Subject: Record Committee Decision 2026 [Print This Page] Author: HKBWS Tung Time: 8/03/2026 16:53 Subject: Record Committee Decision 2026
At a meeting on 10 February 2026, the Record Committee made the following decisions:
Addition to Cat I and II
• Tickell's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis — recorded on Po Toi, 1 - 3 May 2025
With assessing of photographs and vocalisation recordings collected at Po Toi, multiple records found along east China coast in spring migration period, this species is added into Cat I of the Hong Kong List.
• Great Myna Acridotheres grandis - moved from Category III to Category IIB due to sustained feral breeding population with juvenile records in the Deep Bay area since the mid-2010s.
New subspecies record
• Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica tytleri — records from Lok Ma Chau EEA (8 Nov 2021) and Ma Tso Lung (5 Dec 2024).
• White Wagtail Motacilla alba baicalensis/dukhuensis — records from Sai Sha, Sai Kung (26 Nov 2019) and Lok Ma Chau EEA (5 Oct 2022) accepted as baicalensis/dukhuensis; Mai Po Access Road (2–4 Mar 2024) and Lok Ma Chau EEA (5–6 Mar 2024) accepted as baicalensis.
Observers are encouraged to submit URF for records of these subspecies.
The HK list now stands at 590 species in Cat I and II. An updated HK List will be published after this announcement.
Species review
Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica
• Four records remain valid as wild; many recent urban sightings likely involve ex-captive birds, including western subspecies S. m. malabarica.
URF assessment update
Assessments of the following species are about to commence:
Hen Harrier (autumn 2025), Grey‑necked Bunting, Ashy Woodswallow, Wedge‑tailed Shearwater, Pale Blue Flycatcher, Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler, Asian Desert Warbler, Savannah Sparrow, Scaly‑sided Merganser, Asian Black Eagle, Blyth’s Paradise Flycatcher, Purple Sunbird, Altai Accentor, and Ornate Sunbird flammaxilaris
Hong Kong Bird Report
• HKBR 2021 nearing publication; HKBR 2022 preparation to begin.
[Post-meeting note: HKBR 2021 has been published in February 2026.]
IOC / AviList update
• AviList adoption deferred until release of the 2026 update.
At a meeting on 11 May 2026, the Record Committee made the following decisions:
Addition to Cat I and II
Claudia’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus claudiae – one individual was trapped at Tai Po Kau on 14 January 2026. Feathers were sampled for DNA analysis, and the identification was based primarily on the DNA results.
Asian Desert Warbler Curruca nana – one individual was present at Tap Mun on 15–16 November 2025. Identification was based on submitted photographs. The date and location support a wild origin for the bird.
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis – a single individual was photographed at Long Valley on 6 November 2025. Identification based on the submitted photographs indicated that the bird resembled the migratory subspecies anthinus, which has been recorded in Japan, at sites along the China coast, and in Taiwan. The date and location support a wild origin for this bird.
Pale Blue Flycatcher Cyornis unicolour – a singing individual was found on the Twisk Nature Trail on 11 May 2025 (remaining until June), and again on 14 March 2026 (and still present at the time of writing). The bird was in good plumage condition and behaved like a wild individual, and the species’ distribution extends to eastern Guangxi and northern Guangdong. The RC therefore decided to move this species from Cat III to Cat I. The previous record was at Tai Po Kau on 6 April 1991, which will be reviewed for the status.
Addition to Cat III
Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus – recorded at Kowloon Walled City Park on 28 January 2025. Its occurrence well outside the natural range of the species, the unknown migratory pattern, and the urban locality all favour an assessment of pre-captive origin.
Altai Accentor Prunella himalayana – recorded at Lantau Peak on 31 December 2025. Photographs showed feather loss. This record was far outside the species’ normal range, and the species is not known to show vagrancy or migration patterns close to southern China. These factors support its acceptance in Category III.
Notable record
A large unstreaked grasshopper warbler was trapped at Mai Po Nature Reserve on 11 October 2025. Identification of the bird was inconclusive, as it could refer to either Gray’s Grasshopper Warbler Helopsaltes fasciolatus or Sakhalin Grasshopper Warbler H. amnicola. Biometrics and plumage characteristics are insufficiently distinctive to separate these two species with certainty. Either identification would constitute the first Hong Kong record.
The Hong Kong List now stands at 594 species in Cat I and II. An updated HK List will be published later.
URF assessment update
A total of 45 URFs were assessed by RC members in this round. Several rare records have been accepted including Brahminy Kite, Hen Harrier, Chinese Leaf Warbler, Slender-billed Gull, Water Pipits, Ashy Woodswallows, Ruddy Kingfisher, Chinese Bush Warbler and Slaty-backed Flycatcher, etc. These records will be included in the coming Hong Kong Bird Reports.
Hong Kong Bird Report
HKBR 2022 is under preparation.
AviList update
The 2026 AviList update is awaited, and further action will depend on its contents.
IUCN Red List update
No major updates.
Date of next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for July or October 2026.
