Rare Bird Documentation Submission Form

Fill out the form fields below. Required fields are denoted by *

Contact Information

First Name *

Last Name *

Email Address *

Sighting Information

Please provide details about the sighting.

What species did you observe? *

Approximately how many individuals did you see? *

Date of sighting: *

Time of sighting: *

Ohio county where sighting occurred *

Where did you see the bird? *

Circumstances of the sighting *

Specify your distance from bird, the type of optics you used, the weather, and lighting.

What literature did you consult to confirm your sighting?

List other people who observed the bird, if applicable.

If others observed the bird, did they agree with your identification?

Species Description

Describe the species of bird you observed.If possible, please submit photos to Ned Keller, Secretary of the Ohio Bird Records Committee.

Description of the bird *

Please be as thorough as possible

Structure of the bird *

Overall size, shape, details of head, feet and tail

Plumage *

Any markings, coloration, molt?

Vocalizations *

Any vocalizations noted, call or chip notes?

Describe the behavior you observed in the bird *

Habitat *

Describe the general landscape features and the specific niche that this bird occupied

Have you had previous experience with this species? *

Other species considered

List other species you considered during the identification process. Why were they eliminated for consideration?

Reporting a Rare Bird Sighting

Part of the excitement of birding comes when we find something unusual, something rare or unexpected that we can relish and share with others. But telling others about your finding, in person or on the internet, is fleeting. Even more important, for the ornithological record, is documenting your record in a permanent way. Reports of rarities, when they can be authenticated and published, help to fill out the total picture of our local avifauna. As records, they can help us all to recognize habitats, regions, or seasons in which scarce species are most likely to be found.

Why Submit Documentation?

Any scientific report of an unusual phenomenon must be supported by documentation: that is, verifiable evidence reported and vouched for by a first-hand observer, submitted for peer review before acceptance and publication. In general, the rarer and more interesting the occurrence, the more important it is to document and verify it for the record.

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The Ohio Bird Records Committee