Twelfth Report of the Washington Bird Records Committee (2016–2018)

Abstract

Since its eleventh report (Merrill et al. 2019) the Washington Bird Records Committee has reviewed 219 new reports of 80 species and 9 subspecies. Of these, 163 were accepted, an acceptance rate of 74%. Seven species and two subspecies/subspecies-groups were added to the Washington state checklist: the Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus), Swallow-tailed Gull (Creagrus furcatus), Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus), Dusky-capped Flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer), Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla), Painted Redstart (Myioborus pictus), and Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea), plus an eastern subspecies of the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia melodia/atlantica group) and the White-winged Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis aikeni). In addition to the regular review of reports, the committee reconsidered species on the state list supported only by sight reports. After reviewing 25 reports of 17 species, it removed six species from the state list: the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), Little Curlew (Numenius minutus), Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Whiskered Auklet (Aethia pygmaea), Red-faced Cormorant (Urile urile), and Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus). The Washington state list now stands at 515 species.