Record Committee Decision 2024
At a meeting on 22 January 2024, the Record Committee made the following decisions:
Addition to Cat I
- Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca , Tsim Bei Tsui Jetty, 9 April 2023.
Addition to Cat IIB
- Indochinese Green Magpie Cissa hypoleuca
This species has been found expanding its location widely in NE New Territories and there was a recent observation at Shek Kung Catchwater. Breeding was also recorded in several location. Sustainable breeding population in Hong Kong has been established.
- White-rumped Shama Copsychus malabaricus
This species was formerly found only in Lion Rock Country Park. During the recent Hong Kong Bird Atlas Survey on 2016-19, this species was recorded in many locations at Sai Kung area as well and there were also records at Tai Po Kau recently. Breeding was confirmed at Sai Kung and breeding population was established locally.
The HK List now stands at 581 species in Cat I and II. An updated HK List will be published later.
Hong Kong Bird Report
HKBR 2020 is now in the final stage of typesetting work and it is expected to be published in coming months. This report will have only PDF version but no printed copy.
IOC World Bird List 14.1 and proposed changes of English Bird Name
The split of Intermediate Egret made three new species, the species recorded in Hong Kong is Ardea intermedia which IOC decided the English name as Medium Egret. The HKBWS Record Committee decided not to follow IOC decision because the other two new splits: Yellow-billed A. brachyrhyncha and Plumed A. plumifera Egrets are found primarily in Africa and Australasia, both of them have only remote chances of occurring in Hong Kong. The new name causes more confusion and so the tradition name, Intermediate Egret, is retained in the Hong Kong List.
The split of Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher made the species found in Hong Kong is now named as Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher Ceyx erithaca. RC decided to accept this change and the HK List will follow this change.
The split of Olive-backed Sunbird made the species recorded in Hong Kong is now named as Ornate Sunbird Cinnyris ornatus. RC decided to accept this change and the HK List will follow this change. Accepted wild individuals of this species found in Hong Kong clearly showed whitish belly which is a characteristic field feature for the subspecies rhizophorae.
Anarhynchus replaces Charadrius as the genus name for several small plover species.
Change of sequence is applied in Shorebirds, Gulls and Terns. Genera between Pluvialis and Glareola are in new sequence, while terns are now preceding the gulls and many are internally re-sequenced.
The next meeting is scheduled in April or May 2024. (Update: The next meeting is postponed to June or July 2024.)
Yat-tung Yu
Chairman, HKBWS Record Committee
