Every serious birder knows that the scientists who study avian evolution often mess around with what we have come to regard as the official list of avian species. The new list from the AOU (American Ornithologists Union) ha recently been released. A goood summary of changes affecting North American nomenclature can be found at http://blog.aba.org/2017/07/2017-aos-supplement.html
I've "lost" one species on my Life List and have had to change a few "common" English names on various lists. Then there's the issue of updating scientific names and the entire order of the list.
Yep. They've been messing with them again. Picked up the new Cassia Crossbill, lost the Thayer's Gull and picked up a new hummingbird in the split of the Magnificent. And probably completely broke the late Jerry Blinn's Avisys. I'll have to go through the headache of new listing software.
I'm still not used to Falcons being moved over with the Parrots. Only babies like change, I guess.
And what nimwit gave the Yellow-breasted Chat a genus name, Icteriidae, one letter different than blackbirds, Icteridae. It was already confusing enough with Icterinae for New World orioles.
Discussion
1 repliesI've "lost" one species on my Life List and have had to change a few "common" English names on various lists. Then there's the issue of updating scientific names and the entire order of the list.
I'm still not used to Falcons being moved over with the Parrots. Only babies like change, I guess.
And what nimwit gave the Yellow-breasted Chat a genus name, Icteriidae, one letter different than blackbirds, Icteridae. It was already confusing enough with Icterinae for New World orioles.
Sigh.