Documents • Iowa State University • Avian Archives of Iowa Online

Title	Genres	Topics	Date (Start)	Date (End)	Type	Description	Creator/Author	Birds	Locations	Locality	Habitat	Remarks

Female Summer Tanager - South edge of Mason City May 4+5, 1989	Correspondence Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology--Methodology Rare birds	1989-05-04	1989-05-05	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Field report of a Summer Tanager at Mason City in Cerro Gordo County, IA on May 4 and 5, 1989 by Curt Nelson. It includes a note to Steve Dinsmore asking if an official documentation form was needed for the sighting.	Nelson, Curtis	Summer Tanager	Mason City				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	44
Rare bird documentation form for Least Tern at Marshalltown, 1993	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1993-08-19	1993-08-27	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Least Tern at Marshalltown in Marshall County, IA on August 19, 1993.	Stegmann, Mike	Least Tern	Marshalltown	18th Ave. and East Main Street, Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa.	Partially flooded bean field with exposed mud flats.	The documentation form by Mike Stegmann is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Gary Brandenburg. \| Elimination of similar species: Distinguished from Common and Foresters terns by size, bill color, and the presents [sic] of a white forehead. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 16:30:00/17:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	44
Rare bird documentation form for Least Tern at Sandy Beach, 1991	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1991-08-20	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Least Tern at Sandy Beach in Johnson County, IA on August 20, 1991.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Least Tern	Sandy Beach Public Use Area	Sandy Beach, Johnson Co, IA	reservoir, flats	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jim Scheib and Jim Fuller. \| Elimination of similar species: Size, shape, and features diagnostic. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:10:00/15:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	44
Rare bird documentation form for Least Tern at Saylorville Marina, 1986	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1986-08-21	1986-08-23	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Least Tern at Saylorville Marina in Polk County, IA on August 21, 1986.	Dinsmore, Stephen J.	Least Tern	Saylorville Marina	Saylorville Reservoir-near marina	resting on sandy beach	The documentation form by Steve Dinsmore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: No other tern shows the combination of yellow bill and legs, small size, white forehead, and dark outer primaries. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:10:00/15:20:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	44
Rare bird documentation form for Common Gallinule at Iowa City, 1985	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1985-05-23	1985-05-24	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Common Gallinule at Iowa City in Johnson County, IA on May 23, 1985.	Towner, Robert Towner, Nancy	Common Moorhen	Iowa City	six acre impoundment 1 1/2 miles north of Iowa City in Johnson Co.		The documentation form by Nan and Bob Towner is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 19:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	44
Rare bird documentation form for Common Moorhen at Sweet Marsh, 1985	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1985-08-11	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for thirteen Common Moorhens at Sweet Marsh in Bremer County, IA on August 11, 1985.	Moore, Francis L.	Common Moorhen	Sweet Marsh	East side of Sweet Marsh, Bremer Co., Iowa	Mixed marsh, Cattail and Indian Grass and Smart Weed and others	The documentation form by Francis L. Moore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: American Coot is slate gray on the body with a white bill and does not have the white longitudinal line below the wing. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 14:40:00/14:50:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	44
Details of identification for Common Moorhen, Glaucous Gull, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Fall 1986	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1986-08-21	1986-11-26	Manuscript, graphic, and printed material	Field notes written by Robert Cecil detailing the sighting of a Common Moorhen near Keokuk, a Glaucous Gull at Saylorville Dam, and a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher at Shimek State Forest.	Cecil, Robert I.	Common Moorhen Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Glaucous Gull	Saylorville Dam Shimek State Forest Wildlife Management Area - Croton Unit Pool 19				Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	33	44
