OBRC Review List Species Updates: March 2022 to December 2025
OHIO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE BIRDS OF OHIO
OBRC Review List Species Update
March 1, 2022 through December 26, 2025
The 2022 edition of the OBRC Annotated Checklist had a cutoff date of February 28, 2022 for Acceptance of Review List records. Since that date, the OBRC has continued to evaluate such records, which are
updated here. Other significant decisions made by the Committee since that date are also listed below, as are changes in nomenclature as determined by the American Ornithological Society through the 2025
supplement.
As of December 26, 2025, the OBRC official state list stands at 454 species. Species added since publication of the Annotated Checklist are listed below in bold.
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: First Ohio nesting record Accepted from Wayne Co., 2022. The species should now be considered a “*2” species.
Cinnamon Teal: About 14 Ohio records, six Accepted by the OBRC since 1991. Most recent: 16 March 2025.
King Eider: Numerous records, 13 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 9-18 November 2023.
Common Eider: At least four records, three Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 18-20 December 2022.
Barrow’s Goldeneye: At least 10 records, five Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 14-19 February 2025.
American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) 2: One record: 1 September 2023, Warren Co. Accepted to the state list December 2023. Two individuals brought north by Hurricane Idalia, part of a widespread movement. Insert between Ring-necked Pheasant and Pied-billed Grebe.
Western Grebe: Numerous records, 15 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 29-31 May 2024.
Doves and pigeons: The AOS changed the checklist order of these species in August 2025. Ohio species should now be ordered: Common Ground Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Passenger Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Rock Pigeon.
Groove-billed Ani: Five records, one Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 4 October 2024.
Black-chinned Hummingbird: Three records, all since 2020. Most recent: 29 October-22 November 2025.
Anna’s Hummingbird: Three records, all since 2005. Most recent: 23 October-17 November 2024.
Calliope Hummingbird: Four records, all since 2002. Most recent: 24-25 October 2024.
Broad-billed Hummingbird (Cyanthus latirostris) 1: One record: 4-20 November 2022, Medina Co. Accepted to the state list February 2023. At a residential feeder, later found deceased. Insert between Allen’s Hummingbird and Limpkin.
Limpkin, cranes, and rails: In 2025, the AOS changed the checklist order of the families in Gruiformes to this sequence.
Limpkin: 20 Accepted records, all since 2019. Most recent: 24 August-1 September 2025.
Purple Gallinule: Numerous records, 19 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 11-12 September 2023.
Black Rail: Numerous records, five Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 17 August 2022.
Plovers and Lapwings: The AOS changed the checklist order of these species in July 2024. Ohio species should now be ordered Black-bellied Plover, American Golden-Plover, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Northern Lapwing, Wilson’s Plover, Snowy Plover.
Wilson’s Plover: New binomial name as of July 2024 is Anarhynchus wilsonia.
Snowy Plover: New binomial name as of July 2024 is Anarhynchus nivosus.
Ruff: Numerous records, 28 Accepted since 1991. Now removed from the Review List.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper: Five records, four Accepted since 1990. Most recent: 27 November 2022.
Curlew Sandpiper: Ten records, six Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 21-22 May 2023.
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis) 2: One record, 28 September-1 October 2025, Lorain Impoundment, Lorain Co. Accepted to the state list December 2025 based on photographic evidence. Insert between Greater Yellowlegs and Wilson’s Phalarope.
Long-tailed Jaeger: Numerous records, 18 Accepted since 1991. Now removed from the Review List.
Ancient Murrelet: Two records: 28 March 1951, Erie/Ottawa cos.; 21-23 December 2023, Lorain Co.
Terns and gulls: In 2025, the AOS changed the checklist order of subfamilies in Laridae to this sequence.
Least Tern: Numerous records, 23 Accepted since 1991. Now removed from the Review List.
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) 2: One record: 5-9 July 2024, Huron Harbor, Erie Co. Accepted to the state list November 2024 based on photographic evidence. Insert between Black Tern and Common Tern.
Arctic Tern: Four records, three Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 14 June 2023.
Heermann’s Gull: Four records, likely involving two individuals. Most recent: 23 June-15 July 2023.
Common Gull (Larus canus) 2: Two records: 30 December 2022-2 January 2023, Cuyahoga Co.; 11 March 2023, Lorain Co. Accepted to the state list February 2023 based on photographic evidence. Insert between Heermann’s Gull and Short-billed Gull.
Short-billed Gull: At least 13 records, ten Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 14 January 2025.
American Herring Gull: Split by the AOS in August 2025, resulting in new common name and new binomial Larus smithsonianus.
Slaty-backed Gull: Four records, all since 2019. Most recent: 24 February-24 March 2023.
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) 2: Three Accepted records, most recent: 5-9 March 2023. Accepted to the state list February 2023 based on photographic evidence. Insert between Slaty-backed Gull and Glaucous Gull.
Wood Stork: At least 19 records, 15 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: ~17 August-8 September 2024. Now removed from the Review List.
Northern Gannet: Numerous records, 19 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 7-8 December 2024.
Great Cormorant: Nine Accepted records, all since 2016. Most recent: 19-23 March 2022.
Ibises and spoonbills, pelicans, and herons: In 2025, the AOS changed the checklist order of families in Pelicaniformes to this sequence.
