Nevada Review List



Nevada Bird Records Committee Review List

2001 Major List Revision by Chris Elphick

Most recent revision date: 2/19/08

The contents of this web page are based on the major revision of the Nevada Bird Records Committee (NBRC) Review List undertaken by Chris Elphick, with assistance from numerous Nevada birders. The original publication of this list in Great Basin Birds 4(1), 2001, included a very informative discussion of the revision effort and history, elaborately documented by Chris Elphick. Nevada birders who assisted in the effort are credited there by name. Please consult the original publication in Great Basin Birds for that discussion.



Comments on the current review list should be sent to the .

Note: For taxa that have ever been considered full species by the American Ornithological Union, or are currently considered full species by other national or international ornithological societies, the committee may choose to review records for those taxa even though other conspecifics are not rare in Nevada. (Example: "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal.)


Table 1. The Nevada Bird Records Committee Review List. Sightings of all species on this list require documentation, except where exemptions are noted. Species that are not on this list and that do not appear on the official Nevada Checklist also require documentation. Documentation should be emailed to , or sent through conventional mail to NBRC c/o GBBO, 1755 E. Plumb Lane, Suite 256A, Reno, NV 89502.


Definitions for areas of exemption:
(1) Northwest (NW): Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Humboldt, Lyon, Mineral, Pershing, Storey, and Washoe Counties;
(2) Northeast (NE): Elko, Eureka, Lander, and White Pine Counties;
(3) South (S): Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln, and Nye Counties.




