his is the 20th published report of the

ABA Checklist Committee (hereafter, TCLC), covering the period July 2008– July 2009. There were no changes to commit -

tee membership since our previous report

(Pranty et al. 2008). Kevin Zimmer has been

elected to serve his second term (to expire at

the end of 2012), and Bill Pranty has been

reelected to serve as Chair for a fourth year.

During the preceding 13 months, the CLC final - ized votes on five species. Four species were accepted and added to the ABA Checklist , while one species was removed. The number of accepted species on the ABA Checklist is increased to 960. In January 2009, the seventh edition of the ABA Checklist (Pranty et al. 2009) was published. Each species is numbered from 1 (Black-bellied Whistling-) to 957 (Eurasian Tree Sparrow); ancillary numbers will be inserted for all new species, and these numbers will be included in our annual reports. Production of the seventh edi - tion of the ABA Checklist occupied much of Pranty’s and Dunn’s time during the period, and this com - mitment helps to explain the relative paucity of votes during 2008–2009 compared to our other recent an - nual reports. New Species Accepted –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma monorhis ). ABA CLC Record #2009-02. One individual, thought to be a juvenile in slightly worn , in the At - lantic Ocean at 3 4°5 7’ N, 7 5°0 5’ W, approximately 65 kilometers east-southeast of Hatteras Inlet, Cape Hat - teras, North Carolina on 2 June 2008. Discovered and well-photographed by J. Brian Patteson, Steve N. G. Howell, and others on an organized pelagic trip (Pat - teson et al. 2009). Accepted unanimously by the CLC. The Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel breeds in the western Pacific Ocean, primarily on islands off Japan, and

38 BIRDING • NOVEMBER 2009 ranges during the non-breeding season to 2009). Accepted unanimously by the Texas Bill Pranty the Indian Ocean, with nearly annual reports Records Committee and by the CLC. recently in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean The chilensis subspecies of White-crested 8515 Village Mill Row (Patteson et al. 2009). Questions remain breeds in the southern two-thirds Bayonet Point, Florida 34667 about whether there may be a breeding pop - of Chile and and is a long-distant ulation in the Atlantic. Howell and Patteson migrant to its wintering grounds, primarily (2008) provide identification criteria for sep - in the Andes of and , but with Jon L. Dunn arating Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel from other scattered reports over a wide region of cen - R.R. 2, Box 52R dark-rumped storm-petrels. The CLC re - tral and southern South America. Vagrants jected a previous report (#2002-06) of Swin - have appeared in , the Falkland Bishop, 93514 hoe’s Storm-Petrel off North Carolina on 8 Islands, and the Drake Passage between August 1998 (O’Brien et al. 1999) because South America and Antarctica (Reid and the photographs submitted were of insuffi - Jones 2009). Steven C. Heinl cient quality to rule out a dark-rumped White-crested Elaenia (554.1) is placed P.O. Box 23101 Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Robbins et al. 2003); on the ABA Checklist as a Code 5 species this record was likewise rejected by the AOU provisionally between Greenish Elaenia Ketchikan, Alaska 99901 (2000) but was accepted by the North Car - (554) and Tufted Flycatcher (556), pending olina Bird Records Committee (LeGrand et acceptance and placement by the AOU. al. 2001). The record of a Swinhoe’s Storm- Note that (555) has Andrew W. Kratter Petrel off Alaska on 5 August 2003 been removed from the Checklist Florida Museum of Natural History was added to the unsubstantiated (see next page). list by the Alaska Checklist Com - P.O. Box 117800 mittee (D. D. Gibson, personal Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher University of Florida communication). Flood (2009) (Empidonomus aurantioatro - discusses reports of dark- cristatus ). ABA CLC Record Gainesville, Florida 32611 rumped storm-petrels in the east - #2009-03. One adult male pho - ern Atlantic and concludes that tographed alive and then col - Paul E. Lehman most or all pertain to this species. lected at Peveto Beach Woods, Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel (146.1) is placed Cameron Parish, Louisiana on 3 June 2008. 11192 Portobelo Drive on the ABA Checklist as a Code 5 species The bird was observed alive solely by Paul San Diego, California 92124 provisionally between Band-rumped Conover and Buford Myers (Conover and Storm-Petrel (146) and Wedge-rumped Myers 2009). Identified by its size (equiva - Storm-Petrel (147), pending acceptance lent to an Eastern Phoebe); pale gray face Mark W. Lockwood and placement by the AOU. and underparts with a yellowish tinge to the vent and undertail coverts; gray-brown 402 East Harriet Avenue White-crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps ). back and wing coverts; blackish lores, eye Alpine, Texas 79830 ABA CLC Record #2008-10. One calling in - patch, and auriculars separated from the dividual at South Padre Island, Texas on 9– blackish crown by a gray supercilium; and 10 February 2008. Found by Daniel Jones blackish soft parts. The specimen, prepared Bruce Mactavish and observed, photographed, and audio- as a study skin (LSUMNS #180361 at recorded by Martin Reid and several others Louisiana State University Museum of Nat - 37 Waterford Bridge Road (Reid and Jones 2009). Identified as an ural Science), was heavily worn with no St. John’s, Newfoundland A1E IC5 Elaenia by its crest and conspicuous white molt, and had accumulated heavy fat de - coronal patch, identified to species by posits. Accepted unanimously by the plumage and vocalizations, and identified Louisiana Bird Records Committee (Ditt- Kevin J. Zimmer as the migratory subspecies E. a. chilensis by mann 2008) and by the CLC. 1665 Garcia vocalizations and photographic analysis of The Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher breeds plumage and wing formula (Reid and Jones from Bolivia to , , Uruguay, Atascadero, California 93422

