Proposal
(308) to South American
Classification Committee
Add Ardea purpurea (Purple Heron) to main list
Effect on South American CL: This
transfers a species from the Hypothetical List to the Main List.
Background: The
Hypothetical List currently reads as follows: "Sight record from Fernando
de Noronha island, Brazil (Teixeira et al. 1987, Nacinovic
& Teixeira 1987, 1989) One photographed on Trinidad 24 Sept.-10 Oct. 2002
(Kenefick 2004); photos available at http://geocites.com/secaribbirds/ttpurpleheron.html. Photos
now published in Kenefick & Hayes (2006)."
Published photographic record from
Trinidad: On 24 September 2002, M. Kenefick found an immature in a
freshwater marsh at Caroni, Trinidad, where it was relocated repeatedly by
various observers and photographed by Graham White until 10 October 2002. It
was accepted by the Trinidad and Tobago Rare Bird Committee (TTRBC 2002-34),
which had access to the photo. The rather grainy photo now published by
Kenefick and Hayes (2006) reveals a heron not substantially larger than a
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) with a long, dark malar stripe and
(in the pdf file but not the print version) extensive reddish-brown coloring in
the neck which, combined with other morphological and plumage traits provided
in Kenefick's original description, distinguish it
from other Ardea herons.
Literature Cited:
KENEFICK, M., AND F. E. HAYES.
2006. Trans-Atlantic vagrancy of Palearctic birds in Trinidad and Tobago.
Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 19:61-72.
Floyd
Hayes, Sept. 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Comments from Stiles:
"YES. I will accept the arguments of Hayes and the TTRBC - and nothing
else fits the description."
Comments from Robbins: "YES
to all four new records for South America. Identifications appear
straightforward and I see no issues concerning provenance."
Comments from Nores: "YES, aunque la propuesta no es muy convincente. La foto
de Kenefick & Hayes (2006) está muy poco clara y difícil de identificar,
más tratándose de un inmaduro. Hay que confiar en lo que dicen los autores y
que fue aprobado por el TTRBC."
Comments from Jaramillo: "YES
- Identification is solid."
Comments from Zimmer: "YES
-- ID is solid."