The 58th Supplement to the AOU checklist was released today...

Happy Canada Day! The annual Supplement to the AOU Checklist was releasted today. I am only going to speak about changes that will affect us in North America.

We lost Thayer's Gulls from the list and it is now lumped with Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides). Jon Dunn and Van Remsen gave strong arguments as to why the Thayer's Gull should be nixed from the list. They proved that the research used to determine its full species status was flawed. They argued that the research didn't prove that it was distinct from an Iceland Gull. Therefore all those Thayer's on your list will now be an Iceland Gull.

Everyone said that Yellow-rumped Warblers would be split into Myrtle and Audubon's well that didn't happen either. The split was rejected. So some may be disappointed now, as many were separating it on eBird for this very fact and they will not gain another species.

Other proposed splits that were rejected were those for the Willet, Brown Creeper, Bell's Vireo, Nashville Warbler and Hoary and Common Redpolls. The Redpoll split was a contentious one and there were many who wanted them lumped. I personally am thrilled with the decision. I never wanted them lumped especially seeing how different these birds are in the arctic. I am not a person that enjoys the splitting of species unless absolutely necessary and proven by scientific fact. Therefore, now in North America there will be 3 distinct species of Redpolls: The Hoary Redpoll, The Common Redpoll and the vagrant Lesser Redpoll.

I tend to not ever take much heed into the talk of splits until the supplement comes out.Things rarely turn out the way birders think they will.

We gained one new North American species though! This bird is called the Cassia Crossbill and it lives and breeds in the South Hills and Albion Mtns of the state of Idaho. It is larger than Red Crossbills and has a distinct song and call. You can listen to them HERE

Another interesting thing happened, the Northern Shrike is now deemed to be different from the Great grey Shrike. The Northern Shrike reverted back to its old subspecies name Lanius excubitor borealis.

The Northern Harrier is now also split from it's critically endangered (only 4 breeding pairs left in England) European cousins, the Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus). To read more about the Hen Harrier's terrible plight and how the world may lose this species forever (mostly due to illegal killings by grouse hunters) click HERE.

Finally, the Yellow-breasted Chat is out of the Warbler category. I am very happy about this, as it was the weirdest warbler I ever saw, never behaved or looked like one to me. The Yellow-breasted Chat will be in its own family now called: Icteriidae. It will come now before Orioles and Blackbirds in field guides.

All North American sparrows will now be in their own family called Passerellidae. 

The complete text of the supplement will be out soon and more will be discussed in detail in there; along with more answers to some more proposed changes. Like, will they change the name of the Ring-necked Duck? You can see the list of what the current proposals were HERE. We still have a lot yet to find out.

I will update when the full text of the supplement is released.

Source: Rick Wright


Comments

  1. Quentin BrownJuly 3, 2017 at 4:06 PM

    Not surprised with the Thayer's and chat decision. A liitle suprised that the redpolls weren't lumped, thought the science was strong on that. Am relieved we don't have a number of new crossbill species to figure out! I get the feeling that the AOS is becoming more reluctant to split species. With the present thinking, for example, I don't think western flycatcher would ever have been split.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingJuly 3, 2017 at 8:10 PM

      thanks q, appreciate your thoughts. Guess the science wasn't as strong as we thought on the redpolls. i think it's neat we have a new crossbill. I listened to it and it sure sounds differents. i am glad the aos doesn't want to split species. like you are relieved we dont have multiple crossbill species im relieved we don't have multiple white-breasted nuthatches lol!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Dowitcher Identification

Image
Birders notoriously find it difficult to tell Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers apart. I have got a request to do an identification explanation on them so here goes, I hope it will be helpful. Short-billed Dowitchers and Long-billed look so similar. Using their habitat is helpful but not diagnostic. Short-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer Salt water and brackish water and Long-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer fresh water. However, I have OFTEN seen Short-billeds in freshwater and Long-billeds in brackish and salt water. Therefore, DO NOT rely on habitat. Another feature many people will tell you to rely on is spotting on the side of the flanks of Short-billeds and barring on the side of Long-billeds. Usually this is a mark that you can use but it is not always as distinct as you like. I have seen Short-billeds with a barred appearance to the flanks. It is only at the side of the breast where you have to look for this diagnostic feature for the spots on a Short-billed and t...
Read more

