Bylaws of the

Louisiana Ornithological Society's

LOUISIANA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

I. Name and Affiliation

A. Name. The official name of this organization shall be the "Louisiana Ornithological Society's Louisiana Bird Records Committee," which may be shortened to the "Louisiana Bird Records Committee" and is hereafter referred to as the "LBRC."

B. Affiliation. This is a committee of the Louisiana Ornithological Society.

II. Purpose

A. To the extent possible, determine the validity of records of rare birds (see section VI. for definition of records treated) from within the boundaries of the state of Louisiana and adjacent ocean. "Adjacent ocean" is herein defined as all ocean waters nearer to Louisiana land than to land of any other state, and within 200 nautical miles of the Louisiana coastline. These waters begin at the mouth of the Sabine River on the west, and the mouth of the East Pearl River on the east.

B. Maintain permanently the original bird records and all committee votes and comments for future use by interested parties.

C. Publish at least minimal data on all records receiving a decision.

D. Provide a means by which sight records of rarities can gain acceptance as valuable scientific data.

E. Contribute to knowledge of the birds of Louisiana.

F. Establish high standards of observation and reporting that will set a positive example for, and encourage other field observers.

G. Keep the official Louisiana State Bird List.

III. Membership

A. Number and Definitions. The LBRC shall consist of nine people collectively known as Members: 1) nine members each with one vote, 2) and from these two Officers will be elected, one as the Chair, and one as the Secretary.

B. Qualifications. Anyone is eligible to become a Member if, in the estimation of the existing Members, that person has demonstrated the ability to logically and objectively analyze records of rarities, is an active field observer with a competent knowledge of identification of birds, has conscientiously submitted reports to the LBRC of Review List species, and is a member in good standing of the Louisiana Ornithological Society.

C. Members.

(1) Election and Term of Office.

(a) Eight Members (one of whom is also the Chair, and not including the Secretary; Chair and Secretary considered Officers, see D. (2)) shall be elected on a staggered basis, each for a term of four years, so that two will be elected each year. Election shall be by vote at the Annual Spring Meeting of the LBRC (nominations are submitted to the Secretary prior to the meeting; proxies shall not be used in this election). Candidates will be nominated to fill a specific vacancy: if multiple candidates are nominated for one vacancy, then the candidate who receives the largest number of votes shall be elected. If necessary, ties shall be decided by an additional ballot(s) listing only those persons tied. Members take office at the close of the Annual Spring Meeting at which they were elected and serve until the close of the fourth Annual Spring Meeting following their election. At the discretion of the other Members, the Members-Elect may be seated (but may not vote) during the remainder of the Annual Spring Meeting at which they were elected.

(b) The Secretary is the ninth Member and will be elected for a term of one year (see D. (1)).

(2) Nominations of Members.

Nomination for Membership shall be made only by existing Members and only to the Secretary prior to the Annual Spring Meeting. It is the responsibility of the nominating Member to confirm the qualifications of and to obtain approval of willingness to serve from the nominees he/she submits. Each Member may make only one nomination per each vacancy, and may not nominate himself/herself. If the total number of nominees is not sufficient to fill the vacant seats, it is the responsibility of the Secretary to nominate the number of persons required. The Secretary will include the list of nominees in the agenda for the Annual Spring Meeting.

(3) Member Duties:

(a) Members: (1) Receive and evaluate records circulated by the Secretary. (2) Vote on all records received (see Section VI. F.), using a standard Validation Form format. (3) Submit report forms of all personally observed Review List species within 60 days after the observation. (4) Promote the LBRC and encourage other observers to submit records of Review List species. (5) Make every effort to attend all scheduled meetings of the LBRC.

D. Officers. The Secretary and the Chair have different election and nomination policies, term, and additional duties than other Members, so these two positions are defined as Officers.

(1) Secretary.

(a) Election and Term of Office. The Secretary shall be elected for a term of one year. Election shall be by vote of five or more Members (a quorum being formed by the presence of the Secretary, but who may not vote) present in person, not by proxy or ballot, at the Annual Spring Meeting. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected. If necessary, a tie shall be decided by an additional ballot(s) listing only those persons tied. The Chair or, in the Chair's absence, a Member shall conduct this election. The Secretary takes office at the close of the Annual Spring Meeting at which the election was held and serves until the close of the next Annual Spring Meeting. The Secretary may serve an unlimited number of terms.

