Fourth Report of the Illinois Ornithological Records Committee By David B. Johnson, Paul R. Clyne, and Myrna F. Deaton Evaluations by the Illi­ in The Auk, through the nois Ornithological Records fortieth (July 1995) supple­ Committee ("IORC," or "the ment, while the taxonomy and ,_ Committee") are reported here nomenclature are current for a total of 266 records, through the forty-first (July including 2 18 accepted 1997) supplement. The forty­ records of 109 species and first supplement is vague on three hybrids or forms, and some important matters of 45 unaccepted records of 32 sequencing, and we have species. 1 With this report, therefore postponed the sub- the Committee has published Drawing of Mississippi Kite by Brian K. Willis. stantial reorganizations out­ reviews of 1014 records, of lined in that supplement, which 799 are accepted, for an ac­ will thus have to await a future Com­ pending publication of the seventh ceptance rate of 78.8%. mittee report. AOU checklist. Here are the results for 65 out Considerable effort has been Each accepted record is entered of 67 of the 1995 record evaluations, made by the Committee si nce 1993 to with the locality (including the stan­ and 97 out of 100 of the 1996 evalu­ evaluate and make published deci­ dard abbreviation for the county (see ations.2 Of the 162 records evaluat­ sions regarding many older records of below), the date, and (in parentheses) ed for these two years, 122 (75.3%) species that are to be formally ac­ the IORC record number (the first are accepted. In addition, this report cepted in the Checklist of Illinois State four characters of which give the year covers 25 historical records prior to Birds (Illinois Ornithological Records of the first observation), followed by 1985, plus nearly all first state records Committee, MS, in preparati on) . the initials of the primary observer(s) since the third IORC report (i.e., since who contributed specimens , descrip­ A total of 168 known observers February 1989; see Goetz 1990), tions, and/or photographs. Photo­ contributed specimens, descriptions through 1997. Also contained are graphic evidence is noted following a or photographs documenting the many, but by no means all, record contributor' s name by an asterisk(*); records included in this report; a few evaluations for the period 1989-1994. when the photographic evidence is specimens were taken by collectors An attempt has been made to include known to be a videotape, a "v" is not acknowledged here by name. all review species from this period appended (*v); "*p,v" indicates the for which there is hard evidence in Format: The format of this re­ submission of both photographic and the form of a specimen or as a photo­ port follows the conventions used in video evidence. Many contributing graph published in American Birds, the first three reports of the Commit­ photographers also submitted writ­ Audubon Field Notes, Illinois Birds tee (Goetz and Robinson 1988; Goetz ten descriptions, a practice the Com­ and Birding, or Meadowlark. Any 1989; Goetz 1990). Records are di­ mittee encourages. If the observer(s) errors of omission are the fault of the vided into two major groups: Ac­ who first discovered the bird submit­ authors. It is unfortunate that evalu­ cepted and Unaccepted. Each of these ted documentation, their initials are ations for many sight records for the groups is then further divided into set off from the initials of other con­ period 1989-1994 were not acces­ Review List Records and Other tributors by a semicolon. Initial ob­ sible to the Committee until this re­ Records. The sequence of species servers who did not submit docu­ port was in its final draft. Publication conforms to that of the American mentation are not generally li sted. ofiORC's decisions on such records Ornithologists' Union 1983 check­ For specimen records, a sharp (#) list and its supplements as published 50 Meadowlark precedes an abbreviation for the in­ Similar information is provided that are published elsewhere with stitution holding the specimen, along fo r Unaccepted Records, except the more limited data than contained here, with that institution's catalogue num­ documentors remain anonymous, and but we have made explicit note of ber of the specimen. a brief explanation of why the record apparent errors in published data. The Statements regarding the age and/ was not accepted is given. Although authors of this report accept respon­ or sex of the birds may be opinions of most of the unaccepted records may sibility for any inaccuracies or mis­ the person(s) submitting the evidence involve correct identifications, the representations of information herein. and are not necessarily an accepted documentations submitted do not sup­ Errors that come to our attention will position of the Committee. ply sufficient information to confirm be published as corrigenda in a future the identification. IORC report. We have referenced published photographs and brief accounts (such In several cases discrepancies The Committee's files of origi­ as seasonal highlights published in exist between the details presented nal documentations, record