The Alabama Bird Records Committee (ABRC) was created to validate
documentation of unusual birds in Alabama using a method that allows the
records to be more universally accepted and scientifically valuable. Acommittee
of seven experienced Alabama Ornithological Society (AOS) members
reviews reports of species that generally have fewer than 20 accepted records
for the state. Records for species on the ABRC review list, which currently
includes approximately 90 species, are voted on by all committee members. If
the first vote is indecisive, the committee members vote a second time. Vote
totals with no more than one “not accepted” vote result in the record being
accepted. Totals with four or more “not accepted” votes result in the record not
being accepted. Records without decisions following two votes are reviewed
and voted upon a final time at the annual meeting of the ABRC.