(b) Nominations for Secretary. Nominees for Secretary must meet qualifications outlined in III. B. Nominations for Secretary shall be made only by Members (not including the Secretary) prior to the Annual Spring Meeting. All nominations for Secretary must be received in writing in advance of the Annual Spring Meeting so that the nominee's name may be included on the Meeting agenda. It is the responsibility of the nominating Member to obtain approval of willingness to serve from the nominee he/she submits. Each Member may make only one nomination, and may not nominate himself/herself.

(c) Duties of Secretary. (1) Receive and enter into LBRC Record Roster, duplicate, circulate, re-circulate and maintain files of all bird records and supporting data submitted to the LBRC. Whenever possible, the records should be the originals, because copies fade with age. (2) Vote on bird records (see Section VI. F.). Vote in all elections, except those for Secretary. (3) Procure additional data on records when deemed desirable and possible. (4) Furnish Members with a list of post-third-circulation records to be discussed (Discussion Round). (5) Tabulate results of all votes of the LBRC. (6) Keep the minutes of LBRC meetings. (7) Keep current the Review List, furnish it to anyone upon request, update and publish as necessary in the LOS News, and with each official Report of the LBRC. (8) Furnish Members with such equipment as needed, including Validation Forms. (9) Furnish Members with the list of nominees for upcoming elections, and include in meeting's agenda and provide the Agenda to Members prior to the Annual Spring Meeting. (10) Furnish anyone, upon request (and receipt of duplication costs), copies of all evidence, including LBRC comments, concerning any accepted or rejected bird record. (11) Furnish free Report Forms to anyone upon request. (12) Keep current a master copy of these Bylaws.

(2) Chair.

(a) Election and Term of Office. Nominees for Chair must be drawn from current and or incoming Members, but cannot include the Secretary. The Chair shall be elected for a term of one year. Election shall be by vote of a quorum present in person, not by proxy or ballot, at the Annual Spring Meeting. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected. If necessary, ties shall be decided by an additional ballot(s) listing only those persons tied. The Secretary, or in the Secretary's absence, a Voting Member other than the Chair, shall conduct this election. All Voting Members, including the current Chair and all candidates for Chair, may vote. The Chair takes office at the close of the Annual Spring Meeting at which the Chair was elected and serves until the close of the next Annual Spring Meeting or until a successor is elected. The Chair may serve an unlimited number of terms.

(b) Duties. (1) Call and preside at LBRC meetings. (2) With the approval of the Members, appoint Chairs of subcommittees. (3) Assure that the current Bylaws are properly applied. (4) At the Secretary's request, provide assistance in carrying out the duties of that office. (5) If the Secretary shall be incapacitated, or otherwise become unable to serve, the Chair shall act as Secretary in all respects.

E. Removals. The LBRC may remove, for cause, any member who proves to be delinquent or incompetent in their duties, who consistently fails to submit his/her own records of Review List species, or who otherwise performs contrary to the spirit of the LBRC. Removal of a Member requires a majority vote of all other Members. A vote for removal must take place at a meeting of the LBRC; absent Members may vote by written ballot submitted to the Secretary or to an attending member.

F. Vacancies and Special Elections. If the LBRC loses a Member during mid-term (through death, resignation, removal, etc.), a Special Election will be held as soon as possible for the purpose of filling a Member vacancy. A Special Election may be conducted at a meeting or by individual contact (mail, telephone, etc.), whichever is most expedient in the opinion of the Secretary. For a vacancy involving the Secretary, the Chair will assume those duties (see D.(2)(b)). For a vacancy involving the Chair, Special Election will elect a Chair by majority vote of other Members. The person elected shall serve the remainder of the term of the person being replaced.

G. Compensation. Neither the Secretary nor any member may receive compensation for their services. The Secretary, or Members assisting with secretarial duties, may be reimbursed by the Secretary-Treasurer of the Louisiana Ornithological Society for incidental expenses reasonably incurred through business of the LBRC. The Secretary or other Members must receive advance approval for expenditures from the Secretary-Treasurer of the Louisiana Ornithological Society.

