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Rarities Committees, following the model of the British one, are active in most of the European countries, co-operating in support of faunistic research. These are teams of experts in field ornithology, assigned to verify reports of bird species recognized as "faunistically important" to a certain area and period. Acceptance by the proper committee is a perequist for consideration of a record's validity, thus for its acknowledgement at international range as a scientific fact.
The Polish Avifaunistic Commission exists since 1972,
appointed at the 10th Congress of the Polish Zoological
Society by a resolution of the General Meeting of the
Ornithological Section. It started as composed of: Ludwik
Tomiałojć (chairman), Jerzy Gotzman (secretary), Jan Bednorz,
Jerzy Desselberger and Jacek Wasilewski. In the following
tenures J. Wasilewski was replaced by Józef Witkowski,
and J. Gotzman by Tadeusz Stawarczyk, the latter performing
the function of chairman after L. Tomiałojć's resignation
in 1995; at that time the Commission's manner of work
was modernized, as well as its staff enlarged to six persons, in 2008 to seven, and from 2012 on to eight.
As a member of the Association of European Records and Rarities Committees (AERC), the Commission follows its
guidelines and remains in steady contact with foreign
experts.
From the beginning of its activity until 2011 inclusive the
Commission has held 70 plenary sessions, and has investigated
12,068 bird rarities reports. Current basic information
is periodically published as communiqués in the quarterly
"Notatki Ornitologiczne / Ornis Polonica", where since 1984 also annual
reports have regularly been appearing. The Commission's
pronouncements are given on the principle of unanimity
of all its members, who express their opinion on each
report individually. In case of concordant acceptance
positive pronouncements are given immediately; controversial
reports are discussed on sessions held twice yearly.
Present members of the Avifaunistic Commission:
Tadeusz Stawarczyk (chairman)
Muzeum Przyrodnicze UWr
Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław; tel. 71 375 41 50; e-mail: stawar@biol.uni.wroc.pl
Jerzy Desselberger (secretary)
Czerniakowska 30 m.8, 00-714 Warszawa; tel. 22 841
31 88; e-mail: jerdess@poczta.onet.pl
Tomasz Cofta
Hoene 5A m.5, 80-041 Gdańsk; tel. 58 306 93 73; e-mail: tomek1@orunia.nsm.pl
Zbigniew Kajzer
Wiosny Ludów 3 m.35, 71-471 Szczecin; tel. 502 564 982, e-mail: atricilla@interia.pl
Jan Lontkowski
Muzeum Przyrodnicze UWr
Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław; tel. 71 375 41 51; e-mail: jlont@biol.uni.wroc.pl
Paweł Malczyk
Graniczna 1, Psary, 32-545 Karniowice; tel. 32 613 80 85; e-mail: pawmal@gazeta.pl
Michał Skakuj
Katedra Ekologii i Zoologii Kręgowców UG
Legionów 9, 80-441 Gdańsk; tel. 58 341 03 60; e-mail: michal.skakuj@ug.edu.pl
Aleksander Winiecki
Zakład Biologii i Ekologii Ptaków UAM
Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań; tel. 61 829 56 20; e-mail: wolek@amu.edu.pl
The latest session of the Commission
was held from 26th to 29th October 2011. Totally
249 new records were investigated and 246 pronouncements
given; three reports were left for later investigation. In two observer's appeals (Anthus gustavi and Monticola saxatilis) their self-revisions have been acknowledged, and in both cases the identification considered uncertain.
No new species was added to the national avifauna. Among the most interesting records are: the second record of the Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus, the third one of the Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus (seen twice), the fourth of the Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei, the fourth and fifth of the Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea, and the fifth of the Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka, at last the first breeding record of the Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum. The list of the national avifauna contains still 450 species.
In the tables of species liable to verification two changes have been established (valid since 2012): the Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis is deleted, and records of the Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus from ESE Poland are restricted to cases of breeding.
The next session is to be held in the latter part of April 2012.
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