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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, and in 2008 to seven.
As a member of the Association of European Rarities and
Records Committees (AERC), the Commission follows its
guidelines and remains in steady contact with foreign
experts.
From the beginning of its activity until 2009 inclusive the
Commission has held 66 plenary sessions, and has investigated
11,030 bird rarities reports. Current basic information
is periodically published as communiqués in the quarterly
"Notatki Ornitologiczne", 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
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 3rd to 5th December 2009. Totally
391 new records were investigated and 388 pronouncements
given; three reports were left for later investigation. Two observer's appeals have been found unjustified. Two older pronouncements (Zoothera dauma and Melanitta perspicillata) have been reconsidered and in both cases rejected - and consequently the latter species is removed from the national checklist.
Two new species have been added to the national avifauna - the Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus and the Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus. Among the more interesting records are the third ones of the Black Scoter Melanitta americana and the Hume's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei. Noticeable is also a surprising appearance of the Little Auk Alle alle on the Channel of Zegrze near Warsaw. Currently, the list of the national avifauna contains 448 species.
The next session is to be held in the spring 2010.
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