AOU Taxonomy Update includes split of Canada Goose (1 Viewer)

Forwarded from the BirdChat email list:

Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 7:27 PM
Subject: Fwd: [BIRDCHAT] AOU Checklist 45th Supplement Summary


> HI ALL:
> This just in!
> MD Osprey / Chatters:
>
> The 45th Supplement to the AOU Checklist is now out. It was published in
> the July 2004 issue of the Auk 121(3):985-995. For those not familiar with
> the AOU Checklist, it governs taxonomy (including splits/lumps, common
> names, scientific names, and order) of North American species. Note that
> the ABA Checklist is what governs the publication of the ABA listers
> totals; the ABA typically issues their own report subsequent to the
release
> of AOU supplements.
>
> Highlights (pertaining only to north of the Mexico border):
>
> 1. The species Great-winged Petrel has been added to the checklist, based
> on west coast pelagic records.
>
> 2. Cackling Goose has been split and is now a separate species from Canada
> Goose:
>
> a. Cackling Goose (Anser hutchinsii) [the small forms] includes the former
> Canada Goose subspecies hutchinsii [Richarson's], asiatica
> [Bering-extinct?], leucopareia [Aleutian], taverneri [part of the Lesser
> complex], and minima.
>
> b. Canada Goose (Anser canadensis) now includes the subspecies canadensis
> [Atlantic], interior [Interior], maxima [Giant], moffitti [Moffit's],
> parvipes [the other part of the Lesser complex], fulva [Vancouver], and
> occidentalis [Dusky].
>
> The Checklist committee telegraphs that more splits of this complex may be
> yet to come. [The separation of the Lesser complex may present a field
> challenge.] For a good treatment of Canada Goose subspecies (prior to the
> release of this supplement), check Angus Wilson's web site at ...
>
> http://www.oceanwanderers.com/CAGO.Subspecies.html
>
>
> 3. The common name Mongolian Plover is now Lesser Sand-plover, to agree
> with modern Old World literature.
>
> 4. Greater Sand-plover is added to the main checklist, based on the
> record from California.
>
> 5. The common name Spoonbill Sandpiper has been changed to Spoon-billed
> Sandpiper.
>
> 6. The common name Jungle Nightjar has been changed to Gray Nightjar to
> agree with modern Old World literature.
>
> 7. Willow Warbler has been moved from the Appendix and added to the main
> checklist, based on the record from Gambell, AK.
>
> 8. Lesser Whitethroat is added to the checklist, based on the record from
> Gambell, AK.
>
> 9. The common name of Siberian Flycatcher has been changed to Dark-sided
> Flycatcher to agree with modern Old World literature.
>
> 10. The common name of Gray-spotted Flycatcher has been changed to
> Gray-streaked Flycatcher to agree with modern Old World literature.
>
> 11. Spotted Flycatcher has been added to the checklist base on the record
> from Gambell, AK.
>
> 12. The western Alaska subspecies of Yellow Wagtail has been split from
the
> Yellow Wagtail complex and now appears on the checklist as the Eastern
> Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla tschutschensis). (This is the only "yellow"
> wagtail on the AOU checklist.)
>
> 13. Rufous-tailed Robin has been added to the appendix (not the main
> checklist) based on a record from Attu.
>
> 14. Blue Rock Thrush has been added to the appendix (not the main
> checklist) based on a record from British Columbia.
>
> 15. There are numerous changes to scientific names.
>
>
> Phil
>
>
> ==================================
> Phil Davis Davidsonville, Maryland USA
> mailto[email protected]
> ==================================
>
> BirdChat Guidelines: http://www.ksu.edu/audubon/chatguidelines.html
> Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdchat.html
> Listowners: mailto:[email protected]
>

Hi Glen,

Thanks for posting the updates - not that it makes any difference to my personal list.

Luke

AOU said:

> 3. The common name Mongolian Plover is now Lesser Sand-plover, to agree
> with modern Old World literature.
>
> 6. The common name Jungle Nightjar has been changed to Gray Nightjar to
> agree with modern Old World literature.
>
> 10. The common name of Gray-spotted Flycatcher has been changed to
> Gray-streaked Flycatcher to agree with modern Old World literature.

Click to expand...

Interesting to see that the AOU are trying to harmonise with Old World literature, but they might at least get it right . . .

Lesser Sand Plover or Lesser Sandplover

Grey Nightjar (though Jungle Nightjar seems fairly standard to me!)

Grey-streaked Flycatcher

Pity they didn't also take the opportunity to get rid of the dreadful grammatic barbarisms perpetrated on a number of birds in recent years - has no-one ever pointed out to them that a hyphen is not followed by a capital letter? (e.g. Golden Plover, not "Golden-Plover")

Michael