor, 282 House, 138–150 Scoter, Black, 122, 277 Lark, 138–150 Scrub-Jay, Western, 138–150 Le Conte’s, 21, 288, 308

333 Index

Savannah, 138–150 Western, 138–150 Song, 138–150 Tattler, Wandering, 279 White-crowned, 138–150 Teal, Blue-winged, 138–150 Sphyrapicus varius, 99 Cinnamon, 138–150 Spinus lawrencei, 111 Green-winged, 138–150 tristis, 138–150 Tern, Black, 183–213 Spiza americana, 109, 135 Caspian, 138–150, 183–213 Spizella pusilla, 21 Forster’s, 138–150, 183–213 Starling, European, 138–150 Least, 98 Stelgidopteryx serripennis, 138–150 Sandwich, 15–16 Stercorarius longicaudus, 129, Sooty, 304 242–257 Terrill, Scott, see Yang, D-S. parasiticus, 129, 242–257, 282 Thalassarche eremita, 293 pomarinus, 242–257 salvini, 293 Sterna forsteri, 138–150, 182–213 Thalasseus sandvicensis, 15–16 Sternula antillarum, 98 Thrasher, Brown, 102 Stilt, Black-necked, 138–150 Curve-billed, 287, 307, 310 Stint, Little, 13, 58–66 Thrush, Gray-cheeked, 113, 287, 307 Red-necked, 13, 94, 112, 303 Wood, 20 Stork, Wood, 124 Thryomanes bewickii, 138–150 Storm-Petrel, Ashy, 111 Tinsman, Jeanne, and Meyers, Martin, Band-rumped, 111 Nevada Bird Records Committee Least, 122–124 report for 2015, 274–290 Strum, Khara M., see Shuford, W. D. Titmouse, Oak, 138–150 Sturnella magna, 109 Towhee, California, 138–150 neglecta, 138–150 Spotted, 138–150 Sturnus vulgaris, 138–150 Toxostoma curvirostre, 287, 307 Sula dactylatra, 6, 294 rufum, 102 dactylatra/granti, 6, 294 Tringa erythropus, 302 granti, 6–7, 58–66, 294 flavipes, 138–150 leucogaster, 90, 124 glareola, 94 nebouxii, 7–9, 296 incana, 279 Surnia ulula, 81–83, 98–99 melanoleuca, 138–150 Swallow, Barn, 138–150 stagnatilis, 10–12, 302 Cliff, 138–150 Troglodytes aedon, 138–150 Northern Rough-winged, 138–150 hiemalis, 19–20, 132, 307 Tree, 138–150 Tropicbird, Red-tailed, 294 Swan, Trumpeter, 277 Tsai, Whitney L. E., see Maley, J. M. Tundra, 88 Turdus iliacus, 113 Swanson, David L., Dixon, Mark D., and migratorius, 138–150 Palmer, Jeffrey S., A reassessment of rufopalliatus, 20, 307 the distribution of Virginia’s Warbler Turkey, Wild, 138–150 in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Turnstone, Ruddy, 128 214–226 Tyrannus couchii, 286–287 Swift, Common, 16–17 crassirostris, 18, 286, 306 Synthliboramphus hypoleucus, 95 forficatus, 100, 132 scrippsi, 95 melancholicus, 100, 130–132 scrippsi/craveri, 95 melancholicus/couchii, 100 scrippsi/hypoleucus, 95 verticalis, 138–150 scrippsi/hypoleucus/craveri, 95, 112 Uria lomvia, 94, 112 Tachycineta bicolor, 138–150 Tanager, Hepatic, 133–134 Vander Pluym, David, A kleptoparasitic Summer, 109 chase by Brown Pelicans on a Western

