Kentucky Ornithological Society

Kentucky Bird Records Committee

(Jump to the KBRC Report)
Loggerhead Shrike - Eddie Huber
Loggerhead Shrike - Eddie Huber

In 2016, the KOS bylaws were amended to provide for a Kentucky Bird Records Committee (KBRC) with its own bylaws. It was created to give fair and expert consideration to reports of unusual birds observed in Kentucky, and to maintain the official state list of birds including: common birds; well-documented less-common birds; birds that are still under review (additional documentation is deemed necessary); and birds that are extinct or are extirpated from Kentucky, where there is some documentation that they once occurred here.

The committee consists of five voting members; the Secretary, who is an appointed member of the KOS board, along with four members who are nominated by a voting member.

The KBRC has the following responsibilities:

  • Determine the validity of records of rare birds from Kentucky,
  • publish annually in The Kentucky Warbler a report of its decisions,
  • maintain documentation of its actions,
  • and keep the official Kentucky State List of Birds.

After the Committee's decisions have been reported in The Kentucky Warbler, the records are archived by the KOS Curator.


20th Report of the Kentucky Bird Records Committee

In January 2023* the KBRC approved an update to the official Kentucky State List of Birds. This update adds new species to the approved list. It also removes some species from the "Review Required" list because they are more commonly seen now.

To learn more about the committee's work, and the most recent update, please refer to the November 2022* issue of The Kentucky Warbler (Vol. 98, No. 4), starting on page 111. There you will find the 20th Report of the Kentucky Bird Records Committee and associated data. The Kentucky Warbler is provided free to members, and archived copies are available to the public approximately one year after publication.

* The November 2022 issue of The Kentucky Warbler was published late, which allowed the editors to include the January 2023 list in that issue.

Use the button below to access the most current list of birds.