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A condor in New York? Not likely. But people have seen other birds in unexpected places. And while such finds thrill the bird-watchers lucky enough to experience them, they can also help ornithologists around the world. Here are some eNature pointers for finding and identifying rare birds in your region.
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Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus |
What Is a Rare Bird
A bird is considered rare only if it appears in an area its species doesn’t normally frequent or in its native habitat at an unusual time of year. Yet it takes more than seeing a bird under these conditions to qualify it as rare. A report must be submitted to a committee of expert birders for evaluation. The process can seem rather involved, especially to a novice birder, but that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing rare birds.
Where to Find Rare Birds
If you haven’t listened to a Rare Bird Alert before, you will soon. These recorded telephone announcements, which tell of rare and unusual bird occurrences in specific areas, are invaluable to birders. The messages, usually sponsored by a local Audubon chapter or ornithological society, range from brief updates to detailed bird descriptions and directions to out-of-the-way sites.
To find the Rare Bird Alert number nearest you, click here.
How to Record a Sighting
Since rare-bird sightings are often unexpected, it’s best to be prepared whenever you go out into the field. Always take a notebook and pen or pencil with you. Also, try to standardize your notes by using the same format and shorthand notations. And learn to make fast sketches in the field, indicating features with arrows. Memory is fallible, and there’s no substitute for a description and drawing made on the spot, with the bird in front of you. Click here for a checklist of features you should note.
If you want to submit a report to an avian records committee, you’ll need the following information:
- the exact location of the bird and your distance from it
- the duration of the bird's stay
- a description of other species present
- a description of the habitat in which the bird was seen
- a description of the weather at the time of the sighting
- the date and time of the observation
- the names and addresses of other birders who saw the rare bird
- the type and power of optical equipment used
Features to Note
A convincing description plays the most critical role in a report of a rarity. Include as much detail as possible on a bird's appearance. Use our checklist as a guide.
- Overall:
- color
- pattern
- size
- shape
- posture
- behavior
- voice
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- Head and neck:
- forehead
- crown
- ear coverts
- malar region
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- Eyes and lores:
- eye-rings
- eye stripes
- eyebrows
- upper & lower mandibles
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- Upperparts:
- crown
- nape
- back
- trump
- uppertail coverts
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- Underparts:
- chin
- throat
- breast
- belly
- side
- flanks
- undertail coverts
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- Feet and legs:
- color
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- Wings:
- color
- shape
- relative length (compared to tail)
- wing bars (if present)
- coverts
- wing linings
- leading edge
- trailing edge
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- Tail feathers:
- color
- pattern
- shape of innermost feathers
- shape of middle feathers, and outer feathers
- shape of outer feathers
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