Hawk Identification Tips from every angle (Sharpie vs Cooper and Red-tailed Subspecies)

Image
I get several questions about the difference between accipiters. The most common ones are between Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper's Hawks and between Cooper's Hawks vs Northern Goshawks (to a lesser degree). Next, I get many questions dealing with a certain race of buteos the Western Red-tailed Hawk and Harlan's. So I thought I would do a post on these to help answer those questions. I will deal with Cooper's and Sharpies and not Goshawks because they are much more common here and look much more alike. My friend John Reynolds inspired me to write this up. COOPER'S AND SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS EYE COLOUR - YELLOW OR ORANGE? RED? Normally a juvenile Cooper's hawk has a bright yellow eye and a Juvie Sharpie has a orange eye but some cooper's can have a dull yellow eye that looks a bit orangish. Cooper's Hawks usually only transition to the orange eye colour when they are sub adults, so in good light, it's a very very reliable feature. However you ...
Read more

STINT IDENTIFICATION

Image
As per request, here are some tips that I hope will be helpful in identifying and differentiating Red-necked Stint from Little Stint. I will also do a brief intro on Long-toed and Temminck's Stint... if you build it they will come right?😉 Red-necked and Little Stints look very much alike in worn breeding plumage. The amount of Red on the face, throat and breast in Red-necked Stint is vary variable). They look even more alike in non-breeding plumage, that is why it is essential to learn structural differences to separate the two. They are similar to Semipalmated Sandpipers as well as Sanderlings. Both species are often confused for Red-necked Stints. Little Stints rarely get confused with Sanderling because they have a hind toe which helps differentiate it from this species. Sanderlings in breeding or worn breeding are usually confused with Red-necked Stints but they are much larger than Red-necked Stints. Let's first start with Bills in this complicated ID proces...
Read more

*Updated - The most famous Red-tailed Hawk is eating fish on the ground just like a Bald Eagle!

Image
Update - There are plans in the works to make a documentary film on this young Red-tailed Hawk who thinks he's an Eagle. You can read the latest news about that on CBC HERE . Watch this incredible footage of the little Red-tailed Hawk who grew up in a family of three Eaglets and 2 Bald Eagle Parents. He is imprinted now on Bald Eagles. He looks and acts just like one, as you can see here in the video below. He is standing over a large salmon carcass, just like a Bald Eagle would and he's eating the decaying flesh. Red-tailed Hawks like to eat voles and rabbits etc. not fish! Imprinting is usually irreversible according to raptor expert David Bird. However, I hope it's reversible so that he doesn't attempt to mate with a Bald Eagle, as the Eagle would kill him because it would view him as a Hawk. Eagle expert David Hancock said that the bird will likely starve and get killed by an eagle. He said this possibly can be prevented if someone grabs it and takes it to O...
Read more

1 year since I lost my father

Image
My dad and I whom I miss terribly. One year on since I lost him. Today would have been my mother's bday. Her name was Valerie and it is also the first year anniversary of the death of my beloved father, Arne. There is not a day that goes by where I don't think of them. Now for ever more the day of his death will be connected to her birthday, a very sad day but in a way that connection is beautiful to tie them together. My beautiful family before we lost both parents. I put flowers down at their grave to celebrate them both today. I hate that it is one year since I told him I loved him and hugged him. I miss him so very much. I miss his voice, his love and guidance and support. The ground for me feels shakier without his guidance and safety. I hate I will never see him again or talk to him again. Can't believe how quick time passes. This is why it is so important we treasure every single day to the fullest and tell those we love them. I will never forget the day he passed aw...
Read more