American White Pelican: First Ohio nesting record Accepted from Erie Co., 2023. This species should now be considered a “*1” species.
Bitterns, herons, and egrets: The AOS changed the checklist order of these species in July 2024. Ohio species should now be ordered Least Bittern, American Bittern, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret, Snowy Egret, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, Great Egret, Western Cattle-Egret, Great Blue Heron.
Least Bittern: New binomial name as of July 2024 is Botaurus exilis.
Tricolored Heron: Numerous records, 27 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 22 May-2 June 2025.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron: new common name as of July 2024.
Black-crowned Night Heron: new common name as of July 2024.
Western Cattle-Egret: new common name and binomial name Ardea ibis as of July 2024.
Great Blue Heron (“Great White Heron” form): Three Accepted records, most recent: 12-13 September 2022.
White Ibis: At least 20 records, 18 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 10-11 July 2024.
Swallow-tailed Kite: Numerous records, 17 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 21-31 August 2022. Now removed from the Review List.
Cooper’s Hawk: New binomial name as of August 2025 is Astur cooperii.
American Goshawk: Numerous records, eight Accepted since attaining Review List status in 2013. Most recent: 11 April 2022. Split from Northern Goshawk by AOS (July 2023). New binomial name for American Goshawk is Astur atricapillus.
Swainson’s Hawk: At least 11 records, 10 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 24 April 2023.
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) 1: One record: 13 June 2023, Huron Co. Accepted to the state list based on photographic evidence from 13 June 2023; other dates present in Ohio yet to be determined from GPS tracking data. Later found deceased in West Virginia. Insert between Rough-legged Hawk and Barn Owl.
American Barn Owl: new common name and new binomial name Tyto furcata as of July 2024.
Gyrfalcon: Numerous records, five Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 2 January-20 February 2022.
Prairie Falcon: At least seven records, six Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 30 September 2021- 1 February 2022.
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) 2—One record: 7 November 2022, Cuyahoga Co. Accepted to the state list February 2023 based on photographic evidence. Insert between Carolina Parakeet and Great-crested Flycatcher.
Western Kingbird: Numerous records, 18 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 4 September 2022. Now removed from the Review List.
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: Numerous records, 15 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 18 October 2023.
Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) 2: Three records, all since 2015. Most recent: 29 November 2025. Pacific-slope Flycatcher and Cordilleran Flycatcher lumped by the AOS in July 2023, thereby adding Western Flycatcher to the Ohio list. Insert between Dusky Flycatcher and Eastern Phoebe.
Say’s Phoebe: 14 records, 13 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 8 April 2024.
Vermilion Flycatcher: Ten records, eight Accepted since 1991. Most recent: late November 2023-11 January 2024.
Eastern Warbling-Vireo: New common name after AOS split of Warbling Vireo in 2025.
Loggerhead Shrike: Numerous records, 31 Accepted since attaining Review List status in 2002. Most recent: 16 May 2024.
Black-billed Magpie: At least six records, three Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 10 May 2025.
Boreal Chickadee: About 11 records. Most recent: 11 March 2023.
Cave Swallow: 27 records, all since 2005. Most recent: 9 November 2025.
Bohemian Waxwing: Numerous records, 12 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 10 November 2022.
Wrens: The AOS changed the checklist order of these species in 2022. Ohio species should now be ordered Rock Wren, Bewick’s Wren, Carolina Wren, Northern House Wren, Winter Wren, Sedge Wren, Marsh Wren.
Northern House Wren: New common name as of July 2024.
Townsend’s Solitaire: 12 records, 10 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 21 April 2024.
Northern Wheatear: Six records, five Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 11 January-23 February 2021.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow: Two records: 10 January 2016, Summit Co.; 25 May 2025 (Lucas Co.).
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) 2: One record, 21 April 2024, Montgomery Co. Accepted to the state list July 2024 based on photographic evidence. Insert between Eurasian Tree Sparrow and American Pipit.
Redpoll: New common name as of July 2024, after being lumped with Hoary Redpoll in July 2024.
Hoary Redpoll: Numerous records, 20 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 25 January 2022. Now removed from the Review List. Hoary Redpoll species deleted by AOS as of July 2024.
Chestnut-collared Longspur: Two records: 5 May 2018, Lake Co.; 8-11 October 2021, Lake Co.
Spotted Towhee: 13 records, all since 1996. Most recent: 6-22 January 2025.
Bullock’s Oriole: About six records, three Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 16 April 2022.
Swainson’s Warbler: Numerous records, 22 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 25 April-6 July 2025.
Virginia’s Warbler (Leiothlypis virginiae) 2: One record, 13 May 2025, Cuyahoga Co. Accepted to the state list in July 2025 based on photographic evidence. Insert between Nashville Warbler and Connecticut Warbler.
Black-throated Gray Warbler: At least 13 records, 10 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 23 December 2023-12 January 2024.
Townsend’s Warbler: Six records, four Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 11 May 2024.
Western Tanager: At least 17 records, 16 Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 7 May 2022. Now removed from the Review List.
Black-headed Grosbeak: At least nine records, six Accepted since 1991. Most recent: 20 February 2025.
Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena) 2: One record, 4 January-27 February 2025, Meigs Co. Accepted to the state list in March 2025 based on photographic evidence. Insert between Blue Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting.
