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Posted by Brian Rapoza on 19:24:48 03/08/07
In Reply to: Thoughts on "Apparent " posted by Trey Mitchell
Following is the entry on Red-billed Tropicbird from the most recently published FOS Records Committee Secretary's Report (from the August 5, 2006 meeting; the report is available online at http://www.fosbirds.org/RecordCommittee/Board%20Report_Spring%202006.htm):
"21. RC 06-608 RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD, Phaethon aethereus, a subadult individual of unknown sex, observed and photographed about 8 mi southeast of Key Biscayne, and about 2 mi southeast of Fowey Rocks Light, Miami-Dade County. The documentation record contained four photographs, a written description and analysis, a provocative evaluation of discriminating field-marks that separate young Red-billed and White-tailed (P. lepturus) tropicbirds, and remarks from online commentators. The Committee felt it needed to examine specimens in relation to suggested field characters that may be used to discriminate the two tropicbirds in question. VOTE: TABLED."
So at this meeting, at least, the record was tabled rather than not accepted. Perhaps a member of the checklist committee can give us an official update on the status of this record.
To get an idea of what can happen when a state records committee doesn't do their homework before accepting a record, read "Reassessment of a frigatebird record for Wyoming: Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel)" by Doug Faulkner, in the Volume 60, No. 3, March through May, 2006 issue of North American Birds, published by the American Birding Association.
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