Taxonomic changes, 61st supplement to AOS check-list (no observations)

[Urs Geiser]

The American Ornithological Society (AOS) just published the 61st
Supplement to its Check-list of North American Birds (R. Terry Chesser
et al., Auk, vol 137, 2020, pp. 1-24). You can find it at
https://academic.oup.com/auk/article/doi/10.1093/auk/ukaa030/5865308

The annual publication of the AOS checklist supplement is anticipated by
many birders as many organizations base their local checklist on the
taxonomic decisions made by the AOS North American checklist committee.
The AOS checklist includes birds of all of North America, including
Central America, the Caribbean islands, Hawaii, Bermuda, see
http://checklist.americanornithology.org/ for details. The AOS also
maintains the US national checklist.

What does the 2020 supplement have in store for us? Are there splits
that might add to our lists or lumps that might reduce our numbers?

As far as Illinois is concerned, there are no splits, lumps, or name
changes, only a few adjustments in species sequence (Wild Turkey before
grouse before partridge and pheasant; coots and gallinulles are now
sandwiched between the species that we typically call rails; Anhinga is
now before cormorants; Double-crested before Neotropic Cormorant).

On the North American (north of Mexico) scale, there are two major
changes that affect list totals: one split and one lump.

* Mexican Duck (Anas diazii) is once again split from Mallard.
* Northwestern Crow is lumped with American Crow.

The following species were added to the AOS (and US) list due to
vagrancy or established introductions:

* Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus), vagrant to Alaska
* Yellow-chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri), introduced in
California and Florida
* Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), vagrant to Alaska

In addition, the following species was added to the US list:

* Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus), vagrant to Texas

The following non-native species formerly thought to be present in
Hawaii were removed either from the AOS list or the US list. Some are
still present in the West Indies.

* Helmeted Guineafowl
* Red-billed Cordonbleu
* Orange-cheeked Waxbill
* Black-rumped Waxbill
* Tricolored Munia (has a chance of being added again due to a
population in Florida)

Finally, there are some name changes:

* The scientific name of Bumblebee Hummingbird is changed from Atthis
heloisa to Selasphorus heloisa
* The scientific name of White-eared Hummingbird is changed from
Amazilia leucotis to Basilinna leucotis
* The scientific name of Xantus's Hummingbird is changed from Amazilia
xantusii to Basilinna xantusii
* The scientific name of Violet-crowned Hummingbird is changed from
Amazilia violiceps to Leucolia violiceps
* The scientific name of Berylline Hummingbird is changed from
Amazilia beryllina to Saucerottia beryllina
* The English name of Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus) is
changed to Warbling White-eye
* The scientific name of Middendorff's Grasshopper-Warbler is changed
from Locustella ochotensis to Helopsaltes ochotensis
* The scientific name of Dusky Thrush is changed from Turdus naumanni
to Turdus eunomus

There are changes in species-level taxonomic sequence (US species only)
affecting game birds (Phasianidae), hummingbirds (Trochilidae), rails
(Rallidae), cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), vultures (Cathartidae),
kingfishers (Alcedinidae:Chloroceryle), swallows (Hirundinidae:Progne),
grass warblers (Locustellidae). The swap between anhingas and cormorants
is the only sequence change at the family level.

Additional name and sequence changes apply to species south of the
US-Mexican border. They are not listed here.

Proposals not adopted this time include among others: the split of the
Haida Gwaii subspecies from Northern Saw-whet Owl (Canada missed its
chance at an endemic species), the split of Great White Heron from Great
Blue Heron, the renaming of the scrub-jays, and the renaming of Olive
Warbler.


Urs

--
Urs Geiser (uge...@comcast.net)
Woodridge (DuPage Co., IL)

[nancy tikalsky]

Hi Urs,

 

I’d like to publish this in the COS newsletter, the Chicago Birder, if you don’t mind…

 

Thanks and hope your are well and staying safe!

 

Nancy Tikalsky

Editor

The Chicago Birder

Zion, Lake

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "IBET - Illinois Birders Exchanging Thoughts" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to ilbirds+u...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ilbirds/db02be8c-6d36-e632-3903-0fc00452d6e0%40comcast.net.