eWestern Birds
The Quarterly Journal of Western Field Ornithologists
The 44th Annual Report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2018 Records
Thomas A. Benson, Rob Fowler, Guy McCaskie, and Justyn T. Stahl
ABSTRACT: From its last report through 2018 the California Bird Records Committee reached decisions on 287 records involving 267 individuals of 79 species, two species groups, one hybrid, and two introduced populations, endorsing 250 records of 238 individuals and two introduced populations. The first accepted California records of the Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), the Tropical Parula (Setophaga pitiayumi), and the eastern group of subspecies of the Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) are outlined in this report. The committee also voted to add naturalized populations of the Yellow-chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri) and the Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) to the state list. These additions bring California’s total list of accepted species to 675, of which 13 represent established introductions. Other notable records detailed in this report include the state’s second Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis), Gray Hawk (Buteo plagiatus), and Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis), and third Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola), Tristram’s Storm-Petrel (Hydrobates tristrami), and Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus).