Latest IOC Diary Updates (18 Viewers)

[njlarsen]

True, but the WGAC page was last updated in June. And they seem to be going at a good enough pace that this would have been completed, especially as it seems they have moved past that group.

My impression is that the Clements group have been busy with this year's update for most of the period between then and now. Their participation in WGAC therefore has likely been limited.
Niels

 

[Mysticete]

Am I misremembering, but didn't the last Ebird update include some splits of South American warblers that were not based on what SACC had done?

 

[Andy Adcock]

This will have been proposed as part of the movement towards a single list. I suspect that the reason why it has taken longer to be even proposed by the IOC than many of the other splits and lumps that have occurred since the last Cornell/eBird update is that it is harder to justify right now.


Buteo remains a mess and we certainly haven't heard the last about species limits in this genus.

Certainly witrh regard to vulpinus, nobody is sure of the limits or hybrid zones, a real challenge for sure.

 

[Markus Lagerqvist]

Nov 27 Accept split of White-bellied Tanager from Turquoise Tanager.

Nov 27 Accept lump of Red-backed Mannikin with Black-and-White Mannikin.

Nov 27 Accept lump of Abyssinian Waxbill with Fawn-breasted Waxbill.

 

[mb1848]

Nov 27 Accept lump of Abyssinian Waxbill with Fawn-breasted Waxbill. This decision highlights the triumph of non-evolutionary idealistic morphology over phylogeny under the IOC. Which is a shame. The decision to seperate out ochrogaster was by (Sibley & Monroe, 1990) based on phylogeny. IOC says Plumage characteristics that define this taxon, though distinctive, are not significantly different from those of the nominate subspecies than other subspecies within this complex. Maybe dna could help figure out just how distinctive is distinctive enough? Just how much the heterobathmy of characters is needed?

 

[Jacana]

Nov 30 Revise the proposed split of Orange-breasted Fig Parrot into three, not four, species.

Nov 28 Accept split of Black-billed Hanging Parrot from Philippine Hanging Parrot.

 

[Jacana]

Dec 1 Accept lump of Malaita Dwarf Kingfisher with Guadalcanal Dwarf Kingfisher.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Nov 30 Revise the proposed split of Orange-breasted Fig Parrot into three, not four, species.

Nov 28 Accept split of Black-billed Hanging Parrot from Philippine Hanging Parrot.

Not of much use to listers unless the islands open to foreigners?

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Not of much use to listers unless the islands open to foreigners?

The vast majority of the splits over the last few years might as well be on Mars as far as I'm concerned 🥴

 

[Jacana]

Dec 2 Accept lump of Singing Bush Lark with Horsfield's Bush Lark.

Dec 2 Accept split of Sharpe's Lark from Rufous-naped Lark.

 

[opisska]

Does the wording mean that the result will be Horsefield's? Because Singing Bush Lark is a nice name, would be a shame to loose it to yet another Horsefield's bird.

 

[Jacana]

Does the wording mean that the result will be Horsefield's? Because Singing Bush Lark is a nice name, would be a shame to loose it to yet another Horsefield's bird.

Yes, for now. javanica has priority and they usually do the same with common names in instances like this. Both names are a bit rubbish tbh. In an era where we are moving away from patronyms, Horsfield's should be deprecated. While Singing is no help at all- Is there a lark that doesn't sing?

 

[opisska]

That's a good point But I remember in Oman I was not that hot on going to see lark (even though it was a coveted gWP tick), but the name made me interested in how it sings.

Yes in hindsight, it sings... like a lark

 

[James Jobling]

Surely the sole purpose of using Horsfield's Bush Lark is to upset the ornithowokes? I don't remember Horsfield being a slaver, or a mass murderer, or someone who didn't like dogs.

 

[opisska]

What can be done to upset people who call each other ornithowokes though?

 

[njlarsen]

Yes, for now. javanica has priority and they usually do the same with common names in instances like this. Both names are a bit rubbish tbh. In an era where we are moving away from patronyms, Horsfield's should be deprecated. While Singing is no help at all- Is there a lark that doesn't sing?

There has been plenty of cases where this was not the case, for example splits where the common name did not go with the nominate form.
Niels

 

[Jacana]

There has been plenty of cases where this was not the case, for example splits where the common name did not go with the nominate form.
Niels

For lumps though? I also said usually.

 

[Xenospiza]

Surely the sole purpose of using Horsfield's Bush Lark is to upset the ornithowokes? I don't remember Horsfield being a slaver, or a mass murderer, or someone who didn't like dogs.

Please behave.

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

In an era where we are moving away from patronyms, Horsfield's should be deprecated.

Shouldn't it only concern American species bearing patronyms of North American personalities?

 

[Mysticete]

Shouldn't it only concern American species bearing patronyms of North American personalities?

The same reasoning that could be used for the New World species almost certainly could apply to any part of the world with a history of colonialism associated with scientific discovery. Whether or not there is any movement in those other areas is another question.