The "Heard-only" List (1 Viewer)

It was inevitable; added sora to the heard-only list a week ago.

So Silverwolf, is this list like golf? You want the lowest number possible?

7 on my list:
Ridgway's Rail
Clapper Rail
Eastern Screech-Owl
Common Poorwill
Buff-collared Nightjar
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Mexican Whip-poor-will

I've had pretty good luck seeing tough species, such as owls and western nightjars. Here's all that I have heard, but not seen, though.

1. Eastern Screech-Owl
2. Buff-collared Nightjar
3. Eastern Whip-poor-will
4. Chuck-wills-widow
5. Worm-eating Warbler

75 if I added them up correctly...
Eleven owls: Mountain Scops-Owl, Bare-shanked Screech-Owl (silhouet in flight), White-throated Screech-Owl, Mottled Owl, Black-and-white Owl, Crested Owl, Spectacled Owl, Collared Owlet, Tengmalm's Owl, Seram Boobook, Buru Boobook
Six babblers: Rufous-fronted Babbler, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Grey-throated Babbler, White-browed Scimitar-Babbler, Coral-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush
Five partridges: Brown Quail (untickable views), Hill Partridge, Rufous-throated Partridge, Chinese Bamboo-Partridge, Grey Peacock-Pheasant
Four tinamous: Highland Tinamou, Brown Tinamou, Grey-legged Tinamou, Tataupa Tinamou
Three megapodes: Red-billed Brush-turkey, Black-billed Brush-turkey, Tanimbar Scrubfowl
Three wood-quails: Marbled Wood-Quail, Black-eared Wood-Quail (movement), Spotted Wood-Quail
Three rails: White-throated Crake, Grey-necked Wood-Rail, Rufous-tailed Waterhen
Three antpittas: Moustached Antpitta, Tawny Antpitta, Speckle-breasted Antpitta
Three tapaculos: Marsh Tapaculo, Long-tailed Tapaculo, Mérida Tapaculo
Two nightjars: Common Poorwill, Chuck-will’s-widow
Two cuckoos: Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Two kingfishers: Mountain Kingfisher, Little Paradise-Kingfisher
Two pittas: Seram Pitta, Buru Pitta
Two antbirds: Mouse-coloured Antshrike, Santa Marta Antbird (split-second view)
Two antthushes: Northern Short-tailed Antthrush (subspecies), Striated Antthrush
Two quail-thrushes: Painted Quail-thrush, Blue Jewel-babbler
Two birds-of-paradise: Carola’s Parotia, Growling Riflebird
Eighteen from assorted families: Crested Guan, Crowned Sandgrouse, Eastern Pheasant-Pigeon, Lesser Fish-Eagle, Channel-billed Toucan (subspecies), Purple-naped Lory, Eastern Woodhaunter, Bearded Bellbird, Spotted Catbird, Cinnamon-browed Melidectes (bad flight view at best), Black-headed Whistler, White-bellied Erpornis, Rufous Monarch, Green Magpie, Ashy Robin (head not seen), Northern Scrub-Robin, Pale-chinned Flycatcher, Little Spiderhunter

157 + 13 races that are to use the Dutch Birding expression 'sometimes considered specifically distinct' given below as trinomials.

