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Palearctic desert birds (1 Viewer)

Although an interesting article and a summary of the current situation, there are only two species pairs, Dunn's and Arabian Larks and Saharan Scrub Warbler and Levant Scrub Warblers which aren't split by IOC and the latter pair is a pending split.

It would have been better if a few more groups had been evaluated, eg Mourning Wheatear, Grey Shrike complexes are only mentioned briefly.
 
dunn's lark is split by birdlife international also,
cheers,
James

and Shirihi and Svensson's West Palearctic handbook, as are the scrub warblers and most of the Mourning Wheatear complex.

It just that it would have been nice to see an evaluation in the paper.

I'm looking forwards to reading Arnoud's book, like all Sound Approach books it should be a quality publication.

Ian
 
and Shirihi and Svensson's West Palearctic handbook, as are the scrub warblers and most of the Mourning Wheatear complex.

It just that it would have been nice to see an evaluation in the paper.

I'm looking forwards to reading Arnoud's book, like all Sound Approach books it should be a quality publication.

Ian

I agree, the paper seems to be simply drawing a line in the sand based upon current understanding (which is different in each list) so no sure what it is trying to add. The short section on the future questions was really the bit that could have been built on.

I hope you have Arnoud's book, mine arrived about a week ago. As you say it is a quality publication however there are some interesting omissions. I guess the omission of the Maghreb Tawny Owl is forgivable as this was written up in the Owls book. Again potential splits in the form of outlying relic populations of Marsh Owl (again an owl), Plain (Brown-throated) Martin, and Black-crowned Tchagra is limited to the latter species alone . I addition I am surprised that the BCT comparison is with the Omani Arabian form, rather than a wider comparison with the West African form or even one from the rift.(Morocco is interesting as most flora and fauna shows distinct multiple layers of colonisation from West Africa, Horn of Africa, and from Europe) and it is not always obvious which species came from where.
The same approach is considered for Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark.
For me the biggest miss is the lack of anything on Great Grey Shrike - with two distinct subspecies common in Morocco, and with obvious comparators in the Canaries and Iberia, it would have been interesting to see the SA thoughts.
 
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