Lynx-BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist (1 Viewer)

[aegithalos]

BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist Version 8 (October 2015)

BLv8 vs BLv7

Species added: 0
Species deleted: 1 (Heteromirafra sidamoensis)
Change of scientific name: 1 (Vanellus malarbaricus → Vanellus malabaricus)

Incredible ... IOC has dozens of species level changes over the last year, so do TiF, eBird ... Birdlife appear to think that non-Passerines are 'done', Passerines come next year, and that is that.

Keith

 

[Richard Klim]

2015 Red List: changes

BirdLife, 29 Oct 2015: 2015 Red List - vultures, shorebirds and other iconic species.
www.iucnredlist.org

BirdLife, 29 Oct 2015: Global IUCN Red List for birds – 2015 changes.

 

[njlarsen]

Incredible ... IOC has dozens of species level changes over the last year, so do TiF, eBird ... Birdlife appear to think that non-Passerines are 'done', Passerines come next year, and that is that.

Keith

Well, if you believe you can judge species vs non-species based on plates in a book and the book has not changed, why would the taxonomy change? :-O :-O

And I know I am probably being unfair here ... o

Niels

 

[bustersymes]

Incredible ... IOC has dozens of species level changes over the last year, so do TiF, eBird ... Birdlife appear to think that non-Passerines are 'done', Passerines come next year, and that is that.

Keith

Yes I'm sure BirdLife are just sitting back twiddling their thumbs, content that non-passerine taxonomy is finally resolved once and and for all! B

Sarcasm aside, BirdLife/HBW have already clearly outlined the fact that there will be an ongoing annual process for taxonomic updates to the non-passerines once the small matter of the passerine volume has been completed...

 

[Richard Klim]

HBW/BirdLife Illustrated Checklist vol 2

Since 2014 at least, the Lynx website has listed vol 2 as "Due 2016".

This week, the due date has been refined to December 2016.

It would certainly make a welcome Christmas present next year, but perhaps cutting it a bit fine...

 

[thomasdonegan]

"Birds of Colombia" - take on BirdLife 2014 taxonomy

Donegan, Quevedo, Verhelst, Cortés-Herrera, Ellery & Salaman 2015. Revision of the status of bird species occurring or reported in Colombia 2015, with discussion of BirdLife International's new taxonomy. Conserv Colomb 23: 3–48. [pdf]
Abstract
Subtropical Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium parkeri, Fiery-tailed Awlbill Avocettula recurvirostris and Pale-rumped Swift Chaetura egregia are added to Colombia's bird checklist based on photographic records. Band-rumped Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma castro, Golden-spangled Piculet Picumnus exilis, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris and Yellow-throated Tanager Iridisornis analis are all elevated to the status of confirmed species occurring on the mainland, also following photographic records. We considered taxonomic proposals by del Hoyo & Collar (2014) using Tobias et al. (2010)'s "species scoring system". We studied possible changes relevant to Colombia in detail, based on new studies of vocalisations, our own fieldwork data and published molecular studies. We conclude that the following proposed Trochilidae (hummingbird) splits are supported by differentiation in voice: White-throated Wedgebill Schistes albogularis from Geoffroy's Wedgebill S. geoffroyi (Wedge-billed Hummingbird); Longuemare's Sunangel Heliangelus clarisse and Merida Sunangel H. spencei from Amethystine Sunangel Heliangelus amethysticollis; White-tailed Hillstar Urochroa leucura from Rufous-gaped Hillstar U. bougeri; and Humboldt's Sapphire Amazilia humboldtii from Gray's Sapphire A. grayi. In light of these positive assessments, we accepted proposed splits of morphologically distinctive hummingbirds in a little-vocalising genus: Perija Starfrontlet Coeligena consita and Golden Starfrontlet C. eos from Golden-bellied Starfrontlet C. bonapartei and Green Inca C. conradii from Collared Inca C. torquata. We adopt the proposed split of Double-banded Puffbird Hypnelus bicinctus from Rufous-throated Puffbird H. ruficollis, highlighting vocal differences. We suggest transfer of subspecies striaticollis to the bicinctus group. We split Splendid Woodpecker Campephilus splendens from C. haematogaster based on differences in voice, plumage, distribution and drumming behaviour. Carribean Coot Fulica caribaea is lumped with American Coot F. americana on account of widely reported intergradation. After studying vocal differentiation in three genera, we reject 10 proposed splits in Ramphastidae (toucans) of forms which either intergrade with one another or which are not as vocally distinct as sympatric toucans. Our vocal analyses instead suggest that the Groove-billed Toucanet subspecies Aulacorhynchus sulcatus erythrognatus of Venezuela may merit species rank. The widely adopted split of Andean Duck Oxyura ferruginea from Ruddy Duck O. jamaicensis is again rejected, due to well-documented intergradation in Colombia. We conclude that del Hoyo & Collar (2014)'s taxonomy has been useful and worthwhile in drawing attention to novel taxonomic situations, especially in Trochilidae. However, we suggest using the Tobias et al. (2010) system as a point of reference and not a sole criterion to determine taxonomic rank. After analysis of sound recordings of putative related species, we conclude that Providencia Vireo V. approximans merits species rank. We split the Blossomcrowns Anthocephala. Several amendments to genus and species names, English names and linear order are made, following recent publications. The Colombian checklist increases again to 1,922 species (excluding escapes), of which 1,847 are documented by 'confirmed' records on the mainland.

