BLSA National
Rarities Committee

The BirdLife South Africa National Rarities Committee (BLSANRC)

The BirdLife South Africa National Rarities Committee (BLSANRC) is tasked with the evaluation of records of birds which would constitute national rarities anywhere in South Africa. The Committee is administered by BirdLife South Africa and made up of volunteer members who are considered experts in the identification of bird species.

If you wish to have a record declared a national rarity, in your private capacity or through SABAP2, a formal submission must be made to the BLSANRC. Details on how to submit a record can be found below.

How to submit a sighting of a National Rarity

Option 1: Submit via Online Form

If you would like to make your submission online, rarity submissions can be sent to the committee by completing the form below.

National Rarities Submission Form

Complete this form to submit your sighting of a National Rarity for adjudication by the BirdLife South Africa National Rarities Committee

"*" indicates required fields

Do you give us permission to publish this record in the Annual Report of the National Rarities Committee as well as on the website and social media feeds?*

Species Information

Species Name:*

Common name of the bird seen

Scientific Name:

If you know the scientific name please enter it here

Number, sex and or age of bird(s):

Observer Details

Observer name:*

Email address:*

Cell Number:

Sighting Details

Please provide us with as much information about your sighting as possible to assist the NRC with their adjudication of this record

Is this submission part of a SABAP2 atlas card?*

SABAP2 is the second Southern African Bird Atlas Project which has been ongoing since 2007. Find out more at http://sabap2.adu.org.za

If yes, please enter SABAP card number here for vetting:

Locality:*

What is the name of the farm dam, sewage works etc. where the sighting took place?

Coordinates:

Please enter the decimal degree coordinates of the sighting if you have them here

Date of first sighting by you:*

Optical aids:*

What optical aids did you have with you during the sighting? P

Light conditions at time of sighting:*

Please select a score of 1-5 where 1 is good and 5 is poor

Weather conditions at time of sighting:*

If it is felt that a description of the conditions in the days leading up to the sighting is relevant please also describe

Was the bird photographed?

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, Max. file size: 4 MB, Max. files: 5.

Please upload jpeg or png images of no more than 4MB. A maximum of 5 images per submission are allowed.

Was the bird filmed or recorded?

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: mp3, mp4, wmv, wav, aiff, aac, Max. file size: 4 MB, Max. files: 5.

Please upload any video or sound recordings of no more than 40MB that will assist the committee in adjudicating this record. Accepted file formats include mp3, mp4, wmv, wav, aiff, aac

Do you have experience with this species and what other species were present for comparison?*

How many times have you seen this species previously?*

Select appropriate option

Field description

Provide details about your sighting*

Give as much detail about the appearance and behaviour of the bird as possible, eg. Plumage, soft part coloration, flight pattern, call, habitat, general impression of size and shape (GIZZ) etc. Please ensure that the description of the bird seen is based upon your own observation and not a description from a text book. If the bird was photographed it is particularly important that the photographs accompany this submission, regardless of their quality. Attach any notes written on the spot. Use sketches where relevant. It is important that your own field notes are used and not field guide descriptions. PLEASE NOTE THAT PHOTOGRAPHIC SUBMISSIONS WITHOUT A PROPER DESCRIPTION OF THE SIGHTING WILL PROBABLY NOT BE CONSIDERED.

Eliminations:

What pontenially confusing species did you eliminate and why? (If not already dealt with above)

Sightings of birds at sea only

Please only complete this section if the bird was observed while at sea

State of sea:

Observer's height above sea level:

Observation site:

e.g. ski boat, large boat, from shore

Wind force and direction:

e.g. no wind, light, moderate, strong, gale force

Option 2: Submit via Email

If you would prefer not to complete the online form, do not worry. The original rarities form can be downloaded below. Complete it and email it to [email protected]. We will ensure that your submission reaches the BLSANRC for adjudication as quickly as possible. Please remember to attach any photographs, video or audio files that might assist with the adjudication process.

List of National Rarities for South Africa

National rarities are species which do not regularly occur or have never before been confirmed within the borders of South Africa. To download a list of species which have been recorded as National Rarities within South Africa click the button below.

National Rarities Committee Adjudications

Click the bar below to see a list of the recent final decisions on submissions made to the BirdLife South Africa National Rarities Committee.

