Piemwmeen. Uw we BeOeNe «Baur EeraleNn 2 
SOME CORRECTIONS TO “A DISTRIBUTIONAL 
CHECK LIST OF THE BIRDS OF ILLINOIS” 
By RICHARD BREWER 
THE FOREWORD TO “A Distributional Check List of the Birds of Illinois” by 
Smith and Parmalee (1955, IHinois State Mus. Pop. Sci. Series, IV: 1) ex- 
presses the intent of revising the publication with each reprinting. In view 
of this, it seems worth-while to place on record some observations which 
have not been presented elsewhere and to call attention to a few apparent 
errors and omissions. 
Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus. This species is included on the basis of 
two or more sight records and a specimen taken by Julian Hurter in 1880. 
The bird was identified as P. falcinellus by Robert Ridgway, but Ridgway 
later decided that his identification was open to question and that the bird 
might actually represent the White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi (1895, Orni- 
thology of Illinois: 112). He suggested that the specimen be carefully re- 
examined, This 60-year-old suggestion still seems reasonable. 
Brant, Branta bernicla. In addition to the single report listed by Smith 
and Parmalee, there is a record by Dreuth from Lincoln Park, Cook Co., 
October 9, 1982 (Clark and Nice, 1950, Chicago Acad. Sci. Spec. Publ. 8: 12). 
Mississippi Kite, [ctinia misisippiensis. Perna M. Stine has pointed out 
(in litt.) that the statement by Smith and Parmalee that “Cahn and Hyde 
(1929) list five sight records of this bird on their trip through southern 
Illinois. . .” is not correct. Cahn and Hyde (1929, Wil. Bull., 41: 36) list 
the species with a parenthetical five following the name, but this numeral 
refers to the habitat in which they encountered the species. Habitat number 
five is “local situations,” in this case “the Great Cliffs bordering the Mis- 
sissippi.” There is no mention of the number of times the species was seen. 
Ferruginous Hawk, Buteo regalis. Although this species is marked by 
an asterisk, indicating “an accidental species included in this lst on the 
basis of a sight record,” at least two specimens have been taken in Illinois. 
Cooke (1888, U.S. Dept. Agric., Div. Econ. Ornith. Bull., 2: 117) has stated 
that a male Ferruginous Hawk was taken by John A. Balmer at Paris, 
Edgar Co., on January 19, 1886. A female was found by C. B. Blake in 
Cook Co., on April 21, 1939, and has been reported by Gregory (1948, Auk, 
65: 317) as being in his collection. 
Gray Hawk, Buteo nitidus. This species is not marked with an asterisk, 
but the only cited evidence of its occurrence is a sight record by Ridgway 
in 1871. 
Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla. Although the Check List men- 
tions only records from around Lake Michigan, Eddy (1927, Wil. Bull., 34: 
224) has reported this species from Lake Decatur, Macon Co., for De- 
cember 1923. 
Black-backed Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides arcticus. Ralph M. Eise- 
man has informed me that the observation of this species listed for Illini 
State Park, La Salle Co., by “Bickett” actually was made at Illinois Beach 
State Park, Lake Co. The observer, Jack Bickett, has confirmed this state- 
ment (in litt.). 