IV. Meetings

A. LBRC Annual Spring Meeting. The LBRC will hold an Annual Spring Meeting each year on the first Saturday after 9 March. If first circulation records are on the agenda, then a quorum of at least seven members must be in attendance. If more than two members are unable to attend, then first circulation records cannot be reviewed and another date, unanimously approved by all current Members, and officially set by the Chair in consultation with the Members, will be chosen for that purpose. If review of records is not on the agenda, then five (5) members shall constitute the quorum required for elections and for transacting such other annual business. The Secretary must give advance notice of the Annual Spring Meeting or a change in date or venue to all Members, along with an agenda and list of nominees for Member elections.

B. Special Meetings. Special Meetings of the LBRC may be called by the Chair, the Secretary, or by agreement of five or more Members. The Chair or Secretary must notify and provide an agenda to each Member prior to a Special meeting.

C. Quorum. Five Members in good standing, present in person, not by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for any Special (non-record-review) LBRC meeting.

V. Bylaws

A. Formation. All Bylaws and other procedures of the LBRC are to be as determined by and only by the LBRC, except that they may not be inconsistent with the Bylaws of the Louisiana Ornithological Society or with rules adopted by the LOS Executive Committee.

B. Review. The Bylaws shall be reviewed regularly, at least once every five years.

C. Changes. These Bylaws may be changed or amended by a majority vote of a quorum at any LBRC meeting.

VI. Bird Records

A. Definitions. For the purposes of the LBRC and these Bylaws, a "record" is considered to be written documentation or a specimen submitted as a report (see VI. C) to the LBRC as proof of the identity of a sighted, heard, collected, banded, tape-recorded, or photographed bird or birds. The "Review List" is that most recent list of species for which records will be accepted for review by the LBRC. A "round" is considered one or more individual records united by the Secretary for the purpose of circulation. A "circulation" is defined as the progression of a round as it is delivered to each Member for review. The "round cover sheet" contains a list of all records in the round, their identification number(s), reporting observers, additional enclosures (e.g., photographs), and specific instructions to Members. For rounds sent through the mail, a "routing slip" lists the names and addresses of the Secretary and all other Members, listed in the order in which the round will circulate.

B. Records Treated.

(1) Only records from the State of Louisiana and adjacent ocean (as defined in Section II. A will be treated.

(2) The species included on the Review List will be as determined on a regular basis by the LBRC. In general, the Review List will consist of species that have been recorded within Louisiana and adjacent ocean an average of four or fewer times per year averaged over the ten year period immediately preceding revision of the Review List. By majority vote of a quorum of Members at a meeting, the LBRC may, as it sees fit, add species to or delete species from the Review List. Reports or records of species for which there are no accepted records for Louisiana shall also be considered. See also Addition and Removal of Introduced Species (VI. B. (9)).

(3) The criteria for inclusion on the Review List, and the species included on that list, will be reviewed at least once every five years.

(4) The Secretary will ensure that the Review List is duplicated, made available to those who request it, and publish it with all official Reports of the LBRC.

(5) Records based on specimens, tape recordings, or bandings will be accepted and treated in the same manner as other records.

(6) Any record, whether previously published or not, old or new, may be submitted by a Member or other person, whether or not an observer. Exceptions would include any record that has received a previous LBRC decision (see VI. D).

(7) Records concerning species that are only locally or seasonally rare in Louisiana may be reviewed at the LBRC's discretion.

(8) Subspecies will not be treated unless listed as such on the Review List or relevant to the official State List.

(9) Addition or removal of Introduced Species to the State List. Introduced species may be added to or removed from the Review List at the discretion of the LBRC based on periodic assessments of the species’ status outside and inside the State. In general, if a colonization event (originating either from outside or from within Louisiana) is in progress, then a species will be added to the Review List in order to encourage documentation of the spread and establishment of the species in Louisiana. A species will not automatically be added to the Review List if represented only by a single and or localized group of individuals. Feral individuals of species already on the State List are not countable (e.g., Canada Goose) if the feral population is not additionally accepted as an Introduced Species.