Usual susppects predominate, tinamous, wood quail, owls etc

Tawny-breasted Tinamou (Nothocercus julius)
Hooded Tinamou (Nothocercus nigrocapillus)
Pale-browed Tinamou (Crypturellus transfasciatus)
Brazilian Tinamou (Crypturellus strigulosus)
Grey-legged Tinamou (Crypturellus duidae)
Red-legged Tinamou (Crypturellus erythropus)
Yellow-legged Tinamou (Crypturellus noctivagus)
Thicket Tinamou (Crypturellus cinnamomeus)
Choco Tinamou (Crypturellus kerriae)
Variegated Tinamou (Crypturellus variegatus)
Dwarf Tinamou (Taoniscus nanus)
Northern Cassowary (Casuarius unappendiculatus)
Great Spotted Kiwi (Apteryx haastii)
Red-billed Brushturkey (Talegalla cuvieri)
Collared Brushturkey (Talegalla jobiensis)
Biak Scrubfowl (Megapodius geelvinkianus)
Little Chachalaca (Ortalis motmot)
Baudo Guan (Penelope ortoni)
Nocturnal Curassow (Nothocrax urumutum)
Red-billed Curassow (Crax blumenbachii)
Marbled Wood Quail (Odontophorus gujanensis)
Spot-winged Wood Quail (Odontophorus capueira)
Rufous-fronted Wood Quail (Odontophorus erythrops)
Black-fronted Wood Quail (Odontophorus atrifrons)
Dark-backed Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanonotus)
Rufous-breasted Wood Quail (Odontophorus speciosus)
Stripe-faced Wood Quail (Odontophorus balliviani)
Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca)
Latham's Francolin (Peliperdix lathami)
Handsome Francolin (Pternistis nobilis)
Rufous-throated Partridge (Arborophila rufogularis)
White-cheeked Partridge (Arborophila atrogularis)
Bar-backed Partridge (Arborophila brunneopectus)
Red-billed Partridge (Arborophila rubrirostris)
Chestnut-necklaced Partridge (Sabah) (Arborophila charltonii graydoni)
Green-legged Partridge (Arborophila chloropus)
Greater Bornean Crested Fireback (Lophura ignita nobilis)
Olive Ibis (Bostrychia olivacea)
Black-legged Seriema (Chunga burmeisteri)
Chestnut-headed Crake (Anurolimnas castaneiceps)
Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis)
Mangrove Rail (Rallus longirostris)
Austral Rail (Rallus antarcticus)
Uniform Crake (Amaurolimnas concolor)
Dark-winged Trumpeter (Psophia viridis)
New Guinea Woodcock (Scolopax rosenbergii)
New Guinea Bronzewing (Henicophaps albifrons)
Key West Quail-dove (Geotrygon chrysia)
Cinnamon Ground Dove (Gallicolumba rufigula)
White-breasted Ground Dove (Gallicolumba jobiensis)
Pheasant Pigeon (Otidiphaps nobilis nobilis)
Pheasant Pigeon (Otidiphaps nobilis cervicalis)
Black-throated Coucal (Centropus leucogaster)
Bornean Ground Cuckoo (Carpococcyx radiceus)
Black-bellied Cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster)
Grey-capped Cuckoo (Coccyzus lansbergi)
Yellow-throated Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx flavigularis)
Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis simus)
Sulawesi Cuckoo (Cuculus crassirostris)
Sulawesi Masked Owl (Tyto rosenbergii)
Ashy-faced Owl (Tyto glaucops)
Flores Scops Owl (Otus alfredi)
Philippine Scops Owl (Otus megalotis)
Mindanao Scops Owl (Otus mirus)
West Peruvian Screech Owl (Megascops roboratus roboratus)
Rufescent Screech Owl (Megascops ingens)
Black-capped Screech Owl (Megascops atricapilla)
Fraser's Eagle-owl (Bubo poensis)
Spot-bellied Eagle-owl (Bubo nipalensis)
Andean Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium jardinii)
Yungas Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium bolivianum)
Red Boobook (Ninox boobook lurida)
New Britain Boobook (Ninox odiosa)
Marbled Frogmouth (Plumed) (Podargus ocellatus plumiferus)
Philippine Frogmouth (Batrachostomus septimus)
Javan Frogmouth (Batrachostomus javensis)
Palawan Frogmouth (Batrachostomus chaseni)
Sunda Frogmouth (Batrachostomus cornutus)
Andean Potoo (Nyctibius maculosus)
Least Poorwill (Siphonorhis brewsteri)
Hispaniolan Nightjar (Antrostomus ekmani)
Silky-tailed Nightjar (Antrostomus sericocaudatus)
Philippine Nightjar (Caprimulgus manillensis)
Javan Trogon (Apalharpactes reinwardtii)
Green-backed Kingfisher (Actenoides monachus)
