Memorandum to: The Director of Birds Australia

From: Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)

Date: 23^rd February 2007

Voting Members: Rohan Clarke Mike Carter

Glenn Holmes John Hatch

Tony Palliser Andrew Silcocks

Danny Rogers Jamie Matthew

cc. David Stewart

Submission No 501: Eastern Marsh (Papuan) Harrier Circus spilonotus Weipa, QLD. 8^th August 2006.

Verdict: Not Accepted

This case relates to the reported sighting of an Eastern Marsh Harrier Circus spilonotus approximately 70 kms west of Weipa in far north QLD on the 8^th August 2006.

Due to the brevity of the sighting field notes were limited and photographic opportunities were not possible, as the bird was only in view for about a minute as it landed in a tree along side the road. The size of the bird was estimated to be similar to a kite with overall markings essentially black & white, with yellow legs and a yellow eye. The black shoulders with white streaking was immediately obvious and combined with the white underparts led the observer to believe the bird was an Eastern Marsh Harrier.

Following previous submissions to BARC (Submission No’s: 263 & 448) involving this species it is known that Australian Field guides do not portray how variable Swamp Harrier Circus approximans can appear in some adult male plumages. Some ‘pale morph’ individuals can appear very black and white and remarkably similar to Eastern Marsh Harrier, even to the degree described above. Consequently without more detail the committee was unable to accept the record and voted unanimously to not accept. A record of this magnitude (a first for Austgralia) would require a description of the under-primary pattern and ideally a reasonable photograph before acceptance could be justified.

To date there are no acceptable records of Eastern Marsh (Papuan) Harrier from Australia or any of its territories.

References and Bibliography:

• Christidis, L. & Boles, W. E. (1994), The Taxonomy and Species of Birds of Australia and itsTerritories, RAOU Monograph 2, Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, Melbourne.
• Clements, J.F. (1991), Birds of the World: a Check List, Ibis, Vista, CA.
• Coates, B.J. (1985), The Birds of Papua New Guinea, Vol. 1, Non-Passerines, Dove, Alderley, Queensland.
  Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D.A. (2001), Raptors of the World, Christopher Helm, London.
• Mackay, R.D. (1991), ‘Papuan Harrier Circus spilonotus spilothorax in North Queensland with Comments on Plumages’, Australian Bird Watcher 14, 144-146.
• MacKinnon, J. & Phillipps, K. (1993), A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
• Marchant, S. & Higgins, P.J. (Eds.) (1993), Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds Vol. 2, Raptors to Lapwings, Oxford, Melbourne.

Tony Palliser

Chair: Birds Australia Rarities Committee