Review Process for Rarities

The New Hampshire Rare Birds Committee (NHRBC) reviews reports of unusual bird sightings in New Hampshire. It is independent and totally separate from New Hampshire Bird Records (NHBR). The NHRBC sets guidelines that determine which species it will review.

If you receive a request to fill out a documentation form, please fill out this form carefully, since it becomes part of a permanent record and may be scrutinized in the future. Forms may be returned to NHBR, or scanned and uploaded to your eBird report the same way you would upload a photo. All rarities requiring review are evaluated by the NHRBC. The timing of the NHRBC review is independent of the publication of NHBR issues. For more on the NHRBC evaluation process, click here.

The NHRBC has a protocol and by-laws governing its operation which is entirely separate from NHBR. Members of the NHRBC are the only ones who can provide information regarding decisions on individual sightings. The NHRBC would like birders to know that the review process applies to all observers. Even the committee members themselves have to follow this process, and in some cases have even had their records not accepted by the whole committee. Also note that records that are not accepted are not discarded. In some cases, new information on a sighting can come to light, and the NHRBC may opt to reconsider it. If you are distressed by the review process, they suggest trying to view it as a learning experience and a way to increase the value of the state’s bird sighting data, not as a personal statement or an odious chore imposed upon you by elite birders. Quality control is the only way we can ensure that these records remain valuable well into the future.