334 Index

Gull, 170–172; see Fletcher, D. Pine, 21 Van Dort, John, see Maley, J. M. Red-faced, 21, 133, 308 Vaughan, Douglas, Renesting and prob- Tennessee, 106. 113 able double-brooding by Northern Townsend’s, 67–73 Saw-whet Owls: A response to prey Virginia’s, 214–226 abundance?, 227–230 Wilson’s, 138–150 Veery, 20, 132, 307 Worm-eating, 308 vegae, Larus argentatus, 97–98 Yellow, 138–150 Vermivora cyanoptera, 20, 106 Waterthrush, Louisiana, 20, 133, 287 Vidua macroura, 314–322 Waxwing, Cedar, 138–150 Villablanca, Francis X., see Yang, D-S. Wheatear, Northern, 102 Vireo, Bell’s, 100 Whimbrel, 138–150 Blue-headed, 18–19, 100–102, 113, Whip-poor-will, Eastern, 16 306 Whistling-Duck, Black-bellied, 292 Philadelphia, 132 Whydah, Pin-tailed, 314–322 Red-eyed, 132, 286 Wigeon, American, 138–150 Warbling, 138–150 Williams, Sartor O. III, see Meyer, R. A. White-eyed, 286, 306 Woodcock, American, 282 Yellow-green, 19, 306 Woodpecker, Downy, 138–150 Yellow-throated, 132 Nuttall’s, 138–150 Vireo bellii, 100 Wood-Pewee, Eastern, 17, 99, 305 flavifrons, 132 Western, 138–150 flavoviridis, 19, 306 Wren, Bewick’s, 138–150 gilvus, 138–150 Canyon, 50–57 griseus, 286, 306 House, 138–150 olivaceus, 132, 286 Marsh, 138–150 philadelphicus, 132 Winter, 19–20, 132, 307 solitarius, 18–19, 100–102, 113, 306 Wrentit, 138–150 v-nigrum, Somateria mollissima, 89 Vulture, Black, 9–10, 299 Xiao, Xiangming, see Choi, C-Y. Turkey, 138–150 Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus, 138–150 Wagtail, White, 20 Warbler, Bay-breasted, 107, 113 Yang, Dou-Shuan, Rottenborn, Stephen Black-and-white, 106, 113 C., Terrill, Scott, Searcy, Adam Blackburnian, 113–114, 288 James, and Villablanca, Francis X., Blackpoll, 107, 114 First California records of the Little Black-throated Blue, 107 Stint and Nazca Booby confirmed Blue-winged, 20, 106 through molecular analysis, 58–66 Canada, 107 Yellowlegs, Greater, 138–150 Cape May, 20–21, 308 Lesser, 138–150 Chestnut-sided, 107 Yellowthroat, Common, 138–150 Connecticut, 287, 308 Yerger, John, Book Review: Birding by Grace’s, 21, 308 Impression: A Different Approach Hooded, 106, 113 to Knowing and Identifying Birds, Kentucky, 287 175–176 Magnolia, 107 Mourning, 20, 113, 308 Zenaida asiatica, 98 Nashville, 106 macroura, 138–150 Orange-crowned, 138–150 Zonotrichia leucophrys, 138–150

335 World Wide Web site: WESTERN BIRDS www.westernfieldornithologists.org Quarterly Journal of Western Field Ornithologists

President: Thomas A. Blackman, 4470 Orchard Ave., San Diego, CA 92107; [email protected] Vice-President: Kurt Leuschner, 70065 Sonora Rd. #267, Mountain Center, CA 92561; [email protected]. Past-President: David E. Quady, 39 The Crescent, Berkeley, CA 94708; [email protected] Treasurer/Membership Secretary: Suzanne Carota, 3476 Armourdale Ave., Long Beach, CA 90808; [email protected] Recording Secretary: Liga Auzins, 12842 Safford East, Garden Grove, CA 92840; [email protected] Directors: Jon L. Dunn, John F. Garrett, Kimball L. Garrett, Daniel D. Gibson, Homer Hansen, Karen Anderson Havlena, Susan Kelly, Larry Modesitt, Frances Oliver, Diane Rose, Steve Rottenborn, W. David Shuford Editor: Philip Unitt, San Diego Natural History Museum, P. O. Box 121390, San Diego, CA 92112-1390; [email protected] Assistant Editor: Daniel D. Gibson, P. O. Box 155, Ester, AK 99725 Associate Editors: Kenneth P. Able, Matthew J. Baumann, Daniel S. Cooper, Thomas Gardali, Daniel D. Gibson, Robert E. Gill, Ronald R. LeValley, Dan Reinking, Daniel R. Ruthrauff Graphics Manager: Virginia P. Johnson, 4637 Del Mar Ave., San Diego, CA 92107; [email protected] Photo Editor: Peter LaTourrette, 1019 Loma Prieta Ct., Los Altos, CA 94024; [email protected] Featured Photo: John Sterling, 26 Palm Ave., Woodland, CA 95695; [email protected] Book Reviews: Lauren Harter, 2841 McCulloch Blvd. N. #1, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403; [email protected] WFO Website: Timothy W. Brittain; [email protected]

Membership dues, for individuals and institutions, including subscription to Western Birds: Patron, $1000; Life, $600 (payable in four equal annual installments); Family $45; Regular U.S. $40 for one year, $70 for two years, $100 for three years. Dues and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Send membership dues, changes of address, correspondence regarding missing issues, and or- ders for back issues and special publications to the Treasurer. Make checks payable to Western Field Ornithologists. Back issues of Western Birds within U.S. $40 per volume, $10 for single issues, including shipping and handling. Outside the U.S. $55 per volume, $15 for single issues, including shipping and handling.

Published 5 December 2016 ISSN 0045-3897 Western Specialty: Fonseca Mangrove Rail Painted Redstart

“Featured Photos” by © Lisa Hug of Sebastopol, California: Juvenile hybrid Vol. 47, No. 4, 2016 Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) × Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) near Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, representing the first known hybridization of these species, far to the northwest of the Common Black Hawk’s normal range, as reported in this issue by Lisa Hug. Ventral view, 29 July 2012; dorsal view, 7 August 2012.