Shovel-billed Kookaburra (Clytoceyx rex)
Mountain Kingfisher (Syma megarhyncha)
White-bellied Kingfisher (Corythornis leucogaster)
Variable Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx lepidus)
Brown-cheeked Hornbill (Bycanistes cylindricus)
Austen's Brown Hornbill (Anorrhinus austeni)
White-faced Nunbird (Hapaloptila castanea)
Grey-throated Toucanet (Aulacorhynchus griseigularis)
Black-banded Barbet (Megalaima javensis)
Yellow-eared Barbet (Megalaima australis)
Green Barbet (Woodward's) (Stactolaema olivacea woodwardi)
Knysna Woodpecker (Campethera notata)
Streak-breasted Woodpecker (Picus viridanus)
Cryptic Forest Falcon (Micrastur mintoni)
Buckley's Forest Falcon (Micrastur buckleyi)
Pacific Parakeet (Psittacara strenuus)
White-breasted Parakeet (Pyrrhura albipectus)
Saffron-headed Parrot (Pyrilia pyrilia)
Caica Parrot (Pyrilia caica)
Blue-bellied Parrot (Triclaria malachitacea)
Large Fig Parrot (Psittaculirostris desmarestii)
Sapayoa (Sapayoa aenigma)
Blue-naped Pitta (Hydrornis nipalensis)
Rusty-naped Pitta (Hydrornis oatesi)
Blue Pitta (Hydrornis cyaneus)
Red-bellied Pitta (Moluccan) (Erythropitta erythrogaster rufiventris)
Red-bellied Pitta (Papuan) (Erythropitta erythrogaster macklotii)
Red-bellied Pitta (New Ireland) (Erythropitta erythrogaster extima)
Striolated Tit-spinetail (Leptasthenura striolata)
Cinnamon-rumped Foliage-gleaner (Philydor pyrrhodes)
Slender-billed Xenops (Xenops tenuirostris)
Spix's Woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus spixii)
Unicolored Antwren (Myrmotherula unicolor)
Klages's Antbird (Drymophila klagesi)
Riparian Antbird (Cercomacra fuscicauda)
Bare-eyed Antbird (Rhegmatorhina gymnops)
Reddish-winged Bare-eye (Phlegopsis erythroptera)
Barred Antthrush (Chamaeza mollissima)
Plain-backed Antpitta (Grallaria haplonota)
Cundinamarca Antpitta (Grallaria kaestneri)
Yellow-breasted Antpitta (Grallaria flavotincta)
Amazonian Antpitta (Hylopezus berlepschi)
Thrush-like Antpitta (Myrmothera campanisona)
Tepui Antpitta (Myrmothera simplex)
Ochre-fronted Antpitta (Grallaricula ochraceifrons)
Rusty-belted Tapaculo (Liosceles thoracicus)
Yellow-crowned Elaenia (Myiopagis flavivertex)
Double-banded Pygmy Tyrant (Lophotriccus vitiosus)
Pale-bellied Mourner (Rhytipterna immunda)
Red-banded Fruiteater (Pipreola whitelyi)
Guianan Schiffornis (Schiffornis olivacea)
Wattled Honeyeater (Northern) (Foulehaio carunculatus taviunensis)
Obscure Honeyeater (Caligavis obscura)
Obscure Berrypecker (Melanocharis arfakiana)
Chestnut-backed Jewel-babbler (Ptilorrhoa castanonota)
Painted Quail-thrush (Cinclosoma ajax)
Crested Pitohui (Ornorectes cristatus)
Green Shrike-vireo (Vireolanius pulchellus)
Flat-billed Vireo (Vireo nanus)
Velvet Flycatcher (Myiagra hebetior)
Greater Melampitta (Megalampitta gigantea)
Queen Carola's Parotia (Parotia carolae)
Pale-billed Sicklebill (Drepanornis bruijnii)
Pacific Robin (Petroica multicolor taveunensis)
Montane Tiny Greenbul (Phyllastrephus albigula)
Yellow Longbill (Macrosphenus flavicans)
Long-tailed Bush Warbler (Locustella caudata)
Bamboo Warbler (Bradypterus alfredi)
Spinifexbird (Megalurus carteri)
Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler (Sphenocichla humei)
White-bibbed Babbler (Stachyris thoracica)
Black-throated Wren-babbler (Napothera atrigularis)
Rufous-winged Illadopsis (Illadopsis rufescens)
Spot-throated Babbler (Pellorneum albiventre)
Capuchin Babbler (Phyllanthus atripennis)
Spot-breasted Laughingthrush (Garrulax merulinus)
Red-backed Thrush (Geokichla erythronota)
Abyssinian Ground Thrush (Kivu) (Geokichla piaggiae tanganjicae)
Forest Scrub Robin (Cercotrichas leucosticta)
Bornean Forktail (Enicurus borneensis)
Grey Sunbird (Cyanomitra veroxii)
Antillean Siskin (Spinus dominicensis)
Masked Yellowthroat (Geothlypis aequinoctialis) ss
Yellow-whiskered Bush Tanager (Chlorospingus parvirostris)
Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak (Parkerthraustes humeralis)

