Latest IOC Diary Updates (84 Viewers)

[l_raty]

Based on what finding is the decisoon for Otus podarginus Owls – IOC World Bird List versus Pyrroglaux podargina Pyrroglaux podargina (Palau Owl) - Avibase ?

Salter et al 2019 Extensive paraphyly in the typical owl family (Strigidae)

Edit -

Taxonomic Updates – IOC World Bird List

"Formerly in Pyrroglaux, but that genus is embedded in Otus (Salter et al. 2019). Note gender agreement."

 

[Mysticete]

Sorry, not really.

Generally, we do release a draft copy of the spreadsheet for the new version with changes highlighted in red font about a week before the release of the final version in spreadsheet format. That allows a bit of time for comments. But we fully expect that any version of the IOC WBL is simply part of a dynamic process. We welcome comments and suggested corrections for inclusion in the next version at any time.

For anyone interested, the methodology that we follow for sequencing genera, species and subspecies in the IOC WBL can be found under the "Classification→Species" tab of the website. Not mentioned in that statement is a recent decision to disrupt the sequencing, where necessary, to cluster taxa into "subspecies groups" to align with Clements. That will be a long process.

Also, it's best to keep in mind that until the final copy of the upcoming version is actually released, any "update" that we post on our website is subject to alteration if corrections are required or are desirable.

IOC including subspecies groups would be fantastic. I think they would greatly reduce confusion over future splits, plus they are just overall useful when figuring out targets on trips and what things to keep track of

 

[wolfbirder]

Sorry to ask, but just to recap, what is actually a happening with Redpolls and Crossbills?

People say they are 'in the process' of being lumped. Are they? Are IOC actively looking at this?

Same with Yelkouan Shearwater. Is it due to be lumped?

 

[DDonsker]

Sorry to ask, but just to recap, what is actually a happening with Redpolls and Crossbills?

People say they are 'in the process' of being lumped. Are they? Are IOC actively looking at this?

Same with Yelkouan Shearwater. Is it due to be lumped?

The shearwater lump is in discussion. No action at all on the others at this time.

 

[Mysticete]

Sorry to ask, but just to recap, what is actually a happening with Redpolls and Crossbills?

People say they are 'in the process' of being lumped. Are they? Are IOC actively looking at this?

Same with Yelkouan Shearwater. Is it due to be lumped?

I am not on ioc, but when people say they are in the process, they are alluding to research pointing that way. In the case of the redpoll, evidence is strongly suggesting a lump, but no one has pulled the trigger. I would guess no one will until WGAC has released the initial draft of their checklist

 

[wolfbirder]

Thank you very much both. I know it has been discussed at length, but I struggle to understand what stage things are actually at.

 

[l_raty]

In the case of the redpoll, evidence is strongly suggesting a lump, but no one has pulled the trigger. I would guess no one will until WGAC has released the initial draft of their checklist

As I have written elsewhere before, BirdLife pulled this trigger many years ago. The "Taxonomic notes" file associated to the last version of the checklist (were the species is called "Redpoll", without any modifier), says -

Acanthis flammea (del Hoyo and Collar 2016) was previously placed in the genus Carduelis following Ottvall et al. (2002). Original note from Illustrated Checklists: Increasing trend in recent years to treat this species as three, “Lesser Redpoll A. cabaret”, “Common Redpoll A. flammea” and “Arctic Redpoll A. hornemanni”, has been shown to represent arbitrary divisions of a continuum of morphological characters, as reflected in the genetic uniformity of all populations throughout its range (Marthinsen, Wennerberg & Lifjeld 2008, Mason & Taylor 2015, Ottvall et al. 2002). However, for information these divisions are retained here as subspecies groups. Proposed subspecies holboellii (described from C Germany) considered a longer- and slender-billed variant of nominate with slightly longer wing and tail, and slightly deeper pink in adult male; may predominate at N edge of Asian breeding range from Yamal Peninsula E to NE Siberia and in winter in Russian Altai, but intergrades with nominate occur in W Europe. Affinities of Icelandic population, which includes dark and pale birds, unclear: dark birds, like rostrata in size and plumage (but with marginally shorter bill and wing and paler rump), proposed as subspecies islandica, but differences slight; pale birds, like hornemanni in bill size and plumage (but usually separable by buffish, not white, wingbars and edges of remiges, and heavier streaks below) and in wing and tail measurements to subspecies rostrata, may have originated in Iceland, but now apparently rare and widely replaced by invading rostrata, although intermediates occur; available DNA evidence does not support recognition of islandica (Amouret et al. 2015). Birds from Argyll, in SW Scotland, described as subspecies disruptis on basis of more tawny-brown upperparts with purer black streaks, but differences reflect individual variation. Has hybridized with Linaria cannabina. Five subspecies recognized.

If the WGAC are to address all the conflicts between the main checklists before they release their draft, they will have to address this one.

 

[Jim LeNomenclatoriste]

Antilophia bokermanni, Antilophia galeata

Araripe Manakin, Helmeted Manakin

Chiroxiphia bokermanni, Chiroxiphia galeata

PHY, TAX

Phylogenetic analyses reveal that despite morphological differences, Antilophia is embedded in Chiroxiphia. Move Araripe Manakin and Helmeted Manakin from Antilophia to Chiroxiphia with the merger of the genera (Silva et al. 2018; Harvey et al. 2020; Leite et al. 2021; SACC 975).

Farewell

 

[pbjosh]

A mild shame those two amazing birds are not in their own genus but it certainly makes sense that they are part of Chiroxiphia.

And they are still amazing.

 

[Markus Lagerqvist]

Nov 30 Split Short-tailed Babbler into three species: Mourning Babbler, Glissando Babbler and Leaflitter Babbler.

Nov 30 Split White-chested Babber into two species: Malayan and Bornean Swamp Babblers.

 

[Swindon Addick]

Split Glissando Babbler Pellorneum saturatum and Leaflitter Babbler Pellorneum poliogene from Short-tailed Babbler (now Mourning Babbler) Pellorneum malaccense based on pronounced vocal and genetic differences (Garg et al. 2021; Eaton et al. 2021).

Pellorneum macropterum Bornean Swamp Babbler is split from P. rostratum Malayan Swamp Babbler (formerly White-chested Babbler) based on vocal and genetic differences (Cros et al. 2020; Eaton et al. 2021).

 

[Paul Clapham]

Nov 30 Split Short-tailed Babbler into three species: Mourning Babbler, Glissando Babbler and Leaflitter Babbler.

Looks like the level of creativity in assigning English names is improving a bit!

 

[Xenospiza]

Looks like the level of creativity in assigning English names is improving a bit!

From the team that brought you leaftoiler.

 

[Paul Clapham]

I just noticed that Clements/eBird has those subspecies of P. malaccense as named groups with those names. Also noticed that Clements has poliogenys instead of poliogene -- and IOC used to have poliogenis. So have people converged on poliogene as the correct spelling? (Or is that just a gender agreement problem?)

 

[Mike Earp]

I just noticed that Clements/eBird has those subspecies of P. malaccense as named groups with those names. Also noticed that Clements has poliogenys instead of poliogene -- and IOC used to have poliogenis. So have people converged on poliogene as the correct spelling? (Or is that just a gender agreement problem?)

H&M4 says poliogene is the correct original spelling; the spelling poliogenys in Dickinson (2003) was an ISS (incorrect subsequent spelling).

 

[l_raty]

I just noticed that Clements/eBird has those subspecies of P. malaccense as named groups with those names. Also noticed that Clements has poliogenys instead of poliogene -- and IOC used to have poliogenis. So have people converged on poliogene as the correct spelling? (Or is that just a gender agreement problem?)

OD : v. 1-2 (1848-1849) - Contributions to ornithology for 1848-1853 - Biodiversity Heritage Library

Strickland had received the specimen labelled "poliogenys", but changed this deliberately to poliogenis. (I'm not sure I follow his explanation as to why he did this, though.)
A spelling in -genys would end in an unmodified transliteration of γένυς, a jaw in Greek, and would have to be treated as invariable. A spelling in -genis may be understood as a Latinized adjective of the second group, which would change to -gene when combined with a neuter generic name.

 

[Xenospiza]

There is also an issue here with Santa Cruz no longer being the name of the province, which is Temotu, so ideally that name will replace Santa Cruz and avoid the problem of the nominate melanolaema not actually being from Santa Cruz!

BirdLife International had "White-fronted Fantail" as the proposed name for the birds from Utupua + Vanikoro. That name would avoid any island issues, but I don't know if it would fit agilis.

 

[Markus Lagerqvist]

BirdLife International had "White-fronted Fantail" as the proposed name for the birds from Utupua + Vanikoro. That name would avoid any island issues, but I don|t know if it would fit agilis.

Wikipedia says:

"The term Santa Cruz Islands is sometimes used to encompass all of the islands of the present-day Solomon Islands province of Temotu. The largest island is Nendö, which is also known as Santa Cruz Island proper. Other islands belonging to the Santa Cruz group are Vanikoro and Utupua."

 

[Swindon Addick]

Dec 17 Link to IOC 14.1.red spreadsheet downloaded to Master Lists page

This is the first of the spreadsheets to go live - v14.1 is now officially a thing.

 

[jts1882]

Much earlier than usual. It's usually the second or third week of January.