Latest IOC Diary Updates (17 Viewers)

[Markus Lagerqvist]

Oct 29 Post proposal to restore Amber Mountain Rock Thrush Monticola erythronotus as a full species.

 

[Jacana]

An interesting divergence from the eBird updates is that their lumps have yet to be proposed (e.g. Cape Verde Buzzard). Maybe they're still to be assessed?

 

[Muppit17]

Oct 28 Post proposed split of Izu Robin from Japanese Robin.

Oct 28 Accept split (PS 9.1, PS 13.1) of Ethiopian Thrush from Groundscraper Thrush.

Oct 28 Accept split (PS 9.2) of White-browed Shortwing complex into Philippine, Bornean, Sumatran, Javan and Flores Shortwings.

(Accepting of splits has started.)

We now have Ethiopian Thrush, Abyssinian Thrush & Abyssinian Ground Thrush. Potential for confusion perhaps😁

 

[DDonsker]

An interesting divergence from the eBird updates is that their lumps have yet to be proposed (e.g. Cape Verde Buzzard). Maybe they're still to be assessed?

More lumps and splits are coming, but we're currently suffering from an "internal service error" on our server. So, there is a backload of material still to be entered. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon. Thanks for your patience.

 

[DDonsker]

More lumps and splits are coming, but we're currently suffering from an "internal service error" on our server. So, there is a backload of material still to be entered. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon. Thanks for your patience.

Internal "server" error. Too early in the morning!

 

[njlarsen]

While you wait for that, here is a hypothetical question: imagine that the WGAC has agreed on a change but your internal process rejects it. What happens then?
Niels

 

[DDonsker]

While you wait for that, here is a hypothetical question: imagine that the WGAC has agreed on a change but your internal process rejects it. What happens then?
Niels

We are firmly committed to the unification process, but we may simply delay enactment of any such decisions for the time being.

David

 

[Jacana]

Nov 1 Post proposed lump of Sunda Bush Warbler with Aberrant Bush Warbler.

Nov 1 Post proposed lump of Black-fronted Spurfowl with Chestnut-naped Spurfowl.

Nov 1 Post proposed split of Olive-naped Weaver from Black-necked Weaver.

 

[Markus Lagerqvist]

Nov 1 Post proposed lump of Landana Firefinch with African Firefinch.

 

[Mysticete]

Nov 1 Reassign Congo Bay Owl from Phodilus to Tyto. Change English name to Itombwe Owl.

 

[Markus Lagerqvist]

Nov 1 Accept split of Chestnut-and-black Weaver from Vieillot's Black Weaver.

Nov 1 Accept split of Brown-crowned Scimitar Babbler from Black-crowned (Coral-billed) Scimitar Babbler.

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

Change English name to Itombwe Owl.

Not Barn Owl ?

 

[Jacana]

Not Barn Owl ?

Plenty of Tyto owls without "barn" in the name e.g. the various Sooty, Masked and Grass Owls. Plus there's the Ashy-faced Owl which has nothing.

I also doubt that any Itombwe Owl has ever come within sight of a barn

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

Plenty of Tyto owls without "barn" in the name e.g. the various Sooty, Masked and Grass Owls. Plus there's the Ashy-faced Owl which has nothing.

I also doubt that any Itombwe Owl has ever come within sight of a barn

I always wondered if there were other popular English names that would be synonymous with "owl" without being a derivative of "owl"

 

[James Jobling]

“OWL ... the general English name for every nocturnal Bird-of-Prey ... The poverty of the English language—generally so rich in synonyms—is here very remarkable. Though four well-known if not common species of Owls are native to Britain, to say nothing of half a dozen others which occur with greater or less frequency, none of them has ever acquired an absolutely individual name, and various prefixes have to be used to distinguish them. It is almost the same in other countries where English is spoken ... In Greece and Italy, Germany and France, almost each indigenous species has had its own particular designation in the vulgar tongue.” (A. Newton, 1896, A Dictionary of Birds, p. 671).

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

“OWL ... the general English name for every nocturnal Bird-of-Prey ... The poverty of the English language—generally so rich in synonyms—is here very remarkable. Though four well-known if not common species of Owls are native to Britain, to say nothing of half a dozen others which occur with greater or less frequency, none of them has ever acquired an absolutely individual name, and various prefixes have to be used to distinguish them. It is almost the same in other countries where English is spoken ... In Greece and Italy, Germany and France, almost each indigenous species has had its own particular designation in the vulgar tongue.” (A. Newton, 1896, A Dictionary of Birds, p. 671).

It's a pity not to exploit the English linguistic richness. Wanting to be too pragmatic in the use of names, you reduce your vocabulary and this forces you to create a kind of ornithological Newspeak in which there are a lot of names with convoluted constructions

 

[Jacana]

A lack of diversity that has probably been inherited from Norse. For instance all the Swedish owls are "somethinguggla", apart from Eagle-Owl, which is Berguv.

 

[opisska]

Well it has benefits, you immediately know which bird is an owl and don't look for it at night In Czech, owls have various names, some of them quite weird.

 

[david kelly]

“OWL ... the general English name for every nocturnal Bird-of-Prey ... The poverty of the English language—generally so rich in synonyms—is here very remarkable. Though four well-known if not common species of Owls are native to Britain, to say nothing of half a dozen others which occur with greater or less frequency, none of them has ever acquired an absolutely individual name, and various prefixes have to be used to distinguish them. It is almost the same in other countries where English is spoken ... In Greece and Italy, Germany and France, almost each indigenous species has had its own particular designation in the vulgar tongue.” (A. Newton, 1896, A Dictionary of Birds, p. 671).

Houlet is the Scots word for “owl”.

David

 

[gusasp]

Nov 1 Accept split of Rusty-breasted Wheatear Oenanthe frenata from Buff-breasted (Red-breasted) Wheatear Oenanthe bottae.

Nov 1 Accept split of Izu Robin from Japanese Robin.

Nov 1 Accept split of Comoros Blue Vanga from Madagascar Blue Vanga.

Nov 1 Accept split of split of African Woolly-necked Stork from Asian Woolly-necked Stork.