AlexC said:

So Silverwolf, is this list like golf? You want the lowest number possible?

Click to expand...

Ian Lewis said:

157 + 13 races

Click to expand...

Makes me wonder, who has the longest heard-only list? Is there a blind birder somewhere with hundreds, or even thousands?

Ian Lewis said:

157 + 13 races that are to use the Dutch Birding expression 'sometimes considered specifically distinct' given below as trinomials.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I feel a lot better now.

AlexC said:

So Silverwolf, is this list like golf? You want the lowest number possible?

7 on my list:
Ridgway's Rail
Clapper Rail
Eastern Screech-Owl
Common Poorwill
Buff-collared Nightjar
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Mexican Whip-poor-will

Click to expand...

Don't know about that. Just thought it was an interesting thread to make. Any serious birder is going to have a long list especially from tropical areas. Low lists mean you don't travel much

Mine are all from the tropics/subtropics:

Thicket Tinamou
Nocturnal Curassow
Buckley's Forest-Falcon
Collared Forest-Falcon
Bare-shanked Screech-Owl
Foothill Screech-Owl
Central American Pygmy-Owl
Barred Owlet
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
Crested Quetzal
Thicket Antpitta
Undulated Antpitta
Bare-throated Bellbird
Cloud Cisticola
Lemon-chested Greenlet
Chesnut-sided Shrike-Vireo
Purplish-backed Jay

Eurasian cuckoo
Sedge wren

I added a couple last month: Buff-crested Korhaan and Black-headed Apalis, both heard multiple times frustratingly close.

I just counted that my heard-only list has 57 species. Strangely, only one rail, four owls, but eight chicken. Certainly more, for sometimes I don't count all. All are species I tried to see (or tape) and didn't show up - or showed not well enough to tick.

And many I are endemics which I am unlikely to see again.

I currently have one, Common Quail, but as my hearing is not as good as it was, it probably should be far more.
I saw Sora in Florida, Great Bittern in Denmark in my first year of birding, it flew past the hide I was in and Water Rail I saw last year for the first time.

A bit off thread - I know many birders are happy to be shown their birds by guides, but my birding was transformed by sound players/smartphones and xeno-canto. Now wherever I go for a new bird, I listen to recordings.

I don't often try luring the bird (anyway, it rarely works), but having the call fresh in your ears, and comparing heard calls with recordings on site - like looks with the color plates in the book - is great. A side product is a rather long 'list of shame' of heard-only birds.