(a) Addition to the State List. The LBRC will review records of breeding populations of introduced species not on the State List but only if evidence is submitted that attempts to prove the correct identification of the species and the viability of the population. To be judged viable, a population must (1) be documented breeding in the state for a minimum of ten (10) consecutive years, (2) have numbers of individuals increasing or stabilized after an initial period of increase, and (3) be judged to have occupied geographically contiguous suitable habitat to such a degree as to sustain the population and 4) be judged unlikely to significantly diminish. A population maintained primarily by recurrent releases, either intentional or accidental, or requiring intense management for survival, shall not be considered viable.

(b) Removal from the State List. A species accepted to the State List as an Introduced Species shall be removed if the LBRC determines that the introduced population is decreasing and no longer viable. For these purposes, the criteria for the size of a viable population shall be less stringent than those used for Addition. The LBRC recognizes that populations, whether natural or Introduced may undergo and survive "bottlenecks," at which time a population is briefly small enough that risk of extirpation is substantial. If, however, the LBRC believes that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that a viable population no longer exists and that the continued presence of the species is due primarily to ongoing releases or escapes of captive individuals, then the species will be removed from the State List. If an introduced species is not widespread, but has a restricted state distribution, individuals are "countable" only from within the area with the established population.

C. Submission. Hard copy reports should be, but need not be, submitted on the LBRC's Official Report Form. The Official Report Form is created to outline the type of information required for proper documentation of a record. The format of the official Report Form shall be reviewed at regular intervals of at least once every five years and revised when necessary. The Secretary should ensure that LBRC Official Report Forms are readily available at no charge to all that request them. This form will also be available in electronic or printable formats at the LOS website on the Internet. Observers printing their own copies for later submission are recommended to use high rag content paper for archival purposes. When using direct Internet submission of reports, the same official report format will be adopted. In the case of an electronic submission, the Secretary will print out a hard copy of the report for the archives.

D. Resubmission. A record that has received a final LBRC decision, whether accepted or rejected, and even though published in an official Report of the LBRC, may be resubmitted by the Secretary, a Member, an observer, or any other person, if and only if there becomes available new and substantial documentary or circumstantial evidence that might reverse the decision. The Secretary will ascertain whether recirculation is justified based on evidence submitted. For a record rejected because of questionable origin, such evidence might include the recognition of a natural pattern of occurrence. A record deemed appropriate for resubmission will circulate in the manner of any other record, however it will retain its original number, include all previous votes and comments of the LBRC, include previous publication data, an explanation about why it is being resubmitted, and all new evidence marked as such.

E. Circulation Procedures.

(1) Initial Receipt by Secretary. Upon receipt of a record, the Secretary should do the following:

(a) Affix to it a unique LBRC number, consisting of the year of record (not the year of receipt) followed by a hyphen and the next available unused number, starting with "01," for each year. If a record is represented by descriptions from more than one person, each description should receive the same LBRC number followed by a capital letter in sequence beginning with "A."

(b) Enter record into record roster.

(2) To circulate by mail:

(a) Make duplicates of, and keep in a secure place, all record documentation and completed Validation Forms.

(b) Check the description for completeness and clarity and, if deemed desirable, request additional information from the reporter or other observers. Details thus acquired must be clearly marked as such and kept separate from the original submission; the original submission should not be returned to the reporter except in copy form.

(c) Organize a number of records into a round, include a cover sheet showing what records are contained in the round, and affix a routing slip to the round packet, which shows the order in which Members receive the round.

(3) To circulate by Email.

(a) Check the description for completeness and clarity and, if deemed desirable, request additional information from the reporter or other observers. Details thus acquired must be clearly marked as such and kept separate from the original submission; the original submission should not be returned to the reporter except in copy form.

(b) Scan originals and retain these in a secure place.

(c) Assemble records into a round and post on website. Send an email cover sheet to Members, which includes a link to the round to initiate the round's circulation.

(4) Receipt by Member of Rounds Sent by Mail. A Member should do the following:

(a) Initial and date routing slip.

(b) Verify contents of round against Routing Slip.

(c) Email the Secretary to acknowledge that the round has been received and indicate any discrepancies between the Routing Slip and the contents. Email the sending member, if you are not the first on the Routing Slip to acknowledge receipt.

(d) Judge each record's validity, vote, and make comments when appropriate.

(e) Send the round to the next Member within one month of its receipt. Notify the next member by email when you sent the round.