Recent National Rarity Adjudications

National Rarities Committee Adjudications – September 2019 to September 2020
Species name	Scientific name	Observer’s name	Locality	Date of sighting	Final Decision
Dove, European Turtle	Streptopelia turtur	Digby Cyrus	Phinda NR	15/12/2014	Y
Egret, Slaty	Egretta vinaceigula	Sydney Zeederberg	Finfoot Lake	25/09/2019	Y
Oystercatcher, Eurasian	Haematopus ostralegus	Elton Bartlett	St Lucia	31/01/2019	Y
Palm-Thrush, Collared	Cichladusa arquata	Ross Hawkins	Pafuri, Makuleke Contractual Park	03/02/2019	Y
Penguin, King	Aptenodytes patagonicus	Vince Ward	Buffelsbaai	30/10/2019	Y
Penguin, King	Aptenodytes patagonicus	Estelle Smalberger	Buffelsbaai	01/11/2019	Y
Penguin, King	Aptenodytes patagonicus	Garrett Skead	Buffelsbaai	30/10/2019	Y
Pipit, Golden	Tmetothylacus tenellus	John Austin	Madikwe Game Reserve	25/11/2019	Y
Tropicbird, Red-tailed	Phaethon rubricauda	Jorrie Jordaan	Noordhoek Ski Club	09/11/2019	Y
Whinchat	Saxicola rubetra	Tobie Pretorius	Ithala Game Reserve	03/01/2020	Y
Petrel, Bulwer’s	Bulweria bulwerii	VW	Cape Point Pelagic	24/11/2019	MIR
Tern, Black-naped	Sterna sumatrana	FF	Umlalazi Nature Reserve	02/07/2020	N
Tern, Black-naped	Sterna sumatrana	PV	Umlalazi Nature Reserve	02/07/2019	N
Bee-eater, White-throated	Merops albicollis	Mike Maxed	Riet Rivier, Port Alfred	06/01/2020	Y
Bee-eater,White-throated	Merops albicollis	Sandy Sutherland	Riet Rivier, Port Alfred	04/01/2020	Y
Oystercatcher, Eurasian	Haematopus ostralegus	Elton Bartlett	St Lucia	31/01/2019	Y
Crake, Spotted	Porzana porzana	Jody de Bruyn	Nylsvley – Vogelfontein	01/01/2020	Y
Crake, Spotted	Porzana porzana	Tobie Pretorius	Wakkerstroom	30/10/2019	Y
Egret, Slaty	Egretta vinaceigula	Cornelis Kruger	GNU Valley farm	27/12/2019	Y
Egret, Slaty	Egretta vinaceigula	John Drowley	GNU Valley farm	28/11/2019	Y
Gull, Lesser Black-baned	Larus fuscus	Geoff Finney	Rockwall Dam	19/03/2020	Y
Oystercatcher, Eurasian	Haematopodidae	Maggie Langlands	Gamtoos Mouth Resort	21/02/2020	Y
Oystercatcher, Eurasian	Haematopodidae	Roddy Furlong	Gamtoos River estuary	22/01/2020	Y
Palm-thrush, Collared	Bulweria bulwerii	Ross Hawkins	Makuleke contractual Park	22/03/2020	Y
Phalarope, Wilson	Phalaropus tricolor	Deona Andrag	Kliphoek Salt Works	05/01/2020	Y
Pipit, Golden	Tmetothylacus	Victor Wilkens	Timbavati PNR, Argyle Farm	02/03/2020	Y
Pipit, Golden	Tmetothylacus tenellus	Jody de Bruyn	Capricorn Loop area	16/02/2019	Y
Pover, Pacific Golden	Pluvialis fulva	Jody de Bruyn	Deloskop farm, South of Dendron (Molemole)	07/02/2020	Y
Vulture, Lappet-faced	Torgos tracheliotos	Henry Parsons	Kalahari Game Reserve	14/03/2020	Y
Warbler, Upcher	Hippolais languida	Wessel Rossouw	Tankatara Salt Pans	01/09/2017	Y
Noddy, Lesser	Anous tenuirostris	Roddy Furlong	Cape st Francis	22/01/2020	Y
Tern, Elegant	Thalasseus elegans	Simon Fogarty	Strandfontein Sewage	14/01/2017	Y
Hobby, African	Falco cuvierii	RH	Makuleke contractual Park	26/02/2020	MIR
Whinchat	Saxicola rubetra	RS	Dirt farm road of Impofu Dam	26/12/2019	MIR

WhatsApp Submissions
Species name	Scientific name	Observer’s name	Locality	Date of sighting	Final Decision
Egret, Slaty	Egretta vinaceigula	Ernst Retief	Gnu Valley, Gauteng	12/01/2020	Y
Wagtail, Citrine	Motacilla citreola	Kevin Nel	Phongola Game Reserve	29/06/2019	Y
Vulture, Ruppell’s	Gyps rueppelli	Ivan Pretorius	Pongola Nature Reserve	30/05/2020	Y
Albatross, Grey-headed	Thalassarche chrysostoma	Pieter verster	Hermanus	11/06/2020	Y
Oystercatcher, Eurasian	Haematopodidae	Collin Summersgill	St Lucia estuary	08/12/2018	Y
Bittern, Eurasian	Botaurus stellaris	AA	Mahemsvlei Road	14/12/2019	N
Gull, Lesser black-backed	Larus fuscus	Tobie Pretorius	Leeuwpan,Mpumalanga	20/7/2020	Y
Cuckoo, Lesser	Cuculus poliocephalus				Y
Pratincole, Madagascar	Glareola ocularis				Y
Lapwing, Long-toed	Vanellus crassirostris	Pieter Verster	Old friends hide, Cape Town	20/9/2020	Y
Booby, Red-footed	Sula sula	Darren Van Eyssen	Umhlanga	12/9/2020	Y
Lapwing, Long-toed	Vannellus crassirostris	Michael and Chibby Clacey	Rietvlei Nature Reserve	19/9/2020	Y

BLSA National Rarities Committee