Common Name Scientific Name Regional Exemptions
Black-bellied Whistling-duck    Dendrocygna autumnalis   
Fulvous Whistling-duck    Dendrocygna bicolor   
Ross's Goose    Chen rossii    Exempt in  NW and S   
Brant    Branta bernicla   
Cackling Goose    Branta hutchinsii   
Trumpeter Swan    Cygnus buccinator    Exempt in  Ruby Valley in NE   
Eurasian Wigeon    Anas penelope   
American Black Duck    Abas rubripes   
King Eider    Somateria spectabilis   
Harlequin Duck    Histrionicus histrionicus   
Black Scoter    Melanitta nigra   
Long-tailed Duck    Clangula hyemalis   
Himalayan Snowcock    Tetraogallus himalayus    Exempt in  Ruby Mountains in NE   
Gray Partridge    Perdix perdix    Exempt in  NW and NE   
Ruffed Grouse    Bonasa umbellus    Exempt in  NE   
Dusky Grouse    Dendragapus obscurus    Exempt in  NE and S   
Sooty Grouse    Dendragapus fuliginosus    Exempt in  NW and S   
Sharp-tailed Grouse    Tympanuchus phasianellus    Exempt in  NE   
Gambel's Quail    Callipepla gambelii    Exempt in  S   
Red-throated Loon    Gavia stellata   
Yellow-billed Loon    Gavia adamsii   
Red-necked Grebe    Podiceps grisegena    Exempt in  NW   
Least Storm-petrel    Oceanodroma microsoma   
Blue-footed Booby    Sula nebouxii   
Brown Booby    Sula leucogaster   
Brown Pelican    Pelecanus occidentalis   
Neotropic Cormorant    Phalacrocorax brasilianus   
Magnificent Frigatebird    Fregata magnificens   
Little Blue Heron    Egretta caerulea   
Tricolored Heron    Egretta tricolor   
Reddish Egret    Egretta rufescens   
Yellow-crowned Night-heron    Nyctanassa violacea   
Roseate Spoonbill    Platalea ajaja   
Wood Stork    Mycteria americana   
White-tailed Kite    Elanus leucurus   
Mississippi Kite    Ictinia mississippiensis   
Common Black-hawk    Buteogallus anthracinus   
Harris's Hawk    Parabuteo unicinctus   
Broad-winged Hawk    Buteo platypterus    Exempt in  Goshute Mountains in NE   
Zone-tailed Hawk    Buteo albonotatus   
Gyrfalcon    Falco rusticolus   
Yellow Rail    Coturnicops noveboracensis   
Black Rail    Laterallus jamaicensis   
Clapper Rail    Rallus longirostris    Exempt in  S   
Purple Gallinule    Porphyrio martinica   
American Golden-plover    Pluvialis dominica   
Pacific Golden-plover    Pluvialis fulva   
Mountain Plover    Charadrius montanus   
Wandering Tattler    Heteroscelus incanus   
Spotted Redshank    Tringa erythropus   
Upland Sandpiper    Bartramia longicauda   
Whimbrel    Numenius phaeopus    Exempt in  NW and S   
Hudsonian Godwit    Limosa haemastica   
Ruddy Turnstone    Arenaria interpres   
Black Turnstone    Arenaria melanocephala   
Red Knot    Calidris canutus    Exempt in  NW and S   
Sanderling    Calidris alba    Exempt in  NW and S   
Semipalmated Sandpiper    Calidris pusilla    Exempt in  NW and S   
Red-necked Stint    Calidris ruficollis   
Pectoral Sandpiper    Calidris melanotos    Exempt in  NW and S   
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper    Calidris acuminata   
Curlew Sandpiper    Calidris ferruginea   
Stilt Sandpiper    Calidris himantopus    Exempt in  S   
Buff-breasted Sandpiper    Tryngites subruficollis   
Ruff    Philomachus pugnax   
Short-billed Dowitcher    Limnodromus griseus    Exempt in  NW and S   
Red Phalarope    Phalaropus fulicarius   
Laughing Gull    Larus atricilla   
Heermann's Gull    Larus heermanni   
Mew Gull    Larus canus    Exempt in  NW   
Thayer's Gull    Larus thayeri   
Yellow-footed Gull    Larus livens   
Western Gull    Larus occidentalis   
Glaucous-winged Gull    Larus glaucescens    Exempt in  NW and S   
Glaucous Gull    Larus hyperboreus   
Sabine's Gull    Xema sabini    Exempt in  NW and S   
Black-legged Kittiwake    Rissa tridactyla   
Red-legged Kittiwake    Rissa brevirostris   
Least Tern    Sterna antillarum   
Common Tern    Sterna hirundo    Exempt in  NW and S   
Arctic Tern    Sterna paradisaea   
