eBird updates, and the Mallard group

[Mark Clayton <>]

Martin,

The Purple-backed Fairywren is an Australian update from right here in Canberra, not some American!! It has been on the cards for quite a while. The Little Shrikethrush complex is another that is also about to split into different species.

Mark

On 15/08/2018 1:04 PM, Martin Butterfield wrote:

>From the NSW rarities report this morning it appears that chaos due to the taxonomy update is already happening.  There were about 20 sightings of something called Purple-backed Fairywren - previously a subspecies of Variegated Fairywren.  Presumably some Americans have raised it to species status.

A further issue has appeared to have arisen with the last (unannounced) update to eBird for iPhone.  In the past if I tapped on a species to add to my list it came to a page for that species with the number seen left blank.  Now it defaults to 1.  The problem is that if the observer has already tapped to record 1 or 2 for the species, when the name is tapped it adds 1 to the number tapped which becomes 2 or 3.  This does save time if one gets in to the habit of tapping the name only but it is a major pain in the tushy that eBird:

a) didn't actually field test this change; and 

b) didn't advise users that the change had been made.

>From some comparison shopping this morning it appears not to affect the android app.

Martin

Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/

On 13 August 2018 at 10:27, David McDonald (personal) <> wrote:

One notable part of the taxonomy update to which Martin referred us is this:

'Also on eBird Mobile, we would like to ask all eBirders to try birding somewhere new on August 15 (and submit through mobile). The reason for this is that checklist filters will all be updated on 14 August to reflect the new taxonomy, and this will automatically update on your phone except in one case: if you regularly bird the same location, and use “Recent Locations” to select that spot, your filter may not update properly. This is easily resolved by making sure to do one checklist somewhere new–a park you’ve been wanting to visit, a short roadside stop, an observation of a hawk over your office, or even a checklist from the patio of your favorite coffee shop.'

Pls note that they are referring to August 15 in the USA. That's Thu 16th here.

David

On 2018-08-13 07:20, Martin Butterfield wrote:

For some reason when I logged on to eBird this morning it directed me to the International home page rather than eBird Australia.  SNAFU, but it did lead to this news item with some advance notice of the taxonomy update.  

 

There is some useful guidance in there.  It appears that many weird things are expected to happen around this update. I'd suggest now would be a good time to back up data as suggested by Ryu a few weeks ago.

 

Martin

Martin Butterfield

http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/

On 12 August 2018 at 20:40, David McDonald (personal) <> wrote:

Greetings. eBirders will have noticed the significant changes that have occurred in recent weeks to both the eBird app and the eBird web browser interface.

 

Among the changes is flagging rarities differently from before. Along with that has come some changes to the statuses of some species. I particularly noticed the changes to the Mallard group. The four taxa--Mallard, Northern Mallard, Mallard (domestic type) and the Mallard-Pacific Black Duck hybrid--were, previously, all treated alike: no supporting evidence required for an eBird checklist. Following the recent updates, that remains the case for the domestic type and the hybrid, but for reports from COG's area of interest supporting evidence is required for any report of 'Mallard'. That taxon is flagged as a rarity. 'Northern Mallard' is no longer an option.

 

This brings the eBird approach into line with COG's Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the ACT: the Checklist does not include Mallard or Northern Mallard, based on expert advice that these taxa have not yet been confirmed as being in our area. The Mallard-like birds in COG's area are considered to have some domestic duck characteristics, along with the original exotic Mallard characteristics.

 

Some list members may find the information below, posted by the Qld eBird reviewer Dez Wells a couple of years ago, helpful in separating the taxa in the Mallard group. I post this for information; I do not have the ornithological expertise to comment on its accuracy or comprehensiveness.

 

David

 

Source: eBird Australia Facebook page 22 July 2015 (my emphases)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1402661436691611/permalink/1503221816635572/

Dez Wells wrote:
Queensland is currently reviewing a large number of bird species, Mallard is one of these. All individuals who have listed option 1 below have been asked to review their sighting. Individuals have been asked to provide notes on why they believe the bird is pure form and not domesticated or if in fact domesticated to change their sighting to option 2. The review is our attempt to make the data provided by eBird in Queensland more accurate. A goal I believe all bird watchers strive to provide.

 

Interestingly, of all the requests made so far and replied to by bird watchers 90% have confirmed that in fact the bird in question was domesticated and that they did not realise that they had the three options to choose from or that they did not understand the difference between the options.

 

Yes, we can select three options in Australia for Mallards:

Option 1:"Anas platyrhynchos - Mallard";

Option 2: "Anas platyrhynchos (Domestic type) - Mallard (Domestic type)" and;

Option 3: The hybrid between Mallard and Pacific Black Duck – "Anas platyrhynchos x superciliosa - Mallard x Pacific Black Duck (hybrid)".

 

If you select the first option, then it must show normal wild-type mallard size and wild-type phenotype. If so then use the standard "Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard)" designation. You will however need to provide a field notes/explanation and/or photo as to why you believe this to be a wild-type bird and not a domesticated bird.

 

If you are unsure or have no notes for explanation then always use the second option - Anas platyrhynchos (Domestic type).

 

If you can identify that it is a hybrid between the Pacific Black Duck and the Mallard then use the third option - Anas platyrhynchos x superciliosa .

 

New Zealand eBird odes provide its members with a useful little key with ducks you suspect may be Pacific Black Ducks (Grey Ducks over there) to see if they really are pure. I have modified the table below replacing Grey Duck with Pacific Black Duck so that bird watchers may use for this purpose in Australia.

 

Using the key below if your duck scores more than seven (7) it is almost certainly a hybrid Pacific Black Duck. You could put the hybrid index score in the comments column for your observation notes.

 

You can also use this key to look at the opposite whether the Mallard you are viewing is a hybrid or domesticated individual.

 

The index gives a score of 0 for the purest Pacific Black Duck and 35 for the purest Mallard.

 

If you select the first option, then it must show normal wild-type mallard size and wildtype phenotype. If so then use the standard "Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard)" designation. You will however need to provide a field notes/explanation and/or photo as to why you believe this to be a wildtype bird and not a domesticated bird.

 

Facial stripes

Pacific Black Duck: Two clear black stripes on a cream background - 0-1

Hybrid: Obscured face stripes - 2-3

Mallard: No face stripe to a thin black eye stripe in the female - 4-5

 

Speculum border – anterior

Pacific Black Duck No white bar 0-1

Hybrid Thin white bar (2 mm) 2-3

Mallard Broad white bar (5 mm) 4-5

 

Speculum border – posterior

Pacific Black Duck Faint white line 0-1

Hybrid Thin white bar (2 mm) 2-3

Mallard Broad white bar (5 mm) 4-5

 

Bill

Pacific Black Duck Slate grey 0-1

Hybrid Grey-yellow 2-3

Mallard Yellow-orange 4-5

 

Nape

Pacific Black Duck Cream 0-1

Hybrid Creamy brown 2-3

Mallard Dark brown in female or eclipse male, varying from a dark green to a purple-green in the breeding plumage male 4-5

 

Tail

Pacific Black Duck Slate Grey 0-1

Hybrid Grey-brown 2-3

Mallard Creamy brown in female or eclipse male, varying from a dark green to a purple-green in the breeding male 4-5

 

Leg

Pacific Black Duck Grey-brown 0-1

Hybrid Grey-yellow 2-3

Mallard Yellow-orange 4-5

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