perhaps even the desire in Britain to have an least one endemic species...
Why not indeed? The cold war's over - there shouldn't be any objections to a left-leaning species in these more enlightened times.Start a 'Liberate the Red Grouse' campaign to replace it?
Why not indeed? The cold war's over - there shouldn't be any objections to a left-leaning species in these more enlightened times.
It would certainly provide a more safely tickable substitute!
I've always felt that recognition of Loxia scotica Scottish Crossbill was something of an anomaly (driven partly by conservation interests, and perhaps even the desire in Britain to have an least one endemic species!). It will be interesting to see if there is any reaction from BOURC.
But although BirdLife has now lumped it with L curvirostra Common/Red Crossbill, perhaps there is an alternative case for its treatment as a race of L pytyopsittacus Parrot Crossbill (eg, as per UK400 Club)?
Well, they will need to be quick. Regrettably our authorities seem to have little interest in the rapidly deteriorating prospects of the many globally endangered or threatened species in the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs). :CSo, British flag-waving patriotic birders must satisfy themselves with ticking any of the numerous wonderful endemics found in British overseas territories.
Cannot agree more! Especially now that we know that there is no genetic difference at all between these three crossbills; that Parrot, Scottish and Common crossbills became practically unrecognizable when they breed together in Scotland, and that crossbills trapped in England with measurements fitting Scottish Crossbills are left unidentified.
Unfortunately, genetics says there is no difference. So, no reason to claim that Scottish and Parrot Crossbills are more related to each other than to other crossbills.
Parrot Crossbill is itself on a trajectory to be lumped as a characteristic ecological race of Common Crossbill. Not a common thing, but not unusual either. It would be interesting to hear if Scandinavians did some studies on it vs local Common Crossbills.
So, British flag-waving patriotic birders must satisfy themselves with ticking any of the numerous wonderful endemics found in British overseas territories. Falkland Steamer-Duck ROXXS!!!
Unfortunately, genetics says there is no difference. So, no reason to claim that Scottish and Parrot Crossbills are more related to each other than to other crossbills.
Yes, as reflected in AOU's current position (Check-list 7th Edition)...I guess it's either one "Red Crossbill" or many..., but not "Common + Parrot + Scottish".
They form when particular conifer seeds occur, and later crossbreed and lump again.
I meant that lack of known genetic differences speaks for the gene flow.
If the AOU checklist recoginzes 9 species of Red Crossbill in America why are Birdlife quoting that they are following this example ? Am I missing something ?
The current AOU Check-list acknowledges that there are probably many species involved within Red/Common Crossbill, but only formally recognises L curvirostra for now, pending further research:If the AOU checklist recoginzes 9 species of Red Crossbill in America why are Birdlife quoting that they are following this example ? Am I missing something ?
http://www.aou.org/checklist/north/pdf/AOUchecklistSturn-Estril.pdf (p663)Apparently at least nine species, differing in morphology and vocalizations, exist in North America, with some breeding sympatrically and mating assortatively (Groth 1988, 1993a, 1993b); however, morphological overlap among some species currently prevents assignment with certainty of some existing type specimens to the groups defined by call types (Groth 1993a). Additional species-level taxa almost certainly exist among the populations outside North America currently assigned to Loxia curvirostra (Groth 1993a).
Actually, BirdLife's own species account for Loxia scotica implied that the latter treatment may be more appropriate:...although BirdLife has now lumped it with L curvirostra Common/Red Crossbill, perhaps there is an alternative case for its treatment as a race of L pytyopsittacus Parrot Crossbill...