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie east of Lindsay Wilderness Area, 1986	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1986-11-20	1993-09-07	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-billed Magpie east of Lindsay Wilderness Area in Van Buren County, IA on November 20, 1986. Includes a record review document with votes, a summary of the review, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Vickers, William P.	Black-billed Magpie	Lindsay Wilderness Area	East of Lindsay Wilderness, Bonaparte, Ia	Second growth woodland near open pasture	The documentation form by William Vickers is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include W.C. Cockerell and Mike Bentler. \| Elimination of similar species: Loggerhead shrike, which is much smaller \| The original documentation form event occurred around 09:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Rare bird documentation form for Scarlet Tanager north of Iowa City, 1990	Field notes	Birds--Behavior Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1990-11-11	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Scarlet Tanager north of Iowa City in Johnson County, IA on November 11, 1990.	Fuller, James L	Scarlet Tanager	Iowa City	My backyard north of Iowa City	Suburban Yard	The documentation form by Jim Fuller is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Thomas Kent. \| Elimination of similar species: Only Western Tanager has dark wings, but it has wingbars. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 15:10:00/15:50:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	35	45
Rare bird documentation form for Ringed Turtle Dove at Cedar Falls, 1982	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1982-12-19	1982-12-21	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Ringed Turtle Dove at Cedar Falls in Black Hawk County, IA on December 19, 1982.	Moore, Francis L.	Ringed Turtle-Dove	Cedar Falls	2411 State Street, Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, IA Ethel Pohl residence	Back yard feeders	The documentation form by Francis L. Moore is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Russell Hays. \| Elimination of similar species: Mourning Dove is darker with a pointed tail that is longer than Ringed Turtle Dove. Ringed Turtle Dove has a dark band on the top of its neck and appeared to have a slightly larger body size than Mourning Dove. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:00:00/08:10:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie at Broken Kettle Grasslands, 1999	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1999-10-09	2000-11-28	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-billed Magpie at Broken Kettle Grasslands in Plymouth County, IA on October 9, 1999. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Fields, Will	Black-billed Magpie	Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve	Broken Kettle Grasslands (a Nature Conservancy Preserve, Plymouth Co., IA)		The documentation form by Will Fields is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include unidentified members of Iowa State University Fisheries and Wildlife Biology Club. \| Elimination of similar species: The American crow and the common raven lack do not have such a long tail and they usually do not have white in their plumage. I had seen American crows flying around the preserve earlier that morning. This bird definitely had a longer tail than the American crows. Ring-necked pheasants also have a long tail, but they do not normally have a black and white plumage. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 09:45:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie at Hitchcock Wildlife Area, 1999.	Administrative records Correspondence Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1999-09-27	2000-11-28	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-billed Magpie at Hitchcock Wildlife Area in Pottawattamie County, IA on September 27, 1999. Includes a record review document with votes, an e-mail from Sue Mattix to Jim Fuller, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Mattix, Sue	Black-billed Magpie	Hitchcock Nature Area	Hitchcock Wildlife Area, Crescent, IA	forest	The documentation form by Sue Mattix is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Another observer was Howard Mattix. \| Elimination of similar species: Only similar species would be yellow billed magpie - this one had a black bill \| The original documentation form event lasted from 17:00:00/18:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie at Loess Hills in northwest Plymouth County, 1998	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1998-01-24	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for three Black-billed Magpies at Loess Hills in northwest Plymouth County, IA on January 24, 1998. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Smith, Brian L.	Black-billed Magpie	Plymouth County	Northwest Plymouth County	Loess Hills (prairie)	The documentation form by Brian L. Smith is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Another observer was Mike Martin. \| Elimination of similar species: nothing similar w/ long tail + white wing patches.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie in Sioux Township in Plymouth County, 1997	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1997-05-08	2000-11-24	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for two Black-billed Magpies at Sioux Township in Plymouth County, IA on May 8, 1997. Includes a record review document with votes and three documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Black-billed Magpie	Sioux Township	234th St., s. of Westfield, Plymouth Co., IA.	riparian, in valley of Loess Hills, 1.5 miles from Big Sioux River bottoms.	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Jim Fuller and Bill Huser were submitted. Other observers include Clint Lineberry, Dick Tetrault, Eugene Armstrong, Eloise Armstrong, and many unidentified observers. \| Elimination of similar species: none \| The original documentation form event lasted from 07:00:00/07:15:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie at Sioux Township in Plymouth County, 1995	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1995-11-19	2000-11-20	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-billed Magpie at Sioux Township in Plymouth County, IA on November 19, 1995. