2016 REPORT OF THE KANSAS BIRD RECORD COMMITTEE

 

This report summarizes the activities of the Committee for the calendar year 2016. The Committee received 49 reports, of which 44 were evaluated, recording the occurrence of 43 different birds. All reports are archived in The University of Kansas Natural History Museum in Lawrence, Kansas.

 

Submissions are assigned a sequential number in the order in which they are received, with the year of receipt as a prefix. Submissions that are not on the review list, or not considered extraordinary, may not be circulated to the Committee. Birds are listed in phylogenetic order under each of two categories: Records Accepted and Records Not Accepted. Taxonomy and nomenclature follow the American Ornithologists' Union Checklist of North American Birds, Seventh Edition, 1998, updated through the 57th Supplement, 2016, (The Auk: Ornithological Advances 133:544-560, 2016).

 

After the English and scientific name the following, if available, are provided: KBRC record number, the number of individuals seen, with sex, age or plumage notes; date(s) of observation; locality; observer(s), with those documenting the record listed first; supporting physical evidence; and finally, pertinent comments on changes to the species status on the Kansas Ornithological Society (KOS) checklist. Records that were not accepted by the Committee have observer(s) names omitted, with a brief explanation of the rationale behind that decision.

 

Authors, when citing KBRC records from this report, are encouraged to give credit to the observer(s) associated with the observation along with a full citation of this report.

 

RECORDS ACCEPTED

 

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus), 2016-32, immature, 6 September 2016, residential yard in Arkansas City, Cowley County, reported by Eugene Young. Sixteenth state record.

 

Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope), 2016-33, immature, 6 September 2016, residential yard in Arkansas City, Cowley County, reported by Eugene Young. Fifteenth state record.

 

Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), 2016-02, immature, 20-26 December 2015, Wilson Lake, Russell County, reported by Mike Rader. Eighteenth state record.

 

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), unknown age, 2016-42, 15 October 2016, Marion Reservoir, Marion County, reported by Tom Ewert documented with photographs. Ninth state record.

 

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), adult, 2016-46, 11 November 2016, Pomona Reservoir, Osage County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor. Tenth state record.

 

Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus), 2016-44, immature, 4 November 2016, Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, Barton County, reported by Mark Land and Malcom Gold. Twenty-second state record.

 

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), 2016-43, adult, 29 October 2016, rural area near the Smoky Hill River south of Wilson, Russell County, reported by Dave Klema, documented with photographs.

 

Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus), immature, 2016-30, 23-25 August 2016, rural residence near Milford Lake, Geary County, reported by Jeff Keating and seen by numerous other observers.

 

Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus), 2016-34, unknown age, 7 September 2016, rural residence near Towanda, Butler County, reported by Bob Broyles, documented with video.

 

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris), 2016-45, immature male, 26 August 2016, Cimarron River/Big Sandy Creek, Clark County, reported by Danny Akers.

 

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), 2016-09, adult female, 10 March 2016, rural road east of Dodge City, Ford County, reported by Brandon Magette, Doris Burnett, Carol Morgan and Dan Hoobler. The furthest west record for this species in the state.

 

Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus), 2016-29, adult, 13-14 August 2016, rural residence near Arlington, Reno County, reported by Andrew Miller, documented with video of the bird vocalizing.

 

Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii), 2016-31, adult, 29 August 2014, Middle Spring, Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor, documented with photographs. Ninth state record.

 

Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii), 2016-39, unknown age, 23 September 2016, Tunnerville Work Station, Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor, documented with a photograph. Tenth state record.

 

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), 2016-25, adult male, 11 April 2016, Kill Creek Park maintenance yard, Johnson County, reported by Rodney Wright, documented with photographs.

 

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), 2016-12, 1st year female, 1 May 2016, rural road, Hodgeman County, reported by Jan Hansen, documented with photographs.

 

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), 2016-22, adult male, 9 May 2016, Arkalon Park, Liberal, Seward County, reported by Glenn Caspers, documented with photograph.

