Documentation of Significant Sightings Form
*** IMPORTANT. PLEASE READ *** Please submit documentation only for species currently on the Nevada Review List or for species not yet on the Nevada State Checklist. (However, introduced species which are not on the Nevada Checklist should not be submitted except in the special circumstance where that species is on the ABA checklist and is also on the official checklist of a state adjacent to Nevada.) The Nevada Checklist and the Nevada Review list are available on this website.
Common Crane / Photo: Aaron Ambos
If you have observed a rare bird in Nevada, a written description is an excellent way to provide a credible and permanent record of your observation. One important purpose of the Nevada Bird Records Committee (NBRC) is to archive all records of Nevada Review Species, for the long-term objective of determining patterns of occurrence and distribution of Nevada’s avifauna. NBRC requests documentation for all observations of species which are on the Nevada Review List (unless noted on that list as exempt from review for the region where you observed the bird.) NBRC also requests documentation for all observations of species which do not appear on the Nevada State Checklist. Both of these lists are available on this website.
A written description is essential for NBRC’s goal of archiving records of Nevada Review Species, but additional supporting documentation (e.g., photographs, sketches, sound recordings) is eagerly sought by the committee as well. All forms of documentation (written descriptions plus supporting materials) are archived and publicly available for research.
As soon as NBRC receives your documentation, you will be notified that your record is in review by the Committee. After NBRC has evaluated your record (this process can require up to one year), you will be notified in writing of the committee’s decision.
Rufous-backed Robin / Photo: Rick Fridell
Please bear in mind that the committee does not attempt to determine what you saw. The committee does not attempt to determine what you may count on your personal list of bird sightings. The committee does attempt to determine whether the documentation received by NBRC provides satisfactory evidence that a particular species (or subspecies) of bird was present on a given date at a given location within the state of Nevada. Furthermore, even in situations where the committee decides that the documentation does not provide sufficient evidence, the record, with all of its attendant documentation, is permanently archived for future study. NBRC proceedings are published annually in Western Birds, a publication of Western Field Ornithologists.
Below is an online submission form. This form is a convenient way to provide the NBRC with documentation of your sighting, but it is not essential that you use this form.
As long as you provide the information necessary to evaluate your sighting, the NBRC will be happy to review it. If you do choose to use the provided form, please leave blank any details that are unknown or were not observed. If you choose not to use this form, you are welcome to submit your sighting via email, but if you choose to do that, please do take a close look at the form first to see the kinds of information the committee considers useful as documentation, and please read the notice at the end of the form.
If you would like to submit your documentation as free-form email, please email to: Bohman--AT-SYMBOL-- gbbo--DOT-- org