Subject: Life Lists
Date: Dec 24 17:59:37 2001
From: SGMlod at aol.com - SGMlod at aol.com


Greetings All

Ahhhhhh, the perennial discussion of life lists. The main point, for all to
keep in mind, is that lifelists are very personal. They're yours, and do with
them as you wish. Don't be brow-beaten or bushwhacked into doing anything
else. Now, if you want to compare with others, for whatever nefarious
reasons, some standardization helps. After all, if someone counts all the
Black Swans and Mandarin Ducks they see and another person does not, well,
one is comparing apples and oranges.

Regarding the Mynas - This is a new topic for the ABA, I think. Other
introduced species that have come and gone did so in a much shorter time
frame. At least I can't think of any exceptions. This species really thrived
for decades, and its disappearance may be in significant part due to
competition with Starlings (though there certainly are other factors). This
is different from introductions that have "failed" in Florida and California.
Many of these birds were on the scene for a much shorter period of time, and
the true "establishment" of these species was somewhat confounded by
continuing escapees entering the "wild" population. Soooo, who knows? I do
think the Mynas were firmly established for many, many generations and thus
may warrant a different treatment than, say, Blue-gray Tanagers in Florida.

Now, the Cal Condors are different. I don't think that anyone would argue
that a wild species gone extinct (or extinct in the wild) would need to be
erased from lifelists. I do think that they are now rather like cage birds
that are being introduced. Thus, those that make up listing rules and the
like are unlikely to consider them (post release) countable for any time in
the near future. But what the heck, it is YOUR list.

Happy Holidays and a Festive New Year

Steven Mlodinow
SGMlod at aol.com
Everett WA
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