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western , by voice, barring on wing coverts, and pale (rather than buffy) underparts (Howell and Webb 1995). Ac - 3 cepted unanimously by the Arizona Committee 3 and by the CLC. A second was present at Fort Huachuca, Arizona 14–18 April 2009. The Sinaloa Wren is endemic to the Pacific slope of Mexico, resident from to western (How - ell and Webb 1995). It may be expanding its range, as it now breeds north to at least Santo Domingo, about 110 kilometers south of the U.S. border (Russell and Monson 1998). It is found in thickets in thornscrub and tropical deciduous , particularly areas with large emergent trees, and in arroyo banks and adjacent lower slopes where undergrowth is prevalent. Sinaloa Wren (677.1) is placed on the ABA Checklist as a Code 5 species between Canyon Wren (677) and After rejecting a previous record off North Carolina because the photo - (678). graphs were of marginal quality, the ABA Checklist Committee unanimously accepted Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel based on this well-photographed indi - vidual, shown here flanked by Wilson’s Storm-Petrels. Records off the U.S. Species Removed Eastern Seaboard follow numerous records from the eastern Atlantic in ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– recent years. 65 kilometers east-southeast of Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina; Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica ). ABA CLC 2 June 2008. © Steve N. G. Howell. Record #2009-01, a reevaluation of a previous CLC record (Gill 1985). One singing individual at Fort Pick - and central Argentina. Some individuals migrate northward to ens, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Escambia County, Florida winter (during the boreal summer) in Amazonia, north to on 28 April 1984. Discovered by Evelyn Barbig, photographed , Colombia, and Brazil. Coincidentally, this South by Robert Duncan, and observed by several others. Accepted American species was just added to the AOU Area on the basis by the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee of a record from in December 2007 (Robb et al. 2009). (FOSRC; Powell 1986) and by the CLC after much “soul- Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher (587.1) is placed on the ABA searching” and admission that the identification represented a Checklist as a Code 5 species between Variegated Flycatcher “borderline case” (Gill 1985). The single, marginal photograph (587) and Tropical Kingbird (588). shows a rather elongated tyrannid flycatcher with a small head and short bill. The Sinaloa Wren (Thryothorus sinaloa ). bird is conspicuously ABA CLC Record #2008-11. One singing crested, with white visible at individual, presumably an adult, at an el - the rear of the crest. The un - evation of 4,000 feet at Patagonia–Sonoita derparts are hidden by a Creek Preserve, Santa Cruz County, Ari - leaf, but were described zona found on 25 August 2008 and pres - as white. The bird shows ent into August 2009. Discovered and conspicuous white wing- photographed by Matt Brown and Robin bars. The song was de - Baxter, and observed, photographed, and scribed as a short series of audio-recorded by many others (no for - pleasant whistles in com - mal paper published through August plex phrases, but it was not 2009). Distinguished from other med- 3 audio-recorded. ium-sized by its rich, varied, war - Having strengthened its bling song; moderate black streaking on The superb documentation that accompanied this criteria for accepting species the auriculars and neck; brown back con - record, including high-quality photographs of the to the official Florida bird trasting with rusty tail; and plain under - spread wings and audio-recordings, allowed the ABA list, the FOSRC in 2009 Checklist Committee to accept White-crested Elaenia parts with gray breast. Distinguished from of the highly migratory chilensis subspecies, which reevaluated this record be - the similar Happy Wren ( T. felix ), a po - breeds in Chile and Argentina. South Padre Island, cause the identification to tential stray to the ABA Area from north - Cameron County, Texas; 10 February 2008. © Erik Breden. species was based on a des-