Cross-posting from the Colombian birds thread.

 

[Richard Klim]

Birds of Colombia 2015

Donegan, Quevedo, Verhelst, Cortés-Herrera, Ellery & Salaman 2015. Revision of the status of bird species occurring or reported in Colombia 2015, with discussion of BirdLife International's new taxonomy. Conserv Colomb 23: 3–48. [pdf]

Current (revised) link: [pdf]

 

[Richard Klim]

Passerines...

Globally Threatened Bird Forums, 28 Jan 2016: Consultation on a subset of potential taxonomic changes to passerines.

Also, revision process/schedule updated: Revisions to HBW/BirdLife non-passerine and passerine taxonomy – background and guidelines.

 

[lewis20126]

"Vinaceous Rosefinch Carpodacus vinaceus

Genetic studies indicate that the geographically far distant race formosanus of Taiwan (China) is also genetically far distant, but it is virtually identical in plumage. Curiously, there seem to be no recordings of the songs of either taxon, but perhaps birders have material that has not been posted on bird voice websites?"

Interesting example which is now a widely (?) followed split but will (presumably) fail to score the magic 7 under Tobias et al., presumably even if vocals are (substantially?) different.

cheers, alan

 

[Richard Klim]

Taiwan Rosefinch

Interesting example which is now a widely (?) followed split...

H&M4, IOC, eBird/Clements, CBR (ref: Wu et al 2011, Tietze et al 2013).

 

[Richard Klim]

Oriental Bird Club

Inskipp & Collar 2015. Notable taxonomic changes proposed for Asian birds in 2014. BirdingASIA 24: 64–71.

Suggested splits and lumps in books
Del Hoyo & Collar: world checklist (non-passerines)
A number of species-level changes in Asian non-passerine birds appeared in del Hoyo & Collar (2014), a checklist that built on the taxonomic notes of the first seven volumes of the Handbook of the birds of the world, making revisions based on the criteria outlined in Tobias et al. (2010). These changes are too numerous to annotate, so unless indicating prior work by other authors we simply provide a list...

(Perhaps unsurprisingly, the BirdLife splits get rather less attention than the other proposed taxonomic changes addressed in the article.)

 

[Richard Klim]

Internet Bird Collection

As the deadline looms for the transition to the comprehensively revised BirdLife taxonomy in the non-passerine volume, it's interesting to reflect on the enormity of the impending change...
...
Internet Bird Collection:

• Revised taxonomic tree menus, new species accounts, and revision of existing species accounts – as per HBW Alive
• Extensive reallocation of media (videos, photos, sounds), and associated mapping, between newly split/lumped species

BIRDS Alive No20, Feb 2016...

A new IBC to be unveiled soon...

Our team has been working on a full make-over for the IBC that we think everyone is going to love. It will have a new look—based on HBW Alive’s design—and improvements in the ways for visitors to search and view material and for contributors to organize, share and enjoy their material. Also, the taxonomy from the HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World will be applied to the IBC, making it easier for HBW Alive subscribers to find photos, videos and sound recordings on the IBC.

IBC contributors will enjoy of all these enhancements for free and the IBC will continue to be OPEN AND FREE OF CHARGE for everyone.

 

[njlarsen]

IBC will continue to be OPEN AND FREE OF CHARGE for everyone.

that is the good news. Insistence on a taxonomy that is as of yet not well accepted is the less good news.