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Huser, Bill F.	Black-billed Magpie	Sioux Township	Lineberry's Ranch, Sioux Tnship., Plymouth County, Iowa	rolling prairie hills with scattered thickets and trees	The documentation form by Bill Huser is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Thomas H. Kent, Dick Tetrault, Eugene Armstrong, and Eloise Armstrong. \| Elimination of similar species: there are no similar species other than California's Yellow-billed Magpie. \| The original documentation form event occurred around 14:00:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie east of the Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge near Sioux City, 1990	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1990-12-29	1995-07-08	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-billed Magpie east of the Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge near Sioux City in Woodbury County, IA on December 29, 1990. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Probst, Jerry	Black-billed Magpie	Interchange 144A	East of Floyd Monument Bridge across Mo. River Woodbury Co.		The documentation form by Jerry Probst is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Nothing with that profile larger + blacker than a blue jay. White color + tail eliminate crow \| The original documentation form event occurred around 16:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie east of the Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge near Sioux City, 1990	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1990-12-29	1993-07-17	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-billed Magpie east of the Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge near Sioux City in Woodbury County, IA on December 29, 1990. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Probst, Jerry	Black-billed Magpie	Interchange 144A	East of Floyd Monument Bridge across Mo. River Woodbury Co		The documentation form by Jerry Probst is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Nothing with that profile larger + blacker than a blue jay. White color + tail eliminate crow \| The original documentation form event occurred around 16:30:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Black-billed Magpie near Larchwood, 1985	Administrative records Clippings (information artifacts) Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1985-10-06	1993-09-03	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Black-billed Magpie near Larchwood in Lyon County, IA on October 6, 1985. Includes a record review document with votes, an article in Iowa Bird Life, and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Harr, Douglas C.	Black-billed Magpie	Larchwood	6 mi. W, 2 mi. S of Larchwood, Lyon County, Iowa	General: Hills bordering Big Sioux River Specific: Prairie hills, with some riverbottom & hillside timber, cropfields on tops of hills nearby.	The documentation form by Douglas Harr is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Bill Fribley and Paul Hagen. \| Elimination of similar species: Only similar groups would be crows, jays and blackbirds. Size, tail shape and unique color pattern dictate nothing else except Black-billed Magpie. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 14:04:00/14:05:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	45
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Fish Crow at Big Timber Unit of Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge , 1994	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1994-04-25	1997-10-03	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review of a Fish Crow at Big Timber Unit of Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge in Louisa County, IA on April 25, 1994. Includes a record review document with votes and two documentation forms submitted to the committee.	McKay, Kelly	Fish Crow	Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge - Big Timber Division	Big Timber Unit of Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge approx. 2.0 miles downstream of Kilpeck landing. This landing is located 8.0 miles South of Muscatine, Ia. on County Road X61.	Bottomland Hardwood Forest	The documentation form by Kelly McKay forms the basis of this record. Another documentation form by Peter C. Petersen was submitted. Other observers include Brian Blevins, Michael Bornstein, and Gerald White. \| Elimination of similar species: American Crow: different sounding calls; This bird was smaller than American Crows \| The original documentation form event lasted from 10:00:00/10:05:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	46
