Table C
California Bird List
This is the list of California birds recognized by the California Bird Records Committee (adapted from CBRC 2000) as of 25 June 2007. Online updates are available at www.californiabirds.org/ca_list.asp. The taxonomy and sequence of this list accord with the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-List of North American Birds, seventh edition, and supplements (AOU 1998, 2000; Banks et al. 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006). Although this list incorporates changes to the taxonomic order specified in the 47th Supplement (Banks et al. 2006), the practicalities of assembling this book required us to commit to a basic layout in early 2006. For this reason, the order of the species accounts conforms to the AOU Check-list as of the 46th Supplement (Banks et al. 2005). We have, however, incorporated nomenclature of the 47th Supplement throughout.
As described in the CBRC Bylaws (Appendix A), the California Bird List covers the state of California and adjacent ocean within 200 nautical miles of the nearest point of land (including islands) in California, except to the extent the southern boundary is truncated by areas under the jurisdiction of Mexico pursuant to international law. In a few cases, the CBRC has reviewed and accepted records that were slightly farther than 200 nautical miles from land.
As of 25 June 2007 the Main List comprised 634 species, including ten non-native species and two species extirpated from the state. The CBRC has evaluated the populations of the ten non-native species on the list and determined that they satisfy the conditions detailed in Section VI. B. (8) of the bylaws (see Appendix A). Six species recorded in California that are of uncertain natural occurrence make up the Supplemental List. Species lacking annotation (or marked with just an E or I) are supported by at least one extant specimen for which there is convincing evidence that it was obtained in California. Species marked with a non-specimen annotation are supported by at least one record documented with one or more photograph, video, or recorded vocalization that clearly demonstrates definitive characters, and for which there is adequate supporting evidence that the photograph, video, or recording was made in California. Records of three species are supported only by one or more convincing written description. For species with accounts in this book (that is, all species that have ever had their records reviewed by the CBRC) the page number of the species account is specified.
The CBRC solicits information on all occurrences in California of species on its Review List (annotated with an asterisk) and the Supplemental List, as well as species unrecorded in California. Species on the Review List generally average four or fewer occurrences per year in California and have been recorded fewer than 100 times. Documentation should be sent to the current Secretary of the California Bird Records Committee. The CBRC also seeks documentation concerning the potential establishment of exotic species not currently on the California Bird List (see Table D for a list of the most likely candidates for future addition to the state list).