Recording Scheme

The Recording Scheme started in 1940. Miscellaneous field records sent in by members, but not suitable for publication as Short Notes in Notornis were summarised and published once a year as Classified Summarised Notes (CSN). This scheme was stopped in the 1960s, but was reactivated in the 1970s.

Today, Regional Recorders prepare a summary of observations from each region, and these are sent to the New Zealand Bird Report Editor for publication in the yearly "New Zealand Bird Report". We also recommend that all significant sightings and checklists from any birding trip be entered into eBird. From these Regional Recorders can choose those to be entered into the New Zealand Bird Report.

Regional Recorders use a set of guidelines to select observations that are suitable for national publication. There is however a wealth of local information that is worth extracting from notebooks and storing in regional archives. Information to be sent to regional recorders includes unpublished locality lists, unusual distribution records, bird counts especially of waders and nesting seabirds, observations on foods eaten by birds, dates when first and last songs of passerines are heard each year, movements and migrations of seabirds, waders and cuckoos, behaviour of birds including flocking and roosting patterns, causes of mortality and locations of any seabird colonies. However, all information on nests, moult and beached birds should be placed on the appropriate cards and sent to Scheme Organisers or RR's.

Some regions provide recording books at monthly meetings where members can record their observations. Otherwise members should extract information from notebooks and send it directly to their regional recorders. The reporting year runs from 1 January to 31 December. Before or soon after 31 December members should make sure that all observations that they wish to submit have been sent to regional recorders, no later than 31 March each year.

It is important to extract as much useful information as possible from field notebooks, diaries and files. These may be lost, mislaid or destroyed. The Recording Scheme also provides a repository for notebooks if members leave the Society or become inactive at some stage of their life. If members so choose, they should inform family members or place instructions in their will that they wish their notebooks to be made available to the Society after they pass away.

To find out more information contact your Regional Recorder or Regional Representative.