evalua­ Meadowlark) by journal number and here vs. other published sources, es­ tions, and all related correspondence page. Articles are cited by author and pecially regarding dates of occur­ are maintained by the Avian Ecology date and are indexed in the list of rence. The data in this report provide Program, Natural Heritage Section, references. Seasonal highlights deal­ the Committee's best assessment of Department of Natural Resources, ing with first state records are treated all available information. We have Springfield, IL 62701. as articles. not generally commented on records Documentors: Cindy Alberico, Jack L. Armstrong, McKee, Keith A. McMullen, Margaret Mechtenberg, D. Keith Atterbury, Louise Augustine, Renee M. Baade, Margot Merrick (MMe), Igal Milchtaich, Dan Miller, A. M. Bailey, Steven D. Bailey, Lawrence G. Balch, Paul David E. Miller, Joe B. Milosevich, Robert A. Montgom­ E. Bauer, Russell Baugher (RBa), Michael J. Bamn, ery, Gill Moreland, Roy Morris, William Moskoff, R. Robert A. Behrstock, Frank C. Bellrose, Nancy Bent, James Neal, Greg Neise, Roy Netherton, Linda Nicot, Brad Bergstrom, Irene Binford, Laurence C. Binford, John O'Brien, Dennis Oehmke, Jerrold W. Olson, Brenda Richard Biss, C. B. Blake, Brian L. Blevins, H. David Onken, Richard D. Palmer, Peter C. Petersen, James J. Bohlen, Denis Bohm, Alan Branhagen (ABh), Arlene Phillips, Jack Pomatto, Thomas M. Pucelik, Roger Rea­ Brei, David Brenner (DBr), Melissa Brookens, Jeffrey D. son, Suzanne A. Reininga, Michael L. Retter, W. Douglas Brosdal, Marilyn F. Campbell, Michael Chaneske, Rob­ Robinson, Arthur Rueckert, Gregory Schaefer, Gregory ert T. Chapel, Elizabeth J. Chato, Charles T. Clark, Paul S. Schottle, Richard D. Seibert, Mark Seiffert, Brad R. Clyne, Henry K. Coale, Robert F. Danley, Edna Davis, Semel, Gary Senn (GSe), Albert Seppi, Wesley Serafin, Lyle Davis, Myrna F. Deaton, Orpha Decker, Judy K. Muriel R. Smith, Cody Smout, Phoebe B. Snetsinger, Jim DeNeal, Tim J. Dever, Sheryl L. De Yore, Danny Diaz Solum (JSo), Tom Spangler, Leonard Stanley, James F. (DDz), Barb Dodge, Terese Dudek, Dan Dugenske, Aura Steffen, Fred Stellema, Alan F. Stokie, Douglas F. Stotz, Duke, Mary Jane Easterday, Ralph M. Eiseman, Kristen Ellen B. Strauss, Sherwin Strauss, Dennis Streicher, W. S. Elliott, Carol Eucolono, Scott Farrell, John F. Ferry, Todd Strode, Jerry M. Sullivan, Jim Surman (JSu), Paul Sweet, Fink, Robert E. Fisher, Darlene Fiske, Ann alee Fjellberg, Craig Thayer, Jack Van Benthuysen, Gilbert Waldbauer, Ronald C. Flemal, David Fletcher (DFl), Mary Luh Jeffrey W. Walk, Eric Walters, Cynthia Watkins, Charles l Fraunfelter, Julius Freisser, Susan Friscia (SFr), Eunice A. Westcott, David E. Willard, Daniel T. Williams, Larry U, Funk, James L. Funk, Kimball L. Garrett, Ben Gelman, Willis, Laraine Wright (LWr), Richard L. Zusi. Joel Greenberg, S. S. Gregory, Jr., Tom Hall, Marybeth Membership: CurrentiORCmembers are Steven D. Hallett, Helen Harker, Ann B. Haverstock, John Hayes, Bailey, H. David Bohlen, Robert T. Chapel, Paul R. Stanley Hedeen, Ken Heinze (KHe), Kanae Hirabayashi , Clyne, Myrna F. Deaton, David B. Johnson (S ecretary), Michael J. Hogg, Mary Huber, Robert D. Hughes, L. and Vernon M. Kleen. Committee alternates are Richard Barrie Hunt, Thomas Jackman, David B. Johnson, Lee Biss, Joe B. Milosevich, and Eric Walters. Recent mem­ Johnson, Larry Jones (LJs), Steven Juhlin, Dan bers who served on the Committee during the initial Kassebaum, Brian Kennedy, Eric L. Kershner, Rosemarie evaluations of many of the records prior to 1995 are Kirwan, Vernon M. Kleen, Greg Lambeth, James E. Ronald E. Goetz (immediate past Secretary), Joe B. Landing, Dennis Larsen, ChuckLeib, Bob Lindsay, Daniel Milosevich, and Richard D. Palmer. Ludwig (DLu), Walter J. Marcisz, John McDaniel, Kelly J. McKay, Cynthia K. McKee (nee Watkins), John D. Vol. 7, No.2 51 Abbreviations: References to seasonal reports, seasonal highlights, and photographs published in the journals American Birds; Audubon Field Notes, Illinois Audubon Bulletin, Illinois Birds and Birding, and Meadowlark, A Journal ofIllin ois Birds are abbreviated by AB , AFN, lAB, IBB, and MJIB, respectively, followed by volume and page numbers; note that the first two issues ofMJIB (Volume I, Numbers 1 and 2) were paginated separately, not sequentially within that volume, and the journal number is cited for those two issues. Months are abbreviated by their first three letters. County abbreviations largely follow those adopted in Kleen 1985. Ten changes have been made for reasons beyond the scope of this report. The complete listing of all 102 Illinois counties and their abbreviations as adopted here is as follows, with alternate abbreviations used in Kleen 1985 enclosed in square brackets [ ] : "Northern", "central", and "southern Illinois" refer to specific subsections of the state as first defined by Gault 1922; see also Bohlen 1978. The terms "region" and "regional" apply to the Middlewestern Prairie Region as used in AB and AFN and include Illinois as well as Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, and most of Ohio and Kentucky.