Subject: Record Committee Decision 2023 [Print This Page] Author: HKBWS Tung Time: 4/04/2023 17:08 Subject: Record Committee Decision 2023
At a meeting on 10 January 2023, the Record Committee made the following decisions:
Addition to Cat I
- No new addition into the Hong Kong List during this meeting.
The Hong Kong List still stands at 575 species in Cat I and II.
Removal of URF submission requirement
- No suggestion was made during the meeting
Outstanding URF for review/assessment
- 4 URFs for checklist sub-committee (all 2022)
- 41 URFs for main committee (1 for 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 37 for 2022)
The avifauna of Hong Kong
- Geoff Carey gave a presentation to RC members on the new online version of the Avifauna of Hong Kong (as Geoff Carey is editor of the Avifauna of Hong Kong). Discussion was made on issues of keeping and processing future bird records in relation to the Hong Kong Bird Report. It is anticipated the Avifauna of Hong Kong will be launched in the later part of 2023.
Taxonomy and HK List nomenclature changes
- There was no update on IOC (13.1 draft) till January 2023.
The next meeting is scheduled in mid-April 2023. Author: HKBWS Tung Time: 4/04/2023 17:09
At a meeting on 20 April 2023, the Record Committee made the following decisions:
Addition to Cat I
- Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus, Mai Po, 15 October 2022.
The HK List now stands at 576 species in Cat I and II. An updated HK List will be published later.
Addition to Cat III
• Spot-breasted Parrotbill Paradoxornis guttaticollis, Tai Mo Shan, 24 March 2022.
• Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis, King’s Park Hong Kong Observatory, 22 October 2020.
The following subspecies record was reviewed and accepted for HK:
• Hume’s Leaf Warbler (spp. humei), Hong Kong Wetland Park, 2018-12-09. (c.f. the previous earliest record was at Pak Sha O, 2020-11-01).
Species under review:
Blue flycatcher issue
Recent taxonomic revisions have resulted in the reclassification of klossi blue flycatcher as a subspecies of the Hainan Blue Flycatcher Cyronis hainanus (Zhang et al. 2016, Gwee et al. 2019) a species that shares certain plumage resemblances with the Chinese Blue Flycatcher Cyornis rubeculoides (i.e. orange colour on throat and breast). Complicating matters further, interbreeding between Hainan and Chinese Blue Flycatchers have been reported (Ng et al., 2020).
In light of these developments, the Record Committee is reviewing all records of Hainan Blue Flycatcher klossi and Chinese Blue Flycatcher. Observers are strongly encouraged to gather detailed information regarding these blue flycatcher species. Such information will prove invaluable in refining field identification criteria, enhancing our understanding of their occurrence patterns.
Taxonomy and HK List nomenclature changes
IOC World Bird List 13.1
Singing Bush Lark Mirafra cantillans is lumped with Horsfield’s Bush Lark M. javanica. Name of this Cat III is revised accordingly.
IOC World Bird List 13.2 (draft on April 2023, updated on August 2023)
Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus is split to Siberian Sand Plover (a re-name from Lesser) and Tibetan Sand Plover C. atrifrons.
Grey-crowned Leafbird Chloropsis lazulina is re-lumped with Orange-bellied Leafbird C. hardwickii.
These names in the HK list are probably changed in the coming future.
If members are interested to the IOC bird list, please check it at: https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/
最近的鳥類分類修訂將klossi亞種的藍鶲被重新歸類為海南藍鶲(Cyornis hainanus)的一個亞種（Zhang et al. 2016, Gwee et al. 2019），這鳥種與中華仙鶲（Cyornis rubeculoides）在羽色上有共同之處（例如橙色的喉嚨和胸部）。更複雜的是，海南藍鶲和中華仙鶲之間的雜交也有報告（Ng et al. 2020）。
In July 2023, the Record Committee did not call for a meeting and assessments were conducted via emails and online platform.
At a meeting on 3 October 2023, the Record Committee made the following decisions:
Addition to Cat I of HK List
- Tibetan Sand Plover Charadrius atrifrons, Deep Bay area, several records and probably annual
- Mountain Scops Owl Otus spilocephalus latouchi, Ng Tung Chai, 30 December 2022
- (Revised) Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis, Mai Po, 3 March 2022 (same individual was also reported on 23 February 2022), other individual was at Tai Po Tin on 3 January 2022. In total, two individuals were accepted.