Niels

 

[Richard Klim]

Remsen vs Collar et al

Collar, Fishpool, del Hoyo, Pilgrim, Seddon, Spottiswoode & Tobias 2016. Toward a scoring system for species delimitation: a response to Remsen. J Field Ornithol 87(1): 104–110. [preview]

... Our quantitative approach provides a system that does not claim to be flawless and which welcomes constructive criticism; numerous sources of potential subjectivity and possibilities for improvement are discussed in Tobias et al. (2010). Meanwhile, however, we suspect that accepted species limits in coming decades will be rather different from current taxonomic treatments, and far closer to the revisions proposed in the Checklist. Fast-tracking these taxonomic decisions, evaluating their accuracy, and fine-tuning the process by which they are made should be priorities for museum scientists, conservationists, policy makers, and the community of field ornithologists this journal serves.

Remsen 2016. A "rapid assessment program" for assigning species rank? J Field Ornithol 87(1): 110–115. [preview]

... An overhaul of the current system is badly needed for a globally important conservation organization such as BirdLife International to retain the support of the thousands of professional and knowledgeable amateur ornithologists who support in spirit the mission of the organization. Doggedly adhering to the currently flawed T10 [Tobias et al. (2010)] system will only distance BLI and HBW from professional ornithology. Collar et al. (2016) proudly point to preliminary positive reviews of the T10 system, yet conspicuously omit mentioning that no one but BLI/HBW has adopted it. It is time for Collar et al. (2016) to acknowledge that its fundamental flaws might be the reason.

Ref: Remsen 2015. Book review: HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volume 1: Non-passerines. J Field Ornithol 86(2): 182–187.
(See posts #489, #490.)

 

[Richard Klim]

Remsen 2015/2016

Collar, Fishpool, del Hoyo, Pilgrim, Seddon, Spottiswoode & Tobias 2016. Toward a scoring system for species delimitation: a response to Remsen. J Field Ornithol 87(1): 104–110. [preview]

Remsen 2016. A "rapid assessment program" for assigning species rank? J Field Ornithol 87(1): 110–115. [preview]

Ref: Remsen 2015. Book review: HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volume 1: Non-passerines. J Field Ornithol 86(2): 182–187.

Remsen 2015. [pdf]
Remsen 2016. [pdf]

(It would be good if Collar et al's response could also be made available...)

PS. Following the disbandment of BOURC TSC, BOU will hopefully take Van's comments into consideration as part of its "review [of] the available global taxonomies with a view to adopting one system for all BOU activities, including The British List".

 

[Richard Klim]

Remsen vs Collar et al

Remsen 2015. [pdf]
Remsen 2016. [pdf]
(It would be good if Collar et al's response could also be made available...)

Collar et al 2016. [pdf]

 

[Peter Kovalik]

New species and subspecies

HBW Alive Newsletter Nº24, June 2016:

Furthermore, it is inevitable that after the publication of the Checklist volumes, new species will be discovered and then described. All of these cases will first be evaluated by the HBW and BirdLife International taxonomic team and then applied to HBW Alive in periodic updates, which we will announce in due course.

 

[Peter Kovalik]

Ibc

The "new" IBC in beta now online at http://www.hbw.com/ibc

The IBC follows the taxonomy presented in the HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World and is constantly updated

The "old" IBC http://ibc.lynxeds.com/

 

[thomasdonegan]

BOC/NBC/NHM preview on BirdLife passerines taxonomy

The forthcoming BOC/NBC/NHM one-day conference on Saturday 17 September 2016 should include a preview of the BirdLife passerines taxonomy, read down to 16.15... Should be a good event.

PROGRAMME

10.00 Doors open – coffee and tea available

10.30 Opening of meeting – Robert Prŷs-Jones (BOC secretary) and David Fisher (NBC chairman)

10.45 Cristina Banks-Leite – How to save birds in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest on a shoestring

11.30 Alex Lees – Bridging shortfalls in Brazilian ornithology

12.15 Raymond Jeffers (NBC) – NBC fund raising tours

12:30 NBC AGM

Lunch break

14.00 Chris Storey (BOC chairman) – Recent structural changes to the BOC

14.15 Thomas Donegan – What is a species and what is a subspecies? A new look at an old question, based on Colombian birds.

15.00 Fabrice Schmitt – White-masked Antbird unmasked.

15.45 coffee/comfort break

16.15 Nigel Collar – Changes and challenges in the HBW-BirdLife Checklist of Neotropical passerine species.

17.00 Drawing of bucket raffle and close of meeting

http://boc-online.org/bocnbcnhm-one-day-conference-saturday-17-september-2016/

 

[Peter Kovalik]

Thomas, your presentation should be very interesting too.