AOU 51st supplement (1 Viewer)

[Snapdragyn]

Well, it's up on Bioone anyway - if only I had access. D'oh!

Anyone at a university or institute who can see it?

 

[Mysticete]

3 way split of Winter Wren, 3 way split of Elepaio, 4 way split of Caribbean orioles, Mexican Whip-poor-will, White-tailed, and Gartered Trogon, and Black Scoter (as American Scoter?) all accepted splits

Common names for US Winter Wrens are Pacific Wren (yay!) and Winter Wren

Old World Warblers (finally) broken up and moved around, Suliformes, Eurypygiformes, and Phaethoniformes both recognized, as well as the families Pandionidae, Calcariidae, Semniornithidae, Capitonidae, Rhamphastidae, and Viduidae.

Several of the warblers and Sparrows have new genera, and the order of some groups is altered.

 

[mb1848]

Thanks Snapdragyn and Mysticites :
Pacific Wren (Yeah, Yeah Yeah!)
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1525/auk.2010.127.3.726 .
Here is the literature cited part.
It cites David, N., E. C. Dickinson, and S. M. S. Gregory. 2009. Contributions to a list of first reviser actions: Ornithology. Zootaxa 2085:1–24.
But does not cite Pyle & Pyle Birds of the Hawaiian Islands.
http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/birds/rlp-monograph . Boo-hoo.

 

[jmorlan]

Drat! Now we have to add "Winter Wren" to the California Bird Records Committee Review List and we'll be inundated with records. What a f**&*()) disaster!!!

I cannot believe they did this. What a bunch of ...... Sorry I cannot say what I want to say.

 

[Snapdragyn]

Yeah, I had the same thought. Every record of 'Winter Wren' is completely suspect now - dates will have to be checked to see if they were from before or after the switch, & for months (years?) there'll still be the uncertainty of whether the observer was aware of the split or not. Astoundingly bad decision IMHO.

 

[chris butterworth]

Drat! Now we have to add "Winter Wren" to the California Bird Records Committee Review List and we'll be inundated with records. What a f**&*()) disaster!!!

I cannot believe they did this. What a bunch of ...... Sorry I cannot say what I want to say.

Wait until they start messing about with cryptic species :-O :-O :-O
Chris

 

[njlarsen]

Drat! Now we have to add "Winter Wren" to the California Bird Records Committee Review List and we'll be inundated with records. What a f**&*()) disaster!!!

I cannot believe they did this. What a bunch of ...... Sorry I cannot say what I want to say.

Make the entry in the list look like this: Winter Wren (eastern)

Might help a little

Niels

 

[njlarsen]

Do we know if the proposals not mentioned have all failed or if some of them are still under consideration?

Niels

 

[Richard Klim]

Melanitta americana

Despite the scientific name, not sure that 'American Scoter' is really the best name for one of three American scoters (Surf Scoter being the only truly American species), that breeds extensively in Siberia...

Richard

 

[Kirk Roth]

Yeah, I had the same thought. Every record of 'Winter Wren' is completely suspect now - dates will have to be checked to see if they were from before or after the switch, & for months (years?) there'll still be the uncertainty of whether the observer was aware of the split or not.

I would expect that the California records committee would want to give careful scrutiny to any reported hiemalis, regardless of the common name. They are, after all, very similar taxa. Surely you don't mean that the committee wouldn't check dates and details if it were named "Eastern Wren!" Also, its puzzling to think that someone unfamiliar with the split would report either the eastern Winter Wren or the Pacific as a rarity.

Drat! Now we have to add "Winter Wren" to the California Bird Records Committee Review List and we'll be inundated with records. What a f**&*()) disaster!!!

Then you're lucky indeed that Palmer's Thrasher wasn't split from the Curve-billed, or there would be TWO utter catastrophes!

 

[njlarsen]

Kirk,
I think that what Joseph Morlan is after is that when "Dude Birder" in the coming years see a winter wren (sensu lato) in California, he will report it as Winter Wren (sensu stricto) because he is not aware of the correct reporting now being Pacific Wren (he thinks that PW is a rare visitor he has never heard about).

