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Official List of the Birds of Alberta

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This is the Official List of birds known to occur, or to have occurred historically, in the province of Alberta as compiled by the Alberta Bird Record Committee. The list includes most species accepted by Salt and Salt (1976), Godfrey (1986) and Pinel et al. (1991, 1993), as well as those that have since been accepted by the Alberta Bird Record Committee, up to, and including, its twelfth annual report (Slater 1997, 1999, 2001; Slater and Hudon 2002, 2004; Hudon et al.2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2021).

Information pertaining to the species' general status, relative abundance, and quality of documentation in the province are also provided as supplemental information. Though every effort was made to provide information that is accurate, errors may have crept in (in which case they should be pointed out to the Committee's chair, Jocelyn Hudon). We acknowledge Richard Klauke's assistance in compiling this information initially.

The groups of birds represented in Alberta are:

Geese, Swans and Ducks   Cormorants
Grouse, Turkeys, Partridges and Pheasants   Pelicans, Bitterns, Herons and Ibises
Grebes   New World Vultures
Pigeons and Doves   Osprey, Eagles and Hawks
Cuckoos   Owls
Nighthawks and Goatsuckers   Kingfishers
Swifts and Hummingbirds   Woodpeckers
Rails, Coots and Cranes   Falcons
Avocets, Plovers, Sandpipers, Phalaropes, Murrelets and Gulls   Passerines
Loons    
     

The Alberta Bird Record Committee

The Alberta Bird Record Committee (ABRC) was formed in 1994 to evaluate and classify records of rare birds within the confines of Alberta and to maintain The Official List of the Birds of Alberta. Reports detailing the Committee's deliberations are published periodically in Nature Alberta. The ABRC also actively gathers and archives documentation on rare bird sightings in Alberta (if you think you found a rarity please submit a rare bird form to Dr. Jocelyn Hudon). The archive is currently located at the Royal Alberta Museum, and can be accessed by contacting Jocelyn.

The Alberta Bird Record Committee is an independent provincial body made up of individuals who are knowledgeable about the birds in and outside of Alberta (ABRC Constitution). The ABRC follows strict procedures to adjudicate records and to assign codes for the Provincial List. The Committee is currently made up of (in alphabetical order): Jocelyn Hudon (Royal Alberta Museum), Caroline Lambert (Canmore), M. Ross Lein (Calgary), John Riddell (Calgary), Gerald Romanchuk (Edmonton), David Scott (Lethbridge) and Ray Wershler (Calgary). Jocelyn Hudon chairs the Committee.

Previous members of the Committee who contributed to the compilation of this list, including the adjudication of records of bird rarities, are Cleve Wershler (Calgary; 1995), Pat Marklevitz (Edmonton; 1995-1999), Peter Sherrington (formerly in Cochrane; 1995-1999), Doug Collister (Calgary; 1996-1999), Terry Thormin (formerly in Edmonton; 1995-2001), Bob Carroll (formerly in Fort Saskatchewan; 2001-2002), Andrew Slater (Calgary; 1995, 1997-2003), Richard Knapton (formerly in Edmonton; 2003-2014), Brian Ritchie (formerly of Calgary; 1999-2020) and Richard Klauke (Vilna; 1993-1998, 2000-2020).

Literature cited

Godfrey, W. E. (1986) The Birds of Canada. Revised edition. National Museum of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

Hudon, J., R. Klauke, R. Knapton, M.R. Lein, J. Riddell, B. Ritchie, and R. Wershler (2006) Sixth Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Nature Alberta 36 (2): 16-18.

Hudon, J., R. Klauke, R. Knapton, M.R. Lein, J. Riddell, B. Ritchie, and R. Wershler (2007) Seventh Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Nature Alberta 37 (2): 31-33.

Hudon, J., R. Klauke, R. Knapton, M.R. Lein, J. Riddell, B. Ritchie, and R. Wershler (2008) Eighth Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Nature Alberta 38 (2): 28-31.

Hudon, J., R. Klauke, R. Knapton, M.R. Lein, J. Riddell, B. Ritchie, and R. Wershler (2009) Ninth Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Nature Alberta 39 (2): 37-40.

Hudon, J., R. Klauke, R. Knapton, M.R. Lein, J. Riddell, B. Ritchie, and R. Wershler (2011) Tenth Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Nature Alberta 41 (2&3): 37-40.

Hudon, J., R. Klauke, R. Knapton, M.R. Lein, J. Riddell, B. Ritchie, and R. Wershler (2014) Eleventh Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Nature Alberta 43 (4): 38-41.

Hudon, J., R. Klauke, M.R. Lein, J. Riddell, B. Ritchie, G. Romanchuk, and R. Wershler (2017) Twelfth Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Nature Alberta 47 (3): 38-40.

Hudon, J., R. Klauke, M.R. Lein, J. Riddell, B. Ritchie, G. Romanchuk, and R. Wershler (2021) Thirteenth Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee.

Pinel, H. W., W. W. Smith, and C. R. Wershler (1991) Alberta birds, 1971-1980. Vol. 1: Non-passerines. Provincial Museum of Alberta Natural History Occasional Paper 13. Edmonton, Alberta.

Pinel, H. W., W. W. Smith, and C. R. Wershler (1993) Alberta birds, 1971-1980. Vol. 2: Passerines. Provincial Museum of Alberta Natural History Occasional Paper 20. Edmonton, Alberta.

Salt, W. R., and J. R. Salt (1976) The Birds of Alberta. Hurtig Publishers, Edmonton, Alberta.

Slater, A. (1997) First Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Alberta Naturalist 27 (2): 40-41.

Slater, A. (1999) Second Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Alberta Naturalist 29 (2): 30-31.

Slater, A. (2001) Third Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Alberta Naturalist 31 (1): 4-6.

Slater, A., and J. Hudon (2002) Fourth Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Alberta Naturalist 32 (2): 116-117.

Slater, A., and J. Hudon (2004) Fifth Report of the Alberta Bird Record Committee. Nature Alberta 34 (1): 15-18.