Have you seen an unusual bird in the ACT recently? If so, we'd very much appreciate hearing from you. The list of birds currently regarded as unusual in our area is below.

A form to fill in (in Word 6 / 95 format which can be read in newer versions of Word as well)
can be downloaded from here.

List of Unusual Birds (September 2008)

Notes  This list was devised, after consultation with the membership of COG,  by COG’s Rarities Panel and applies from September 2008. It comprises species for which there have been fewer than 10 endorsed records of probably distinct individuals or groups since the formation of the Rarities Panel in 1984. Species which were formerly listed as unusual but which have not been recorded since 1984 have been dropped from the list, as have species recorded ten or more times. Records of any of the species listed or of any species new to the COG area of interest (CAI) or of any species which is not listed on a revised COG datasheet will not be published as an official COG record unless endorsed by the Panel. If in doubt about the status of a given species, please contact rarities@canberrabirds.org.au for clarification. Unusual bird report forms are available at COG’s monthly meetings or may be downloaded from the COG website; they should be returned either to the “red box” at meetings, to the rarities email address above, or mailed to Rarities Panel, COG, PO Box 301 Civic Square ACT 2608.

Species

Date most recentlyseen

Comments

Magpie Goose Anseranas semipalmata

2003

Excludes birds at Tidbinbilla NR. Status of 2003 Brindabella Stn bird unclear – may have been from Tid

Plumed Whistling Duck Dendrocygna eytoni

1998

2 records only from ACT

Bar-shouldered Dove  Geopelia humeralis

1992

1 ACT

Superb Fruit-Dove  Ptilinopus superbus

1987

White-throated Nightjar  Eurostopodus mystacalis

2007

ACT & CAI

Black-necked Stork  Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus

1989

1 record only nr Murrumbateman

Australasian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus

2002

Never ACT; Rose Lagoon, primarily

Black-tailed Native-hen  Tribonyx ventralis

2007

ACT & CAI

Grey Plover  Pluvialis squatarola

1991

Only LBath

Banded Lapwing  Vanellus tricolor

2007

Only CAI

Australian Painted Snipe  Rostratula australis

2007

ACT only

Black-tailed Godwit  Limosa limosa

1987

CAI only (LBath)

Bar-tailed Godwit  Limosa lapponica

2007

ACT rare; prev not uncommon LBath

Little Curlew  Numenius minutus

1997

only LBath

Common Greenshank  Tringa nebularia

1991

2 ACT, 6 LBath

Wood Sandpiper  Tringa glareola

1994

Ruddy Turnstone  Arenaria interpres

1993?

Mainly CAI; 1 record only ACT

Great Knot  Calidris tenuirostris

1995

1 only LBath

Red Knot  Calidris canutus

1999

1 ACT; a few LBath

Long-toed Stint  Calidris subminuta

2002

ACT only

Pectoral Sandpiper  Calidris melanotos

2002

ACT & more often CAI

Buff-breasted Sandpiper  Tryngites subruficollis

1997

CAI only

Ruff  Philomachus  pugnax

1996

Little Button-quail  Turnix velox

2006

ACT only

Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella

1991

Only CAI - LBath

Gull-billed Tern  Gelochelidon nilotica

2002

1 ACT; 5 CAI - LBath

Caspian Tern  Hydroprogne caspia

2005

3 ACT; 1 CAI

White-winged Black Tern  Chlidonias leucopterus

1990

2 CAI - LBath

Musk Lorikeet  Glossopsitta concinna

2008

ACT only – nearly off list

Black-eared Cuckoo  Chalcites osculans

2007

ACT only

Barking Owl  Ninox connivens

1998

ACT only

Azure Kingfisher  Ceyx azureus

2001

2 ACT; 2 CAI

Red-backed Kingfisher  Todiramphus pyrrhopygius

2002

ACT only

Variegated Fairy-wren  Malurus lamberti

1991

none since 1991

Brown Gerygone  Gerygone mouki

2006

mainly ACT; 1 CAI

Chestnut-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza uropygialis

2007

1 CAI; 1 historic ACT

Pied Honeyeater  Certhionyx variegatus

2002

1 CAI

Lewin’s Honeyeater  Meliphaga lewinii

2008

ACT & CAI (Tallaganda)

Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens

2006

ACT & CAI

White-fronted Honeyeater  Purnella  albifrons

2007

ACT only

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater Acanthagenys rufogularis

2004

ACT & CAI

Little Wattlebird  Anthochaera chrysoptera

2007

ACT only and nearly off list

Crimson Chat  Epthianura tricolor

2003

1 ACT

Black Honeyeater  Sugomel  niger

2007

seen 1991 and again 2007

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater  Glyciphila  melanops

2000

ACT & 1 CAI

Black-chinned Honeyeater  Melithreptus gularis

2007

ACT only

Blue-faced Honeyeater  Entomyzon cyanotis

2006

ACT only

Striped Honeyeater  Plectorhyncha lanceolata

2006

1 ACT

Grey-crowned Babbler Pomatostomus temporalis

2004+

ACT

White-browed Babbler  Pomatostomus superciliosus

2006

1 ACT

Spangled Drongo  Dicrurus bracteatus

2007

ACT only

PLEASE NOTE: Any bird that is not named in the most recent edition of Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Australian Capital Territory and/or the COG datasheet and is not listed above is also defined as an unusual bird. If you see one, please complete COG's unusual bird report form and email it to rarities@canberrabirds.org.au or send it to

The Records Officer, COG
PO Box 301
CIVIC SQUARE 2608

or hand it in at COG's monthly meetings.

COG Rarities Panel, September 2008