That was why I proposed above (and also have proposed the same to Ebird) that for a few years, lists that does not have to be published in the AUK use "Winter Wren (eastern)" in the list (above or below "Pacific Wren"), fully well knowing that it is not the official name of the bird.

Niels

 

[Kirk Roth]

Kirk,

That was why I proposed above (and also have proposed the same to Ebird) that for a few years, lists that does not have to be published in the AUK use "Winter Wren (eastern)" in the list (above or below "Pacific Wren"), fully well knowing that it is not the official name of the bird.

Niels

Yours is certainly a good idea, Niels. Even better would be if folks had listed that way before the split even occurred - it would have made for better data anyway. The other end of the solution is that west coast birders and ornithologists need to do their part to ensure that "laymen" understand the name change.

I understand the problem of the "Dude Birder." However, I feel that the name change is less of a problem for the records committee, as the "Dude" probably won't be submitting his sighting of a Pacific Wren to the rare birds committee, regardless of the common name.

Here in the midwest, the biggest problem when Canada/Cackling Geese were split was not name confusion but rather birders overeager to call something a Cackling, when it really wasn't. I would expect a similar issues with the wren in the west coast.

 

[Richard Klim]

Failed proposals

Do we know if the proposals not mentioned have all failed or if some of them are still under consideration?
Niels

As far as I can see, the only proposals from 2009-B/C/D/E that failed were:

• 2009-B-3: Recognize the parulid genus Leiothlypis [included within Oreothlypis]
• 2009-D-11: Elevate Toxostoma curvirostre palmeri to species status

http://www.aou.org/committees/nacc/proposals/pending.php​

Richard

 

[wimvdam]

Is it not possible that the still pending proposal 2009-E-1 will change things for the better?
http://www.aou.org/committees/nacc/proposals/pending.php

I agree that these new Winter Wren names are far from ideal for amateur birders like myself in the west of the US.

- Wim

 

[Richard Klim]

Proposal 2009-E-1

Is it not possible that the still pending proposal 2009-E-1 will change things for the better?

All proposals in 2009-B/C/D/E are still shown as pending - the AOU website clearly hasn't been updated yet.

Hiemalis has been elevated as per proposal 2009-E-1, and the adopted names were one of the options in supplementary proposal 2009-E-1 supp.

But if there's enough adverse reaction...

Richard

 

[Richard Klim]

ABA Peeps Online

A (partial) summary:
http://birding.typepad.com/peeps/2010/07/latest-news-from-the-aou.html

Richard

 

[wimvdam]

All proposals in 2009-B/C/D/E are still shown as pending - the website clearly hasn't been updated yet.

Ah, yes, thanks for clarifying that.

- Wim

 

[Kirk Roth]

I'm guessing that IOC will be following suit with the sparrow and warbler names.

It will be interesting to see whether they follow with the wren common names and American Scoter, or if they retain the differences.

 

[jmorlan]

I'd like clarification on a couple of things.

1. Exactly where does Polioptilidae go? I'm guessing it's inserted directly after the Kinglets and before the Leaf Warblers.

2. Exactly where does Calcariidae go? I'm guessing it follows Emberiza sp. which is moved up to follow Junco sp. and right before Cardinals and Allies.

Do I have that right?

As far as the Winter Wren is concerned, I'm sorry if I over-reacted, but the AOU asked for opinions on the English name before publishing the change. I provided input pointing out the basic basic principal that you don't use the same name for two different entities. I was ignored and the consequences of that are yet to be seen.

I can assure you, that the California Bird Records Committee still routinely receives reports of "Arctic Loon" from people using old field guides who have no idea what they are actually reporting.

There's an old saying to the effect that "Wisdom begins with putting the right name to a thing." It shouldn't be that hard.

 

[Microtus]

Drat! Now we have to add "Winter Wren" to the California Bird Records Committee Review List and we'll be inundated with records. What a f**&*()) disaster!!!

I cannot believe they did this. What a bunch of ...... Sorry I cannot say what I want to say.

I completely agree with you, Joe.

Rob