40 BIRDING • NOVEMBER 2009 cription rather than a bird as a definitive record. recording of the bird’s song. The Caribbean Elaenia is a resident of The FOSRC (Kratter in islands off the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, preparation) agrees that the the Caymans and other islands in the bird was an Elaenia , but western Caribbean Sea, and cannot rule out the possi - and the south through the bility that the bird was a to Grenada. It has also White-crested Elaenia. been found on the Yucatan Peninsula, Thus, the FOSRC has but whether it is a local resident there is “downgraded” the record to uncertain (Howell and Webb 1995). “Elaenia species. ” Because the CLC was considering Votes in Progress adding White-crested Elae - ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– nia based on the recent 3 The CLC voted on two other species dur - Texas record (see above), ing July 2008–July 2009 but did not Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher was recently added to the the committee could not AOU’s Check-list of North American Birds , based on one reach consensus. accept an identification to photographed in Panama during December 2007. Soon First, the CLC was prepared to accept that genus, as had the thereafter, this South American resident also appeared in Fea’s Petrel ( Pterodroma feae ) based on FOSRC. Following the de - the ABA Area. The bird was collected almost immediately, one or more birds well-photographed off so only the original two observers saw the bird live in cision by the FOSRC, the the field. Peveto Beach Woods, Cameron Parish, Louisiana; North Carolina in recent years. But the CLC reconsidered the sta - 3 June 2008. © Paul Conover. CLC delayed final action because authors tus of Caribbean Elaenia. of the recently published Petrels Night and Although one committee member believed that the Florida Day (Robb and Mullarney 2008) have split the two popula - bird was indeed a Caribbean Elaenia based on the description tions of Fea’s Petrels into separate species: Fea’s Petrel ( P. feae ) of the song, the CLC unanimously agreed to remove the breeding on the Cape Verde Islands; and Deserta’s Petrel ( P. de - species because the song was not audio-recorded. serta ) breeding on the Desertas Islands about 1 ,200 miles to In accepting this record originally as Caribbean Elaenia, the the north. The AOU has not yet acted on this recommended CLC relied heavily on commentary from John W. split. Furthermore, ques - Fitzpatrick and Robert S. Ridgely. Fitzpatrick be - tions remain as to whether lieved that on the basis of plumage, the Florida at-sea identification between bird could be one of only two species, Caribbean Fea’s/Desertas Petrel and Elaenia or White-crested Elaenia, but he was un - Zino’s Petrel ( P. madeira ) is willing to take the identification beyond that. In unambiguous; see Shirihai eliminating White-crested Elaenia, the CLC based (2009). its conclusion on a statement made by Robert Second, the CLC could Ridgely (personal commentary to Frank Gill) that not agree on whether a gull White-crested Elaenia could be eliminated by vo - photographed in Louisiana calizations. However, the White-crested Elaenia in December 1987 was a is a polytypic species composed of six subspecies Gray Gull ( Larus modes - in three groups that may represent two or more tus ) or a melanistic Laugh - species (Rheindt et al. 2009), and the described ing Gull based on the two song of the highly migratory subspecies E. albi - 3 photographs examined. The ceps chilensis (Jaramillo 2003, Schulenberg et al. record of this gull is not 2007) seems to resemble the description of the A Mexican endemic that is expanding its range accepted by the Louisiana northward, Sinaloa Wren was expected to even - Florida elaenia. Ridgely’s assessment of the song tually appear in the ABA Area. What perhaps was Bird Records Committee as of White-crested Elaenia did not specify to which not expected is that two separate Sinaloa Wrens pertaining to Gray Gull group or subspecies he referred, and is thus am - would be found within an eight-month period. (Dittmann and Cardiff biguous. Removal of Caribbean Elaenia (555) The first wren remained for more than a year, 2003). The CLC has thus while the second wren, at Fort Huachuca, Arizona , from the ABA Checklist brings the CLC in accor - was present for a few days in April 2009. Patago - far been unsuccessful in dance with the American Ornithologists’ Union nia–Sonoita Creek Preserve, Santa Cruz County, Ari - tracking down other photo - (AOU 1998), which does not accept the Florida zona; 28 September 2008. © Brad Carlson. graphs and an audio record -