The HK list now stands at 578 species in Cat I and II. An updated HK List will also be published.
Addition to Cat III of HK List
- Jerdon’s Baza Aviceda jerdoni, Lung A Pai, Lam Tsuen, 22 December 2022
Asymmetric feather damages were noted on primaries and remiges which were different from normal moulting condition, suggesting that could be cage damage.
The following first HK subspecies is accepted by Checklist Sub-committee during the RC meeting
- Chinese Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis (spp. hainaus), Shui Hau, Lantau, 26 Jan 2023.
Species require further reviews/discussion:
- Masked Bunting Emberiza personata, Long Valley, 4 February 2013.
- Scaly-sided Mergenser Mergus squamatus, Tai Lam Country Park, 20 January 2023.
- Stejneger’s Scoter Melanitta stejnegeri, two previous records (at Pak Nai, 5 Feb 1982 and from Tsim Bei Tsui, 26 December 1985) might not have sufficient details for current identification criteria. These records will be reviewed by Checklist Sub-committee.
Discrepancy of Chinese names
Due to different bird books, literatures and checklists (from Hong Kong and China mainland) using different set of Chinese names over the past 10 years, some bird species appear to have more than one Chinese name and cause some confusion. HKBWS Record Committee main committee members made reviews and suggestions to adopt the Chinese names for all Category I and II bird species in Hong Kong List, that aims to standardize the Chinese names used in Hong Kong and minimize confusion. It is found that a total of 45 species have different Chinese names in the Hong Kong List, 23 species will follow the names in the Checklist of birds of China (version 10), and the rest 22 species will be retained the names commonly used in Hong Kong.
IOC version 13.2, several splits mentioned before are now confirmed, and other changes:
- Tibetan Sand Plover Charadrius atrifrons was split from Lesser Sand Plover C. mongolus, which is re-named to Siberian Sand Plover.
- Greyish-crowed Leafbird Chloropsis lazuline was relump with Orange-bellied Leafbird Chloropsis hardwickii.
- Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis is renamed to Eurasian Goshawk, as American Goshawk A. atricapillus was split from the Northern Goshawk.
- Japanese Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone atrocaudata and Japanese Reed Bunting Emberiza yessoensis are suggested to change to Black Paradise Flycatcher and Ochre-rumped Bunting. The HKBWS Record Committee is not in favour of following these changes. The new name Black Paradise Flycatcher in fact cannot reflect better of its plumage features as the subspecies T.a. atrocaudata does not have black plumage at all but notably dark marron colour on mantle, while Ochre-rumped Bunting cannot reflect its close relation to “reed buntings” (i.e. Common and Pallas’s Reed Buntings Emberiza schoeniclus and E. pallasi).
- Genus name of White-bellied Sea Eagle is changed from Haliaeetus to Icthyophaga:
White-bellied Sea Eagle Icthyophaga leucogaster
- The following orders of bird will have changes in sequence in the Hong Kong List
Storks
Eagles
Shrikes
Chats and Old World Flycatchers
- Parrotbills have merge and re-merges of genus:
Vinous-throated Parrotbill, from Sinosuthora webbiana to Suthora webbiana
Spot-breasted Parrotbill, from Paradoxornis guttaticollis to Paradoxornis guttaticollis
Ashy-throated Parrotbill from Sinosuthora alphonsiana to Suthora alphonsiana
- Due to lumping of Horsfield’s Bush Lark Mirafra javanica to Singing Bush Lark M. cantilans, the English name of Horsfield Bush Lark is changed Singing Bush Lark M. javanica.
- Tentatively lumping of Desert Whitethroat Curruca minula (including margelanica) and Hume's Whitethroat C. althaea with Lesser Whitethroat C. curruca, there was no change in HK List.
RC secretary Carrie Ma will step down from her role in December 2023 after completing the current tasks. Record Committee Chairman and all members are very grateful for all her great contribution to the committee.
The next meeting is scheduled in mid-January 2024.
