Proposal (310) to South American Classification Committee

Add Tringa glareola (Wood Sandpiper) 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 Buccoo Swamp, Tobago, 30 Dec 1996 to 27 Feb 1997 (ffrench & White 1999, Peterson & McRae 2002). Record is accepted by the TTRBC (see text at http://www.wow.net/ttfnc/ttrbc/ttrbcPub.html); Floyd Hayes's field notes and a sketch are at http://www.wow.net/ttfnc/ttrbc/ttrbcField.html. Photos now published in Kenefick & Hayes (2006)."

Published photographic record from Tobago: A basic plumaged immature was found by Doug McRae, Wayne Petersen and others at Buccoo, Tobago, on 30 December 1996, and later relocated by Davis Finch on 18 January 1997 and by myself on 27 February 1997. The Trinidad and Tobago Rare Bird Committee accepted it based on extensive descriptions by Finch and myself and a sketch by myself (Hayes and White 2000; TTRBC 1998-7). Further details were published by Petersen and McRae (2002). Afterward Wayne Petersen e-mailed me a photo taken by Peggy Keller, which is now published by Kenefick and Hayes (2006). The photo reveals an obvious Tringa shorebird similar in size to a Solitary Sandpiper (T. solitaria) just behind it but with a prominent white superciliary which is either lacking or less prominent in other candidate Tringa species, including Solitary Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper (T. ochropus), Greater Yellowlegs (T. melanoleucos) and Lesser Yellowlegs (T. flavipes). The bird is clearly smaller than either yellowlegs with duller colored yellowish-green legs (color in pdf file but not printed version). Other plumage and vocal characters described by the observers eliminate all other contenders.

Literature Cited:
HAYES, F. E., AND G. WHITE. 2000. First report of the Trinidad and Tobago Rare Bird Committee. Living World, Journal of the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club 1999-2000:39-45.

KENEFICK, M., AND F. E. HAYES. 2006. Trans-Atlantic vagrancy of Palearctic birds in Trinidad and Tobago. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 19:61-72.

PETERSEN, W. R., AND D. MCRAE. 2002. Noteworthy bird records for Trinidad and Tobago, including first reports of Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) and White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus). Department of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Occasional Paper 11:204-206.

Floyd Hayes, Sept. 2007

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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 algo similar a lo de Ardea purpurea. En la foto se ve un Tringa, pero no mucho más que eso (excepto que no es melanoleuca ni flavipes). Lo de la prominente ceja blanca señalada por Hayes, es relativo. En The birds of Britain of Europe (Heinzel, Fitter and Parslow) hay varias especies de Tringa (totanus, nebularia, stagnatilis, ochropus) con cejas blancas igual o más prominentes que la de la fotografía de Kenefick & Hayes (2006). Otra vez, 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."