HKBWS Bonnie

香港鳥類名錄已更新：
The next update List of HK Birds is available at:

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BBS/viewthread.php?tid=16948&extra=page%3D1&frombbs=1

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Latest "List of HK Birds" with Chinese Name

One change to the Hong Kong List was made at the Records Committee Meeting of 22nd November, ie the addition of Hawfinch to Category I.   

With the addition of Hawfinch to Category I, the HK List increases to 514.


List of HK Birds 香港鳥類名錄
HK_List_514_20121122.xls (152 KB)

HK_List_514_20121122.xls (152 KB)
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HK_List_514_Catagory_I_II_20121122.pdf (240.18 KB)

HK_List_514_Catagory_I_II_20121122.pdf (240.18 KB)
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HK_List_514_Catagory_III_20121122.pdf (48.75 KB)

HK_List_514_Catagory_III_20121122.pdf (48.75 KB)
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Unusual Record Form 罕有雀鳥紀錄表格
Unusual_Record_Form.doc (35 KB)

Unusual_Record_Form.doc (35 KB)
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鳥種類別的定義如下﹕

第   I  類﹕ 在香港有明確野生紀錄。
第 IIA 類﹕ 中國東南部地區繁殖的鳥種，現時在香港的繁殖群落被認為是由逃逸的籠鳥所繁衍的，
                 但亦可能在棲息地出現變化前已在香港出沒。
第 IIB 類﹕ 非原居鳥種；經人為引入香港，現無需靠額外幫助已能繼續繁衍。
第 IIC 類﹕ 曾經在香港有野生群落的鳥種。
第  III  類﹕ 根據已發表所有香港紀錄顯示，此鳥種可能在飼養時逃逸或人為放生。

*第 III 類鳥種並非香港鳥類名錄正式確認的鳥種， 香港鳥類名錄只包括第 I 類及第 II 類現共有514鳥種。

The species category definition is as follows:

Category I: species that have been recorded in an apparently wild state in HK.

Category IIA: southeast China breeding species, the currently established HK breeding population of which is considered to derive from captive stock, but which probably occurred in HK prior to habitat changes.

Category IIB: extralimital species that, although originally introduced to HK by man, maintain a regular feral breeding stock without necessary recourse to further introduction.

Category IIC: previously established feral species.

Category III: species for which all published HK records are considered likely to relate to birds that have escaped or have been released from captivity.

*Category III species do not form part of the official HK List which is only Category I and II species and currently stands at 514.

HFCheung

The latest rate of update has been excellent.  Thank you.

msamuel

I think it would be nice to have also the dates (maybe even places) that the birds were first sighted listed for a complete historical record.  This would make future reference easier.

kmike

I agree with Samuel - and for Hawfinch in particular

Given the extensive debate over the provenance of Hawfinch over the last few years it would be very helpful and interesting  to know which birds have been accepted and what has persuaded the records committee to change its views.

Cheers
Mike K

wgeoff

As Geoff Carey is away, perhaps I can answer these two questions on his behalf.

Firstly, the dates and places requested by Samuel Ma. I’m not quite sure exactly what information is being requested but there is now a lot of data out there already. Apart from the HK List itself, we have the HK Bird Data by species (as at the end of 2011)

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BBS/view ... &extra=page%3D1

plus the details on any recent first records now published regularly and quickly here

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BBS/view ... &extra=page%3D1

the historical HK Bird Reports here

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/web/eng/bird_report_eng.htm

with an index to many of the reports here

http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BBS/attachment.php?aid=12146

and the 2007-08 and 2009-10 HKBR now published. Is there something we are missing?

On Mike’s question about Hawfinch. The Records Committee reviews each record against the criterion of 'reasonable doubt' – in fact, the constitution reads

‘The decision to accept a record is made on the basis that all reasonable doubt has been removed by the record submission’

Each member assesses each record independently for identity and category separately. The identity of a HK First must a unanimous decision. The category is a majority decision with a conservative (Cat III) view taken for a 3-3 tie, so with six voting members at the moment, it requires a 4-2 majority to pass as Cat I. The elements considered in this decision include

Date of occurrence
Typical range of species
Rarity of species
Extent of migratory behaviour
Weather patterns
Habitat in which a bird occurs
Tameness or other behaviour
Plumage and bare part condition
Presence in trade of the species concerned
Previous records in relation to all the factors above
  
Unlike a Court of Law, the evidence for the category of an individual record changes over time since one of the considerations is ‘previous records’. So each new record may change the decision.
In the case of Hawfinch, the RC considered that this record, which was ‘clean’, changed the balance for Hawfinch and allowed the species to be classified as Cat I. In these circumstances (i.e. where previous potential ‘clean’ records exist), this record will be declared the first accepted Cat I record (which it is) but the RC will then review all previous records accepted to species to see if any can now also be accepted as Cat I, given the new circumstances.
As a result, the RC is currently reviewing all historical records of Hawfinch to see if any can now be accepted as Cat I. However, this review will take some time as all previous record details must be retrieved and each reviewed by each RC member, when once again the majority vote will be required.
As an outsider (which I once was), this seems a reasonable and fair system. We all have our individual grievances about particular records (including me) but the system does operate fairly, as I now know having sat in on the meetings (I am a non-voting member).

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 30/11/2012 08:49 ]

msamuel

The date I meant is the date of the earliest ‘clean’ record.  The date can be revised when an even earlier ‘clean’ record can be established later.  Adding the date to the HK Bird List helps to answer the question like when a bird was first seen in HK easily, where rare birds are of particular interest to me.

I understand that it could be hard to track back the first sighting dates of all birds in the list today.  As Mike said, we can start to accumulate the piece of information in one list from today with Hawfinch or some time earlier.

I have no comment on the RC decision process.

wgeoff

Hi Samuel

I'm not sure this type of data forms part of the HK List but I will consult various individuals to see whether they want the list extended this way. I personally dislike incomplete data sets and to produce a complete list would be quite time-consuming.
As you are interested and I have the data readily available, the following Excel File contains a list of the first record date for all the HK First Record species added to the HK List since the publication of The Avifauna in 1999.

http://www.geoffwelch46.com/HKFirstRecords.xls

I think it is accurate but you can check it and add the locations from one of the lists above.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 30/11/2012 14:25 ]

kmike

Thanks Geoff

I somehow missed the 25 Nov post giving the date of the first accepted Hawfinch record and look forward to the outcome of the review of the previous records of this species.

Cheers
Mike