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Fish Crow at Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge, 1995	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1995-04-21	2000-11-18	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for four Fish Crows at Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge in Louisa County, IA on April 21, 1995. Includes a record review document with votes and three documentation forms submitted to the committee.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Fish Crow	Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge - Louisa Division	Louisa Refuge, Mark Twain NWR, Louisa Co., IA	Mississippi River bottoms	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the earliest and the one that forms the basis of this record. Other documentation forms by Ann Johnson and Jim Fuller were submitted later. Other observers include Dick Tetrault, Chuck Fuller, and Tim Schantz. \| Elimination of similar species: The Records Committee has not accepted two previous records of Fish Crow along the Mississippi River in Louisa County because of the difficulty in substantiating the identification. I was well aware of this, and like other committee members, I believed that they were likely present in this area. I can only say that I was watching the birds when I heard them, which eliminates the possibility that they were young American Crows. I would not want to rely on the morphologic features. I was impressed that this group stayed together in the flooded woods, which was unlike the behavior of the American Crows. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:40:00/09:30:00 and 10:25:00/10:35:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	46
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Fish Crow at Cone Marsh, 1996	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1996-03-28	2000-11-22	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Fish Crow in Cone Marsh in Louisa County, IA on March 28, 1996. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Fuller, James L	Fish Crow	Cone Marsh Wildlife Management Area	In the woods along the edge of Cone Marsh (Louisa County.		The documentation form by Jim Fuller is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Other observers include Jane Fuller, Chuck Fuller, John Rutenbeck, Rick Hollis, and Jim Durbin. \| Elimination of similar species: The call this bird was making was not that of a Common Crow, and the bird making the call (as well as the other bird) appeared to have a smaller bill and was more glossy than I would expect a Common Crow to be. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 09:48:00/09:50:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	46
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Fish Crow southwest of Oakville, 1996	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1996-05-11	2000-11-22	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Fish Crow southwest of Oakville in Louisa County, IA on May 11, 1996. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Petersen, Peter C.	Fish Crow	Oakville	1/2 mi SW Oakville, Louisa Co, IA	Bottomland Forest along Iowa River	The documentation form by Peter C. Petersen is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. Another observer was Brian Blevins. \| Elimination of similar species: Am. Crow - larger, different call, flight stronger. Due to late season no Am. Crows have fledged. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 10:30:00/10:31:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	46
Records Committee review for rare bird sighting for Fish Crow at Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve, 1991	Administrative records Field notes	Bird watching Ornithology Ornithology--Societies, etc	1991-05-08	1997-10-03	Rare birds documentation form	Records Committee review for a Fish Crow at Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve in Muscatine County, IA on May 8, 1991. Includes a record review document with votes and a documentation form submitted to the committee.	Brush, Tim	Fish Crow	Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve	Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve, extreme NE Louisa + SE Muscatine Counties - approximately on boundary	bottomland forest/pond	The documentation form by Tim Brush is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Calls eliminated American Crows, which were calling at the same time. I am familiar with both adult + young crow calls of both American + Fish Crows. The calls were identical to those of Fish Crows in New Jersey. The circling behavior is unique to Fish Crows + the upriver migration is typical of Fish Crows in NJ - overmigration \| The original documentation form event lasted from 09:53:00/09:54:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	12	46
Rare bird documentation form for Black-billed Cuckoo at Norwalk, 1989	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1989-04-23	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Black-billed Cuckoo at Norwalk in Warren County, IA on April 23, 1989.	Johnson, Ann	Black-billed Cuckoo	Norwalk	My Yard - small acreage in northern Warren County, IA	Mixed open woods and field edge with creek and many shrubs	The documentation form by Ann Johnson is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Was eliminated because of the black bill, red eye ring and lack of rust on wings \| The original documentation form event lasted from 12:30:00/12:31:00.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	46
Rare bird documentation form for Black-billed Cuckoo at Hickory Hill Park, 1988	Field notes	Birds--Identification Ornithology Rare birds	1988-05-03	N/A	Rare birds documentation form	Rare bird documentation form for a Black-billed Cuckoo at Hickory Hill Park in Johnson County, IA on May 3, 1988.	Kent, Thomas H. (Thomas Hugh), 1934-	Black-billed Cuckoo	Hickory Hill Park	Hickory Hill P., Iowa City, Johnson Co, Ia	Wooded edge, heavy bushes	The documentation form by Thomas H. Kent is the only one submitted and forms the basis of this record. \| Elimination of similar species: Yellow-billed - bill, lack of rufous, lack of tail spots. \| The original documentation form event lasted from 08:15:00/08:20:00 estimated.	Iowa Ornithologists' Union \| MS 166	34	46