(f) Email the Secretary that the round has been sent on to the next member. Send the completed Validation Form(s) to the Secretary.

(g) The last Member to vote should return the round to the Secretary. Email the Secretary to notify her that the round has been sent.

(h) Lengthy absences from a Member's mailing address should be reported to the Secretary. The circulation may be rerouted to accommodate such absences.

(5) Receipt by Member of Rounds Sent by Email. The Member should do the following:

(a) Open all files and make sure that they can view all record material

on the website. Notify the Secretary that all files can be accessed or whether there are any problems attempting to access any files.

(b) Judge each record's validity, vote, and make comments when appropriate.

(d) Lengthy absences from a Member's email address or computer problems should be reported to the Secretary.

(6) Recirculation.

(a) A record shall be recirculated automatically, together with the votes and comments of every Member from previous circulations, until it has received a decision vote or until three circulations (two recirculations) have been completed, whichever comes first.

(b) If, after the third circulation, the record still has not received a decision vote (see Section VI. F. (10c)), the Secretary will keep it until it can be discussed at an Annual Meeting of the LBRC.

(c) Prior to each Annual Meeting, the Secretary should inform Members of any “fourth circulation” records scheduled for discussion.

(d) For “fourth circulation” records (see Section VI. F. (10c), the final decision must be made at the first meeting in which the record is discussed.

(e) All decisions are final.

(7) Records supported by specimens or photographs.

(a) Specimen records. At an Annual Spring Meeting, each Member will independently evaluate the identification of and vote on each specimen. This constitutes the record's first circulation; votes will be tabulated and, if the vote is unanimous, then the identification of the specimen can be discussed among the Members. Members may also request that pertinent specimen identification criteria be discussed prior to the vote. If a unanimous vote is not reached, then an expert opinion should be obtained and this information circulated as a written report of the record. The circulation would represent the record's first circulation.

(b) Records supported by photographic or audio documentation. Unambiguous photographic records (as judged by the Secretary) can be reviewed at an Annual Spring Meeting. Members will independently review the report(s) and photograph(s) at an Annual Meeting, and will record their votes on a tabulation sheet provided by the Secretary. This is a secret vote and the Secretary will later tally votes. The record will be accepted only when it receives a unanimous accept vote. If the vote is not unanimous, the record will be circulated by normal procedures beginning with its first circulation.

F. Voting.

(1) Validation Forms. The vote of each Member, together with the Member's comments, if any, must be submitted using official Validation Form format. The official Validation Form must include:

(a) Round number and Record number.

(b) Common name of the species.

(d) Date of the Member's review.

(e) Number of the circulation.

(f) Member's decision (see voting categories F.(2)).

(g) Comments (Required for any reject and all but first circulation accept votes).

(h) Members may combine records and submit to the Secretary

"First circulation accept without comment votes" (see Section VI. F. (5)) and e-circulations on one page/Validation Form, providing that all of the above information is included.

(2) Voting categories.

(a) Identification. Each Member must determine whether the record is correctly identified. For each record, species identification must be evaluated first. If identification is accepted, then the record can then be evaluated with regard to natural origin.

(b) Origin. (1) Natural origin. For the purpose of the LBRC and these Bylaws, "natural origin" will be defined as: a bird is considered to be of natural origin if, and only if, the probability of its arrival as a result of man's assistance (either active or passive) is negligible. Because determination of human assistance for any particular individual or record may not be possible, a designation, "Origin-Hypothetical" can be assigned to those records that are problematical. (2) Origin Hypothetical is defined as: A) a species with known range and natural history such that it would not be a good candidate for vagrancy; B) a species that is kept in captivity (even though no escapees have been reported and the species might be a good candidate for vagrancy based on range or natural history); or C) there is at least circumstantial evidence suggesting that an occurrence may not be of natural origin, even though the species is a potential candidate for vagrancy. Records designated "Origin-Hypothetical" will be so indicated by an appropriate symbol on the State List (for a first or single state record) or in a LBRC Report. The "Origin-Hypothetical" symbol will be removed from the species name on the State List in the event of a subsequent record where origin is not questioned. (3) Origin Questionable. Records will be rejected on origin, if the origin is known or highly suspected to be man-assisted.

