Proposal (330) to South American Classification Committee

Add Ardeola ralloides (Squacco 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)."

Published photographic record from Fernando de Noronha Island, Brazil: From 24 November to 3 December 2004, two to five birds were seen together at Açude do Xaréu, Fernando de Noronha (one of these was photographed by Robson Silva-e-Silva). This documented record was accepted by the "Comitê Brasileiro de Registros Ornitológicos (CBRO), which had access to the original photo, to change the status on official Brazilian bird list. The black-and-white photo was published by Silva-e-Silva & Olmos (2006).

Literature Cited:

NACINOVIC, J. B., AND D. M. TEIXEIRA. 1987. Sobre a ocorrência de Ardea purpurea (Linnaeus, 1758) e Ardeola ralloides (Scopoli, 1607) (sic) no Brasil (Ciconiiformes, Ardeidae). Pp. 147 in "XIV Congresso Brasileiro de Zoologia", Juiz de Fora, Brasil. (Resumo no. 404)

NACINOVIC, J. B., AND D. M. TEIXEIRA. 1989. As aves de Fernando de Noronha: uma lista sistemática anotada. Rev. Brasil. Biol. 49(3): 709-729.

SILVA-E-SILVA, R. AND F. OLMOS. 2006. Noteworthy bird records from Fernando de Noronha, northeastern Brazil. Rev. Bras. Orn. 14(4):470-474. Available on http://www.ararajuba.org.br/sbo/ararajuba/artigos/Volume144/ara144cbro5.pdf

TEIXEIRA, D. M., J. B. NACINOVIC, AND F. B. PONTUAL. 1987. Notes on some birds of northeastern Brazil (2). Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 107(4): 151-157.

José Fernando Pacheco, Jan. 2008

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Comments from Stiles: "YES. I assume that the original photo was in color? That the evidence was accepted by the Brazilian committee with access to it plus the publication seem sufficient to add this species to our list."

Comments from Nores: "YES, la foto coincide bien con la disposición de colores de esta especie, pero como es un joven y la fotografía no está en colores hay que confiar también en lo que dicen los autores y Pacheco."