Black Skimmer    Rhynchops niger   
Parasitic Jaeger    Stercorarius parasiticus   
Long-tailed Jaeger    Stercorarius longicaudus   
Ancient Murrelet    Synthliboramphus antiquus   
White-winged Dove    Zenaida asiatica    Exempt in  S   
Inca Dove    Columbina inca    Exempt in  S   
Common Ground-dove    Columbina passerina   
Ruddy Ground-dove    Columbina talpacoti   
Yellow-billed Cuckoo    Coccyzus americanus    Exempt in  S   
Greater Roadrunner    Geococcyx californianus    Exempt in  S   
Groove-billed Ani    Crotophaga sulcirostris   
Snowy Owl    Bubo scandiacus   
Elf Owl    Micrathene whitneyi   
Spotted Owl    Strix occidentalis   
Great Gray Owl    Strix nebulosa   
Lesser Nighthawk    Chordeiles acutipennis    Exempt in  S   
Chuck-will's-widow    Caprimulgus carolinensis   
Whip-poor-will    Caprimulgus vociferus    Exempt in  Sheep Range in S   
Black Swift    Cypseloides niger   
Broad-billed Hummingbird    Cynanthus latirostris   
Magnificent Hummingbird    Eugenes fulgens   
Anna's Hummingbird    Calypte anna    Exempt in  NW and S   
Costa's Hummingbird    Calypte costae    Exempt in  NW and S   
Allen's Hummingbird    Selasphorus sasin   
Red-headed Woodpecker    Melanerpes erythrocephalus   
Acorn Woodpecker    Melanerpes formicivorus   
Gila Woodpecker    Melanerpes uropygialis   
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker    Sphyrapicus varius   
Ladder-backed Woodpecker    Picoides scalaris    Exempt in  S   
Nuttall's Woodpecker    Picoides nuttallii   
Downy Woodpecker    Picoides pubescens    Exempt in  NW and NE   
White-headed Woodpecker    Picoides albolarvatus    Exempt in  NW   
American Three-toed Woodpecker    Picoides dorsalis    Exempt in  NE   
Black-backed Woodpecker    Picoides arcticus    Exempt in  NW   
Gilded Flicker    Colaptes chrysoides    Exempt in  S   
Pileated Woodpecker    Dryocopus pileatus   
Northern Beardless-tyrannulet    Camptostoma imberbe   
Greater Pewee    Contopus pertinax   
Eastern Wood-pewee    Contopus virens   
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher    Empidonax flaviventris   
Least Flycatcher    Empidonax minimus   
Eastern Phoebe    Sayornis phoebe    Exempt in  S   
Vermilion Flycatcher    Pyrocephalus rubinus    Exempt in  S   
Dusky-capped Flycatcher    Myiarchus tuberculifer   
Brown-crested Flycatcher    Myiarchus tyrannulus    Exempt in  S   
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher    Myiodynastes luteiventris   
Tropical Kingbird    Tyrannus melancholicus   
Cassin's Kingbird    Tyrannus vociferans    Exempt in  S   
Thick-billed Kingbird    Tyrannus crassirostris   
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher    Tyrannus forficatus   
White-eyed Vireo    Vireo griseus   
Bell's Vireo    Vireo bellii    Exempt in  S   
Gray Vireo    Vireo vicinior    Exempt in  S   
Yellow-throated Vireo    Vireo flavifrons   
Blue-headed Vireo    Viireo solitarius   
Hutton's Vireo    Vireo huttoni   
Philadelphia Vireo    Vireo philadelphicus   
Red-eyed Vireo    Vireo olivaceus   
Yellow-green Vireo    Vireo flavoviridis   
Gray Jay    Perisoreus canadensis   
Blue Jay    Cyanocitta cristata   
Purple Martin    Progne subis   
Black-capped Chickadee    Poecile atricapilla    Exempt in  NE   
Verdin    Auriparus flaviceps    Exempt in  S   
Cactus Wren    Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus    Exempt in  S   
American Dipper    Cinculus mexicanus    Exempt in  NW and NE   
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher    Polioptila melanura    Exempt in  S   
Veery    Catharus fuscescens   
Gray-cheeked Thrush    Catharus minimus   
Wood Thrush    Hylocichla mustelina   
Gray Catbird    Dumetella carolinensis    Exempt in  S   
Brown Thrasher    Toxostoma rufum   
Bendire's Thrasher    Toxostoma bedirei    Exempt in  S   
Curve-billed Thrasher    Toxostoma curvirostre   