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scientific names and the placement of species should be made to the seventh edition of the ABA Checklist : ing that another ob - server has or had in his · Boreal Chickadee (661) becomes Poecile hudsonicus. possession. · Gray-headed Chickadee (662) becomes Poecile cinctus. · The genus Piranga is moved from the beginning of the Votes Underway family Thraupidae (Tanagers) to the beginning of the and Anticipated family Cardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies). Hepatic Tan - –––––––––––––––––––––––– 55 ager (826) becomes (894.1), Summer Tanager (829) be - The CLC is currently comes (894.2), Scarlet Tanager (830) becomes (894.3), The ABA Checklist Committee accepted voting to accept Rufous- Caribbean Elaenia in 1985, but admitted Western Tanager (831) becomes (894.4), and Flame-col - tailed Robin from Alaska that the identification represented a “bor - ored Tanager (832) becomes (894.5). The Western Spin - (DeCicco et al. 2009). derline case.” Although the elaenia vocal - dalis (833) is the only ABA Area species retained in the Five other potential ized frequently, its calls were not family Thraupidae. audio-recorded. Because the Florida Or - first records for the ABA nithological Society Records Committee · Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow (867) becomes Nelson’s Area have been reported recently downgraded this record to “Elae - Sparrow. recently, and the CLC nia species, ” the ABA Checklist Committee · Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (868) becomes will vote on these if they also reevaluated the record and decided Saltmarsh Sparrow. that the lack of audio-recordings left doubt pass state-committee re - as to its specific identity. Ironically, this bird · Common Redpoll (945) becomes Acanthis flammea. view: Cuban Black-Hawk may have been a White-crested Elaenia, · Hoary Redpoll (946) becomes Acanthis hornemanni. from Georgia, Sungrebe which was added to the ABA Checklist · Eurasian Siskin (947) becomes Spinus spinus. from New Mexico based on a recent Texas record. Fort Pick - Pine Siskin (948) becomes Spinus pinus. ens, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida ; · (Williams et al. 2009), 28 April 1984. © Robert A. Duncan. · Lesser Goldfinch (949) becomes Spinus psaltria. Solitary Snipe from · Lawrence’s Goldfinch (950) becomes Spinus lawrencei. Alaska (Bieber and Schuette 2009), and Gray-collared Becard · American Goldfinch (951) becomes Spinus tristis. and Brown-backed Solitaire from Arizona. · Oriental Greenfinch (952) becomes Chloris sinica. AOU Taxonomic and Nomenclatorial Literature Cited Changes Affecting the ABA Checklist –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– AOU [American Ornithologists’ Union]. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds , The 50th supplement to the AOU’s Check-list of North American 7th edition. American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington. Birds (Chesser et al. 2009) was published in July 2009. Because AOU [American Ornithologists’ Union]. 2000. Forty-second supplement to the the CLC automatically accepts all nomenclatorial and taxonomic American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds . Auk changes made by the AOU, the following changes to English or 117:847–858. Bieber, G., and S. Schuette. 2009. First record of Solitary Snipe ( Gallinago soli - taria ) for North America on Saint Paul Island, Alaska. North American Birds 63:178–181. Chesser, R.T., R.C. Banks, F.K. Barker, C. Cicero, J.L. Dunn, A.W. Kratter, I.J. Lovette, P.C. Rasmussen, J.V. Remsen, J.D. Rising, D.F. Stotz, and K. Winkler. 2009. The fiftieth supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds . Auk 126:705–714. Conover P.E., and B.M. Myers. 2009. First United States record of Crowned Slaty- Flycatcher ( Empidonomus aurantioatrocristatus ) from Louisiana. North Amer - ? ican Birds 62:638–639. DeCicco, L.H., S.C. Heinl, and D.W. Sonneborn. 2009. First North American Although the identity of this Sungrebe is not in question, the means by which it arrived in the ABA Area may be a topic of discus - records of the Rufous-tailed Robin ( Luscinia sibilans ). Western Birds in press. sion when the ABA Checklist Committee votes on this record. Not Dittmann, D., ed. 2008. Newsletter of the Louisiana Bird Records Committee, An - known as a long-distance migrant or vagrant, this Sungrebe was nual Report 2008 . < http://tiny.cc/5rF44 >. nearly 1 ,400 kilometers from its nearest known population in Dittmann, D.L., and S.W. Cardiff. 2003. Ninth report of the Louisiana Bird Records northern Mexico. However, the species is apparently unknown in captivity. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Committee. Journal of Louisiana 6:41–101. Mexico; 18 November 2008. © Jerry R. Oldenettel. Flood, R.L. 2009. “All-dark” Oceanodroma storm-petrels in the Atlantic and