 

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), 2016-17, adult male, 10 May 2016, along Hwy K-27 north of Johnson City, Stanton County, reported by Sam and Terry Mannell.

 

Cassin’s Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans), 2016-16, adult, 9 May 2016, along US Hwy 283 north of US Hwy 160, Clark County, reported by Sam and Terry Mannell.

 

Plumbeous Vireo (Vireo plumbeus), 2016-7, adult, 8 May 2014, Elkhart shelterbelt, Morton County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor, documented with photograph.

 

Plumbeous Vireo (Vireo plumbeus), 2016-35, unknown age, 11 September 2016, St. Francis Golf Course, Cheyenne County, reported by Steve Mlodinow, documented with photographs.

 

Common Raven (Corvus corax), 2016-19, two of unknown age, 4 January 2015, Middle Springs, Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County, reported by Danny Akers

 

Common Raven (Corvus corax), 2016-13, unknown age, 4 May 2016, south of Syracuse along Highway K-27, Hamilton County, reported by Kurtis J. Meier, documented with photographs.

 

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva), 2016-26, immature, 29 July 2016, Big Salt Marsh, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Stafford County, reported by Mike Rader. Tenth state record.

 

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva), 2016-27, immature, 4 August 2016, Slate Creek Wetlands, Sumner County, reported by Gene Young and Max Thompson. Eleventh state record.

 

Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus), 2016-37, adult, 22 September 2016, Point of Rocks, Cimarron National Grassland, Morton County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor. Fifth state record.

 

Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus), 2016-05, adult, 2-3 October, 2012, Ft. Riley Training area just off US Hwy 77, Riley County, reported by Jeff Keating, documented with photos. Furthest east record in the state.

 

Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria), 2016-10, adult male, 3-6 February 2016, rural backyard near Salina, Saline County, reported by Kaleb Kroeker, documented with photos. Sixteenth state record.

 

Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis), 2016-21, adult male, 17 May 2016, Lake Lenexa, Blackhoof Park, Johnson County, reported by Matt Gearheart, documented with audio recording of bird vocalizing. Tenth state record.

 

Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor), 2016-08, adult male, 10 May 2014, Cimarron National Grasslands campground, Morton County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor, documented with photographs.

 

Canyon Towhee (Melozone fusca), 2016-14, adult, 7 May 2016, Point of Rocks, Cimarron National Grassland, Morton County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor. Second state record.

 

Canyon Towhee (Melozone fusca), 2016-38, adult, 23 September 2016, Tunnerville Work Station, Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor. Third state record.

 

Canyon Towhee (Melozone fusca), 2016-40, adult, 25 September 2016, Point of Rocks, Cimarron National Grassland, Morton County, reported by Will Chatfield-Taylor, documented  with a photograph. Fourth state record.

 

Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata), 2016-01, adult, 2 January 2016, west of Forest City on the Red Hills Christmas Bird Count, Barber County, reported by Kevin Groeneweg. Tenth state record.

 

Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus), 2016-24, adult male, 27 April 2016, urban yard in Manhattan, Riley County, reported by Alice Boyle, documented with photographs and seen by many observers. Second state record.

 

RECORDS NOT ACCEPTED

 

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), 2016-06, adult, 6 January 2015, Ft. Riley training area, Geary County. Insufficient details to separate from other accipiter species.

 

Cassin’s Vireo (Vireo cassinii), 2016-36, unknown age, 11 September 2016, St. Francis Golf Course, Cheyenne County. Insufficient details to differentiate from very similar Blue-headed Vireo, especially in this time period.

 

Chihuahuan Raven (Corvus cryptoleucus), 2016-18, 4 January 2015, Middle Springs, Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County. Insufficient details to separate from Common Raven.

