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White-tailed Kite* — No specimens from Illinois. Reported by Ridgway 
from Mt. Carmel during the summer of 1863 or 1864. 
Mississippi Kite* — Despite a dozen or more records from the southern 
part of the state, including several within the past decade, no known 
specimens or photographs exist. 
Gray Hawk* — No specimens or photographs. “A specimen of this tropi- 
cal species was seen by the writer on Fox Prairie, Richland County, on the 
19th of August, 1871,” says Ridgway (Springfield, 1955). 
Gyrfalcon — No specimen or photographs; two sight records from single 
observers. Two or three falconers keep this rare arctic species in Illinois. 
Thus, records may be of escaped birds. This species is very rare, even in 
Minnesota and Ontario in winter. Albinism is frequent in hawks, although 
scarce in falcons, and must be considered a possible factor in Gyrfalcon 
observations. There appear to be too many variables for including this 
species as a hypothetical. 
Wilson’s Plover* — No specimens or photographs. The author and nu- 
merous observers saw what appeared to be this species in Glencoe in May, 
1962. This species is very rare inland, although the bird appeared after 
a hot spell with a heavy flow of warm Gulf air. An additional record 
would be helpful. 
Curlew Sandpiper — Reported at Evanston in the fall of 1966. A speci- 
men is highly desirable, as this species is almost unknown away from 
the ocean. 
RUFF — No specimens for Illinois. Numerous records and photographs 
for the state. 
Long-tailed Jaeger* — Smith and Parmalee (1955) refer to a partially 
decomposed specimen found near Cairo in 1876. A complete specimen would 
be more desirable. 
California Gull — No specimens or photographs. Only one record. 
Other information would be highly desirable before including this species 
cn the hypothetical list. 
Laughing Gull* — Nearly 15 records for northeastern Illinois but no 
specimens available. Are there photographs of this species in Illinois? 
Ivory Gull* — Recorded twice along Lake Michigan in 1949 and again 
in 1967. Observations made by reputable observers and backed up each 
time by other records from the Great Lakes area. Specimens or photo- 
graphs are desirable. 
Gull-billed Tern* — Reported from Wilmette and Lake Calumet in 
1959 by observers familiar with the bird. Also listed by Nelson, Gault, 
and Ridgway as occurring in Illinois. Specimens or photographs are highly 
desirable. 
Roseate Tern — although there are at least four sight records for this 
species in the last fifteen years for Illinois from Wilmette, Chicago, Lake 
Mauvaisterre and Crab Orchard, recent personal field work with Forster’s 
Terns casts some doubt as to the authenticity of any inland record of a 
Roseate without a supporting specimen. The deeply forked tail, bill color, 
and projecting tail streamers while at rest, are not definitive field marks 
in spring. Occassional spring-plumaged Forster’s show tail streamers that 
extend beyond the wings more than TWO inches, and this is evidenced 
in flight by an occasional long-tailed tern. A specimen is nearly a must; 
photographs would not be acceptable. The field guides are unclear on 
distinguishing this species from the Forster’s. 
Royal Tern — Early observers report this species as summering on 
Lake Michigan, but do not record the Caspian Tern in summer. Recent 
field work has shown the Caspian to be regular and sometimes common 