42 BIRDING • NOVEMBER 2009 neighbouring seas. British Birds 102:365–385. Canada . American Birding Association, Colorado Springs. Gill, F.B. 1985. Report of the ABA Checklist Committee for 1984–1985. Birding Reid, M., and D. Jones. 2009. First North American record of White-crested Elae - 17:261–265. nia ( Elaenia albiceps chilensis ) at South Padre Island, Texas. North American Howell, S.N.G., and J.B. Patteson. 2008. A Swinhoe’s Petrel off North Carolina, USA , Birds 63:10–14. and a review of dark storm-petrel identification. Birding World 21:255–262. Rheindt, F.E., L. Christidis, and J.A. Norman. 2009. Genetic introgression, in - Howell, S.N.G., and S. Webb. 1995. A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern complete lineage sorting, and faulty create multiple cases of poly - Central America . Oxford University Press, New York. phyly in a montane clade of tyrant-flycatchers ( Elaenia : Tyrannidae). Jaramillo, A. 2003. Birds of Chile . Princeton University Press, Princeton. Zoologica Scripta 38:143–153. Kratter, A.W. in preparation. Eighteenth report of the Florida Ornithological So - Robb, M., and K. Mullarney. 2008. Petrels Night and Day . Sound Approach, Dorset. ciety Records Committee: 2008. Florida Field Naturalist . Robb, R.R., D. Arendt, K. Larsen, and P. Sherrell. 2009. First North American record LeGrand, H., and the North Carolina Bird Records Committee. 2001. 1999–2000 of Crowned Slaty-Flycatcher. Cotinga 31:50–52. report of the North Carolina Bird Records Committee. Chat 65:83–89. Robbins, M.B., D.L. Dittmann, J.L. Dunn, K.L. Garrett, S.[C.] Heinl, A.W. Kratter, G. O’Brien, M., J.B. Patteson, G.L. Armistead, and G.B. Pearce. 1999. Swinhoe’s Lasley, and B. Mactavish. 2003. ABA Checklist Committee 2002 annual re - Storm-Petrel: First North American photographic record. North American port. Birding 35:138–144. Birds 53:6–10. Russell, S.M., and G. Monson. 1998. The Birds of Sonora , University of Arizona Patteson, J.B., S.N.G. Howell, and K. Sutherland. 2009. Swinhoe’s Storm-Petrel Press, Tucson. (Oceanodroma monorhis ) off North Carolina. North American Birds 62:518–520. Schulenberg, T.S., D.S. Stotz, D.S. Lane, J.P. O’Neill, and T.A. Parker III. 2007. Birds Powell, P. 1986. FOS Records Committee report. Florida Field Naturalist 14:107–109. of Peru . Princeton University Press, Princeton. Pranty, B., J.L. Dunn, S.C. Heinl, A.W. Kratter, P.E. Lehman, M.W. Lockwood, B. Shirihai, H. 2009. The Zino’s Petrel at sea , expedition II—and the best pelagic Mactavish, and K.J. Zimmer. 2008. Annual report of the ABA Checklist Com - birding in the western Palearctic. Birding World 22:204–218. mittee, 2007–2008. Birding 40(6):32–38. Williams, S.O., S.A. King, S.M. Fettig, J.R. Oldenettel, and J.E. Parmeter. 2009. A Pranty, B., J.L. Dunn, S.C. Heinl, A.W. Kratter, P.E. Lehman, M.W. Lockwood, B. Sungrebe ( Heliornis fulica ) in New Mexico: A first for the United States. North Mactavish, and K.J. Zimmer. 2009. ABA Checklist: Birds of the United States and American Birds 63:4–9.

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