Effect of BOU Decisions on List?

[Andrew]

I have almost completed my reaorganisation of my list into Voous order. I was reading the webspage with the recent decisions made by the BOU. I wonder what the effect was on the list as some of the splits have yet to show up on the list such as the Flycatchers (Red-breasted and Taiga), I do not see Taiga on the list thus don't know whether to put it before Red-breasted or after. I am thinking it is not on the list as the two seen this year are not yet accepted.

It also mentions a lot of fancy words such as the Swans being conspecific, I can not find that word in the dictionary so do not know what that means to the list.

The page I refer to is this one http://www.bou.org.uk/recnews.html

[Bluetail]

From the Shorter Oxdic:

Conspecific, a & n. (An organism or idividual) of the same species.

Jason

[Andrew]

That doesn't mean the Swans have been lumped together as the same species, does it?

[Andrew]

How often to they update the lists on the website to show it in it's entirety?

[Bluetail]

That doesn't mean the Swans have been lumped together as the same species, does it?I think all the BOU are saying is that they will continue to regard Bewick's Swan as a race of Whistling Swan. This has been the position for as long as I have been birding. For many years a lot of birders have been wondering whether they merit a split because typical Whistling Swan has virtually no yellow in the beak and therefore appears to be easily identifiable. The trouble is that the yellow in Bewick's Swans' beaks is variable (every bird has a unique pattern) and apparently a very few Bewick's have as little yellow as Whistlers.

Jason

[Michael Frankis]

That doesn't mean the Swans have been lumped together as the same species, does it?
Hi Andrew,

It means that Bewick's Swan (Europe & Asia) and Whistling Swan (N America) stay as the same species, under the combined name Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus. That decision maintains the status quo - there had been a lot of pressure to get them split again, but looks like the BOU don't want to. Whooper and Mute Swans stay as separate species and are not affected.

Michael

[Bluetail]

How often to they update the lists on the website to show it in it's entirety?Not often!

[Michael Frankis]

For many years a lot of birders have been wondering whether they merit a split because typical Whistling Swan has virtually no yellow in the beak and therefore appears to be easily identifiable. The trouble is that the yellow in Bewick's Swans' beaks is variable (every bird has a unique pattern) and apparently a very few Bewick's have as little yellow as Whistlers.
Hi Jason,

I think what would be more interesting is if they did a full swan DNA analysis, including Whooper and Trumpeter Swans as well. I wouldn't be surprised if it showed that the relationships were by bill colour & continent of origin (two black-billed swans in America; two yellow-and-black-billed swans in Eurasia), rather than as traditionally thought, by size/habitat/latitude (two small northern tundra breeders, two big southerly forest lake breeders)

Michael

[Bluetail]

Hi Michael

Yes, I think that could be revealing, though given the variability of Bewick's's's's's [how should I spell that?] bills, I think a very large sample would be required.

Jason

[Michael Frankis]

Bewick's's's's's [how should I spell that?]
Hi Jason,

You could always try Bewix, that's what it goes down as in my notebook ;)

Michael

PS know anything about a well-known private medical care firm sponsoring research into hybrids between Bewick's and Whooper Swans??

[Andrew]

Thanks for that.

Now, when they say something like Tundra Bean Goose and Taiga Bean Goose has been split how do you decide which order the birds are listed in the Voous order? I am not concerned with these speciies specifically but any bird they announce to be split.

[david kelly]

Andrew.

The BOU don't use the Voous order anymore. They now have ducks and gamebirds at the start of the order rather than Divers and Grebes.

David

[Charles Harper]

They don't need a large sample for DNA tests, do they?

Andrew, nominate species comes first, I think, and then they out them next to their closest presumed affinity?