Proceedings of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

Proceedings of the Minnesota

Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee

Thomas A. Tustison, Chairman

The last two meetings of the Minnesota

Ornithologists’ Union Records Com-

mittee (MOURC) were conducted at

the Trailhead Lodge at the Carpenter Nature

Center on 24 July and 4 December 2016, re-

spectively. In attendance and voting at these

meetings were MOURC members Dedrick A.

Benz, Robert M. Dunlap (present only at the

December meeting), Bruce A. Fall, Andrew

R. Forbes, Douglas W. Kieser (alternate), Wil-

liam C. Marengo (alternate), Robert P. Russell,

Andrew D. Smith, and Thomas A. Tustison

(chair).

At, or subsequent to, these meetings the

following records were voted on and were

Accepted:

• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Den-

drocygna autumnalis), 19–23 May 2016, Eg-

gert Lake, Le Sueur County (record #2016-014,

vote 7–0, origin vote 9–0). Two adults, photo-

graphed. First county record. The Committee

voted that both adults were wild.

• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 6–12

June 2016, Gopher Campfire Wildlife Sanc-

tuary, Hutchinson, McLeod County (record

#2016-020, vote 7–0). Adult, photographed.

First county record.

• Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula), 15–

16 February 2016, Rum River Dam, Anoka,

Anoka County (record #2016-005, vote 10–0,

origin vote 10–0). Adult male, photographed.

First state record. The Committee also voted

to accept the bird as wild. There are two ge-

netically distinct and phenotypically identifi-

able subspecies of Mottled Duck: the Florida

subspecies, A. f. fulvigula, occurring primarily

in Florida, and the Western Gulf Coast sub-

species, A. f. maculosa, which ranges from

Alabama to south Texas and northeast Mexi-

co. The bird was scrupulously researched and

independently described by five observers. In

addition, the Committee consulted an outside

expert to further evaluate the question of hy-

bridization. After discussion and deliberation,

Mottled Duck, 15 February 2016, Rum River

Dam, Anoka, Anoka County. Photo by Kathleen

MacAulay.

the Committee unanimously agreed that the

bird was a Mottled Duck of the subspecies

maculosa. While there was some discussion

of the remote possibility of Mallard hybrid-

ization, the Committee determined that the

bird had virtually none of the various plum-

age characteristics normally associated with

a mixed species pairing. Given the range of

plumage differences among members of this

subspecies, the Committee agreed that the

bird was within the normal scope of individu-

al variation for maculosa.

• Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus

rufus), 28 July 2015, Mower County (record

#2015-046, vote 7–0). Adult male, photo-

graphed. First county record.

• Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus

calliope), 13–15 June 2016, dune bridge near

beach house at Park Point, Duluth, St. Louis

County (record #2016-022, vote 7–0). Adult

male, photographed. Second state record, first

county record, and first summer record.

• Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexi-

canus), 31 May – 1 June 2016, flooded field

Fall 2016

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