Subspecies or separate species? (1 Viewer)

Hi all, just got back from Tenerife a few days ago, to post my final report I need to know if the following are sub species of a separate species!

O.K, here goes!

Tenerife Blue tit
Canary Island Chffichaff
Canary island Goldcrest!

Please help!

I'll let someone who actually knows the answer give you a definitive answer...

but since I am here... I believe the Chiffer is definately split.... the Tit isn't and the Crest might be!

According to my hardcopy copy of S & M, the tit is still Parus caeruleus teneriffae and the goldcrest Regulus teneriffae. Can't even find the appropriate chiffchaff in my present state...

Hi Jake,

On the Clements list, the Canary Islands Chiffchaff is a separate species, Phylloscopus canariensis, the Canary Islands Kinglet is also a separate species, Regulus teneriffae, but the Tenerife Blue Tit is a subspecies.

Peter

According to Collins bird guide, Guia de las aves de las Islas Canarias & Me: Parus caeruleus teneriffae, Phylloscopus collybita canariensis & Regulus regulus teneriffae. But freedom of choice is these days on Your hands.

I now checked the latest Sibley-Monroe version (Sept.2003) and they have them as three full species:

Canary Islands Chiffchaff Phylloscopus canariensis
Canary Islands Kinglet Regulus teneriffae
African Blue Tit Cyanistes teneriffae

So it depends on which list you want to adhere too!

Peter

Jake - spoken like a true lister

out of interest what would happen if they turned up here ? Would the BOURC count them as separate? What about Italian Sparrow?

Fulmar said:

Canary Islands Kinglet Regulus teneriffae

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Or Canarycrest, if you prefer it in English rather than American!

Michael

Howard & Moore has it:

Parus caeruleus teneriffae
Regulus regulus teneriffae
Phylloscopus canariensis

as far as presumed taxon italiae of Passer, some have suggested that the term might be used in zones of sympatry to indicate stable hybrids of domesticus and hispaniolensis, however, there are others that propose this as a valid species. Apparently, premature to draw an incontrovertible conclusion on this one as yet.

pduxon said:

out of interest what would happen if they turned up here ? Would the BOURC count them as separate? What about Italian Sparrow?

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Hi Pete. The BOURC recognise Canary Islands Chiffchaff as a separate species (http://www.bou.org.uk/recnews98.html), although it doesn't affect the British List since it hasn't occurred here. I don't think they've had occasion to think about the others. Italian Sparrow isn't yet regarded as a full species, but I think I've read that opinion differs as to whether it's a race of House Sparrow or Spanish Sparrow. I'm sure Michael or someone will clarify!

Posted about Italian Sparrow yesterday - not sure where the thread is now, it was the one with a Redpoll to ID. But it should turn up easy with 'Italian' in the search

Michael

Michael Frankis said:

Posted about Italian Sparrow yesterday - not sure where the thread is now, it was the one with a Redpoll to ID. But it should turn up easy with 'Italian' in the search

Michael

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Michael,

Here it is: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=17167

We at Editorial Rueda are now putting the finishing touches to "The Breeding Birds of the Canary Islands", the English version of Aves Nidificantes de Canarias by Tony Sanchez. In the English version we have updated as far as possible all the taxonomic changes. As the text stands, the information we have for the three species is as follows:

The Canary Island Chiffchaff is now recognised as a separate species under the name Phylloscopus canariensis for the following reasons:

Variation from the Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita collybita):
- Smaller in size.
- Shorter wings.
- Wings rounder (second primary very short and shorter than the eighth. Fourth and fifth primaries the longest while the third and sixth are almost the same length).

The Canary Island Goldcrest (Regulus regulus teneriffae) is still considered a subspecies of the goldcrest with the following variations:

Variation from the type subspecies (R. r. regulus):
- Longer beak.
- Slightly small in size.
- Wider black crown fringe (no black on the front of the crown on R. r. regulus ).
- Shorter wings.
- Less white on the tips of the tertiaries.
- Warmer hues on the undersides (more intense pinkish-ochre).

SSome authors have suggested that the Canarian goldcrest is in fact closer to the firecrest Regulus ignicapillus and others confer it full specific status as Regulus teneriffae. Recent genetic and bioacousitic studies have confirmed that it is a goldcrest but probably not distinct enough to be considered a species in its own right...watch this space

The taxonomy of the four Canarian blue tits is still somewhat confused. While the four separate subspecies are widely accepted, it has been suggested that the Canarian population as a whole be considered a separate species due to bioacoustic, behavioural and anatomical differences. Some have even ventured that the Canarian birds are closer to the coal tit Parus ater than to the blue tit. Furthermore, the blue tit species Parus caeruleus has recently been divided into two, with the African and Canarian populations renamed as the African blue tit Parus teneriffae or Cyanistes teneriffae.

General varitions from the type subspecies (P. t. caeruleus):
- Longer and finer beak.
- Blackish-blue crown (much paler and more vivid on P. c. caeruleus).

Hope this helps!

I was following Sibley-Monroeim my trip reports, seeing them as different species from the european continental ones;
personally especially the tit struck me as remarkably different.

Alex, what about the Robin ? I was informed this is also seen as a different species from the continental one. Do you have more Info about that?

Thanks,

Jörn

The information I have on the robin is that there are two subspecies present on the Canaries. The type subspecies E. r. rubecula on La Palma, El Hierro and La Gomera (also Madeira). This was once classified as E. r. microrhynchus due to its paler upper parts and breast but in fact is pretty indistinguishable from the type.

On Gran Canaria and Tenerife the robins have intense red breasts and may be sufficiently distinct to be considered a separate species called the superb redbreast Erithacus superbus. At present the consenus here is that it is a subspecies called E. r. superbus.

Robins are regular winter migrants often sighted on the eastern islands. Migrants of the type species have also been recorded from Gran Canaria. The rufous bush robin Cercotrichas galactotes is a very occasional migrant.

A correction: the Madeira robins are still considered to be E. r. microrhynchus but the birds of the three western Canary Islands are the type.

spanishalex said:

A correction: the Madeira robins are still considered to be E. r. microrhynchus but the birds of the three western Canary Islands are the type.

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I am replying to this very old topic (from 2004).

At present I am unable to find any reference to E. r. microrhynchus - is it still accepted by any authority?

Attached is an image of a postage stamp from the 1980's.