 

 Note – The KBRC discussed the issue of raven identification extensively at their winter meeting. The consensus, based on discussions and a review of the literature is as follows: Chihuahuan Ravens, which had expanded in to the region previously appear to have been driven back to their historic ranges by Common Ravens. DNA analysis of nesting ravens on the Cimarron National Grasslands in recent years showed that these were in fact Common Ravens. Recent sightings of ravens in western Kansas, when seen in the company of different Buteo species, indicates that Common Ravens are regularly present now.  Common Raven is the largest passerine in North America. Concern over voice appears to be fairly well restricted to the time frame when juvenile Common Ravens had fledged. Juvenile Common Ravens may be confused with adult Chihuahuan Ravens (higher pitched calls), but it is unlikely that adult Common Ravens would be confused with adult Chihuahuan Ravens.  While Chihuahuan Ravens seem to be relatively consistent with their calls throughout their range (generally higher pitched), Common Ravens appear to have more vocalizations.  If vocalizations vary, it is probably a Common Raven.  Therefore, any records of Chihuahuan Ravens need to be treated with great scrutiny in the future given the apparent range changes and population distribution. Reference the following for details concerning challenges of raven identification and distribution: Enggist-Dueblin and Pfister (1997), Boarman and Heinrich (1999), Robbins et al. (2006), Thompson et al. (2011), Dwyer et al. (2013), Magee (2015), Pieplow (2014), Leukering (2015).

 

Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus), 2016-23, two adult males, 29 May 2016, heavily wooded suburban yard on the edge of Pittsburg, Cherokee County. Insufficient details to separate from other titmouse species.

 

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva), 2016-47, immature, 16 October 2016, John Redmond Reservoir, Coffey County. Insufficient details to separate from Cliff Swallow.

 

Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis), 2016-15, adult male, 13 May 2013, Burcham Park, Lawrence, Douglas County. Insufficient details to separate from other similar warbler species.

 

Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata), 2016-41, unknown age, 16 October 2016, Lake Parsons, Neosho County. Fall Blackpoll Warblers, along with Pine and Bay-breasted Warblers, make for a complex that is difficult to separate in the field. The description provided did not provide adequate details to confirm the identification.

 

Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis), 2016-11, adult female, 24 April 2016, urban backyard birdfeeder, Johnson County. Insufficient details to separate from other cowbird species.

 

LITERATURE CITED

 

Boarman, William I. and Bernd Heinrich. 1999. Common Raven (Corvus corax), The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America: https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/comrav.  DOI: 10.2173/bna.476. Accessed 13 February 2017.

 

Dwyer, James F., James C. Bednarz and Ralph J. Raitt. (2013). Chihuahuan Raven (Corvus cryptoleucus), The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America: https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/chirav.  DOI: 10.2173/bna.606.  Accessed 13 February 2017.

 

Enggist-Dueblin, P. and U. Pfister. 1997. Communication in ravens (Corvus corax): call use in interactions between pair partners. Advances in Ethol. no. 32:122.

 

Leukering, T.  2015.  Ravens in Colorado: An Impossible Identification?  Colorado Birds 49(4):255-262.

 

Magee, P.  2015.  Common Ravens Benefit from Human Subsidies in Gunnison’s Sagebrush Sea.  Colorado Birds 49(3):147-162.

 

Pieplow, N.  2014.  Common vs. Chihuahuan Ravens.  Web page: http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/4736.  Accessed 13 February 2017.

 

Robbins, M.B., S. Patti, A. Nyari, C. Hobbs, and M. C. Thompson.  2006.  Common Raven Nesting Attempt in Morton County.  KOS Bull. 57(3):27-28.

 

Thompson, M. C., C. A. Ely, B. Gress, C. Otte, S. T. Patti, D. Seibel, and E. A. Young.  2011.  Birds of Kansas. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 528 pp.

 

Members of the KBRC voting on these records:

 

Jeff Calhoun

Kevin Groeneweg

Jon King

Terry Mannell

Cheryl Miller

Chuck Otte (secretary)

Eugene A. Young (chair)

 

Submitted by Chuck Otte, KBRC Secretary