All serve on a volunteer basis. Review Species are the rarest of the rare in the state. Believable, probably correct reports are not always adequately documented and honest mistakes can be given brilliant written treatment. See Birding, Vol. The goal is to make the best judgment from the available data.
Physical evidence is always the best.
Because no birder has direct access to the Absolute Indisputable Bird Truth, it is important not to be overly sensitive to the ABC's decision about one's reports. A new edition of the Field Checklist of the Birds of Arizona is expected from the ABC in 2001. It will incorporate updated taxonomy and all of the new species accepted since the last list of 1994. First state records generate great interest among students of bird distribution and listers. The distributional information in the Checklist is also an invaluable tool for curious birders.