Memorandum to: The Director of Birds Australia

From: Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)

Date: 19^th February 2007

Voting Members: Danny Rogers Mike Carter

Niven McCrie John Hatch

Tony Palliser Andrew Silcocks

Glenn Holmes Rohan Clarke

cc. David Stewart

Submission No. 495: House Swift Apus affinis. Mt Carbine, QLD. 17th September 2001

Verdict: Not Accepted

This submission relates to the possible sighting of at least six House Swift Apus affinis near Mt Carbine, QLD on the 17^th September 2001. The birds were seen hawking above trees tops about 20m high.

Unfortunately (and understandibly given that we are dealing with swifts) the sighting lacks corroboration in that there are no photographs and only a single observer. The observer considered the birds to be about the size of martin with longer wings, although no direct comparisons with other species was possible. The desciption emphasizes a strong demarkation between the black and white on the throat & rump and judged the tail to be somewhat blunt and again similar to that of a martin.

Members struggled with the brevity of the report, agreeing that the strong demarkation on the throat & white rump suggests House Swift. But given that we are dealing with unprecedented numbers of an extremely rare bird at an unusal time of year (and location) most members voted to treat this sighting as ‘unconfirmed but likely’. Seven out of eight members voted against acceptance.

To date, there are only two confirmed Queensland records both during December (BARC case numbers: 274 & 275).

References and Bibliography:

· Chantler, P. & Driessens, G., (1995), Swifts; A Guide to the Swifts & Treeswifts of the World. Pica, E. Sussex.

· Cramp, S. (Ed.) (1985), Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East & North Africa, Vol. 4. Oxford, Oxford.

· Sibley, C.G. & Munroe, B.L., Jr. 1990. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. Yale University Press, New Haven.

Tony Palliser

Chairman, Birds Australia Rarities Committee