Crissal Thrasher    Toxostoma crissale    Exempt in  S   
Le Conte's Thrasher    Toxostoma lecontei    Exempt in  S   
Eastern Yellow Wagtail    Motacilla tschutschensis   
Olive-backed Pipit    Anthus hodgsoni   
Sprague's Pipit    Anthrus spragueii   
Phainopepla    Phainopepla nitens    Exempt in  S   
Blue-winged Warbler    Vermivora pinus   
Golden-winged Warbler    Vermivora chrysoptera   
Tennessee Warbler    Vermivora peregrina   
Lucy's Warbler    Vermivora luciae    Exempt in  S   
Northern Parula    Parula americana    Exempt in  S   
Chestnut-sided Warbler    Dendroica pensylvanica   
Magnolia Warbler    Dendroica magnolia   
Cape May Warbler    Denroica tigrina   
Black-throated Blue Warbler    Dendroica caerulescens   
Black-throated Green Warbler    Dendroica virens   
Blackburnian Warbler    Dendroica fusca   
Yellow-throated Warbler    Dendroica dominica   
Grace's Warbler    Dendroica graciae    Exempt in  S   
Pine Warbler    Dendroica pinus   
Prairie Warbler    Dendroica discolor   
Palm Warbler    Dendroica palmarum   
Bay-breasted Warbler    Dendroica castanea   
Blackpoll Warbler    Dendroica striata    Exempt in  S   
Cerulean Warbler    Dendroica cerulea   
Black-and-white Warbler    Mniotilta varia    Exempt in  S   
American Redstart    Setophaga ruticilla    Exempt in  S   
Prothonotary Warbler    Prothonotaria citrea    Exempt in  S   
Worm-eating Warbler    Helmitheros vermivorum   
Ovenbird    Seiurus aurocapillus    Exempt in  S   
Northern Waterthrush    Seiurus noveboracensis    Exempt in  S   
Louisiana Waterthrush    Seiurus motacilla   
Kentucky Warbler    Oporornis formosus   
Connecticut Warbler    Oporornis agilis   
Mourning Warbler    Oporornis philadelphia   
Hooded Warbler    Wilsonia citrina    Exempt in  S   
Canada Warbler    Wilsonia canadensis   
Red-faced Warbler    Cardellina rubrifrons   
Painted Redstart    Myioborus pictus   
Hepatic Tanager    Piranga flava   
Summer Tanager    Piranga rubra    Exempt in  S   
Scarlet Tanager    Piranga olivacea   
Abert's Towhee    Pipilo aberti    Exempt in  S   
Cassin's Sparrow    Aimophila cassinii   
Rufous-crowned Sparrow    Aimophila ruficeps    Exempt in  S   
Clay-colored Sparrow    Spizella pallida   
Field Sparrow    Spizella pusilla   
Black-chinned Sparrow    Spizella atrogularis    Exempt in  S   
Lark Bunting    Calamospiza melanocorys   
Grasshopper Sparrow    Ammodramus savannarum   
Le Conte's Sparrow    Ammodramus leconteii   
Swamp Sparrow    Melospiza georgiana   
Golden-crowned Sparrow    Zonotrichia atricapilla    Exempt in  NW and S   
Mccown's Longspur    Calcarius mccownii   
Lapland Longspur    Calcarius lapponicus    Exempt in  NW and S   
Smith's Longspur    Calcarius pictus   
Chestnut-collared Longspur    Calcarius ornatus   
Snow Bunting    Plectrophenax nivalis   
Northern Cardinal    Cardinalis cardinalis   
Pyrrhuloxia    Cardinalis sinuatus   
Rose-breasted Grosbeak    Pheucticus ludovicianus    Exempt in  S   
Blue Grosbeak    Passerina caerulea    Exempt in  NW and S   
Indigo Bunting    Passerina cyanea    Exempt in  NW and S   
Painted Bunting    Passerina ciris   
Dickcissel    Spiza americana   
Tricolored Blackbird    Agelaius tricolor    Exempt in  NW   
Rusty Blackbird    Euphagus carolinus   
Common Grackle    Quiscalus quiscula   
Bronzed Cowbird    Molothrus aeneus   
Orchard Oriole    Icterus spurius   
Hooded Oriole    Icterus cucullatus    Exempt in  NW and S   
Baltimore Oriole    Icterus galbula   
Scott's Oriole    Icterus parisorum    Exempt in  NE and S   
Brambling    Fringilla montifringilla   
Black Rosy-finch    Leucosticte atratus    Exempt in  NE and S   
Pine Grosbeak    Pinicola enucleator    Exempt in  NW   
Purple Finch    Carpodacus purpureus   
White-winged Crossbill    Loxia leucoptera   
Common Redpoll    Carduelis flammea   
Hoary Redpoll    Carduelis hornemanni   
Lawrence's Goldfinch    Carduelis lawrencei