Accept votes:

a) Accept Identification and Origin

b) Accept Identification, Origin-Hypothetical

Reject votes:

c) Reject Identification

d) Reject Origin (accept identification; natural origin questionable)

(3) Abstentions: Members may not abstain from voting.

(4) Secretary Vote. The Secretary must vote on each record. On the first circulation the Secretary must vote prior to reviewing or collating Members returned validations (thus voting without seeing other Members' comments).

(5) Comments. On the first circulation an "accept" vote does not require comment; a "reject" or "origin hypothetical" vote must be supported by appropriate comments. See also Section VI. F. (10) (a) regarding tabulation of "accept without comment votes." On second and third circulations, all votes must be supported by comments. Any "Accept Identification-Origin Hypothetical" vote must be accompanied by comments supporting that opinion.

(6) Consultations.

(a) Among Members. Once a record has begun its first circulation, a Member may not discuss a record with another Member prior to both having voted. On any subsequent circulation, pre-vote discussions among Members are acceptable. On any circulation, a Member may, prior to voting, consult with anyone outside the LBRC.

(b) Outside experts. Any Member may solicit written comments from Non-member "experts.” The Member or outside expert should forward any written expert comments to the Secretary so that these may be incorporated in subsequent (when necessary) circulations.

(7) Voting Criteria. The criteria used by a Member to accept or reject a record are an individual matter and should not be dictated by these Bylaws. In addition to straightforward assessment of the circumstances of an observation and the accuracy, extent, and credibility of descriptions, evaluation criteria might also include whether similar species are convincingly eliminated, and consideration of observer expertise and reputation.

(8) Change in Membership. Rounds in circulation when there is a change in membership shall automatically be rerouted to and completed by the new Member(s), unless Validation Forms by the departing member for these records have already been submitted to, or received by, the Secretary.

(9) Tabulation. The Secretary tabulates the votes for each round upon its completion.

(10) Decision Vote Criteria.

(a) First Circulation. Following a record's first circulation, a record is considered accepted if it receives nine "Accept Identification and Origin" votes (=9-0). A record is considered rejected if it receives nine reject (identification or origin) votes. The record is also considered rejected if it receives eight reject votes and one "accept without comment vote." Although no supporting comments are associated with an "accept without comment" vote, records receiving two or more "accept without comment" votes will be recirculated. If the record does not receive a unanimous reject vote or receives any "Accept Identification, Origin-Hypothetical" votes, it will be re-circulated.

(b) Second and Third Circulations. Following second or third circulations, a record is considered accepted if it receives no more than one "Reject" vote (=8-1) or no more than one "Accept Identification, Origin-Hypothetical" vote. A record is considered "rejected" if it receives any combination of five or more Reject votes (= 4-5, 3-6, 2-7, 1-8, or 0-9). A record is accepted and designated "Origin Hypothetical" if it receives more than one "Accept Identification, Origin Hypothetical" votes and no more than one reject vote.

(c) Fourth Circulation or Discussion Vote. If after three circulations a record does not receive a decision vote as outlined in (a) or (b) above (e.g., 5-4, 6-3, or 7-2) then it will be decided at an Annual Spring Meeting. At any Spring Meeting, for a Fourth Circulation Record to occur, a minimum of seven members must be in attendance and vote on the record’s outcome. The record will be discussed and following the discussion, a vote will be taken. The record is considered accepted if it receives no more than one reject vote. It is considered accepted, and will be designated origin hypothetical, if it receives two or more "accept identification, origin hypothetical" votes and no more than one reject vote. The record is rejected if it receives votes in any other combination.

G. Publication.

(1) The decisions of the LBRC shall be published regularly under the authorship of the Secretary (and others if desired), in the form of an official Report of the LBRC, in an official publication of the Louisiana Ornithological Society. A section of this Report shall be devoted to bringing the Louisiana State Bird List up to date.

(2) The published data for accepted records should include the species name, LBRC number, date(s) of observation, full locality, reporting observers, and initial discoverers or identifiers (if known). Other data may be added at the discretion of the Secretary and Members.

(3) Rejected records should also be published with the above data, except that observers' names should not be included. For the purposes of publication, the term "unaccepted" should be used instead of "rejected."

(4) "Pending records" should not be published.

COMPILED BY THE LBRC, Adopted 19 October 1979: