Taxonomic update -- January 2011

The eBird taxonomy (discussed in full here) is available for download. This update brings eBird up to date with Clements 6.5, the most recent North American Classification Committee supplement (51st supplement), and South American Classification Committee decisions through 31 Dec 2010.

These taxonomic updates involve three major elements. First, we must change the common name, scientific name, family, order, sort order, and several other elements for everywhere that the name appears. Second, we must add in a number of entirely new species, including newly defined groups, new hybrids that eBirders would like to report, or new groups that may someday become species. The third element is the most complicated: record conversion.

Although eBirders' records are sacrosanct and we never edit your records in eBird, the one exception is these taxonomic updates. When these updates occur, we always find ourselves hoping that eBird groups (Identifiable Sub-Specific Forms) are being used. For every split (use Whip-poor-will as an example), we try to make sure that the groups correspond to potential future species. For Whip-poor-will we provided two groups: Whip-poor-will (Eastern) and Whip-poor-will (Mexican). When we updated the records, all records of Whip-poor-will (Eastern) converted automatically to Eastern Whip-poor-will, ditto for Whip-poor-will (Mexican). However, all records reported at the species level as Whip-poor-will were now definitely Eastern/Mexican Whip-poor-will, but we couldn't be more specific. Since these to forms have distinctive songs, any singing Whip-poor-will should have been identifiable. This leaves us with two options: 1) Leave all records as Eastern/Mexican Whip-poor-will, which will not count on bird lists, and leave it to our users to update when they can; 2) Make preliminary updates based on geography and date, and entrust our eBirders to fix the records if needed.

In the case of the Whip-poor-wills, we felt that we could safely make assumptions. We converted all eastern records (east of Colorado and east of the Trans-Pecos of Texas) to Eastern Whip-poor-will; we know of no records of Mexican Whip-poor-wills from there. In the west we made similar assumptions, since only Mexican Whip-poor-will is known from New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and California. In most of Mexico, it is a safe assumption that it is Mexican Whip-poor-will, but in winter in east Mexico, and Belize/Guatemala south to Costa Rica, Eastern Whip-poor-will is possible. So for those records, we left them as Eastern/Mexican Whip-poor-wills. As you can see this is complicated, so we ask that you use the subspecies groups (ISSFs) when possible.

As fair warning, note that the AOU is now considering splitting Yellow-rumped Wabler (Myrtle) an Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's), along with one or two Mexican forms, into 2, 3 or 4 species, and it seems very likely to pass. When this happens, we can safely convert some eastern records to Myrtle Warbler, and some summer western records to Audubon's, but a huge proportion of records in the west (where both Audubon's and Myrtle are possible) will get converted to Myrtle/Audubon's Warbler. Without you telling us what you saw, we have no way of knowing. If you are not already in the habit of reporting your Yellow-rumped Warblers to subspecies, we encourage you to start now!

We'd like to specially acknowledge the hard work of Tom Schulenberg, avian taxonomist for the Clements checklist, and especially Tom Fredericks, our database manager, who puts in countless hours helping us to update the checklists, filters, records, and multiple eBird output tables that keep our life lists, arrival date tables, bar charts, and maps up to date. Without these Toms, this update would not have been possible, so thanks to them both.

TAXONOMIC UPDATE -- SPLITS

In every taxonomic update, it is the splits that generate the most intrigue, since these are the actions that can net you an "armchair life bird" (i.e., one that you get without even going birding, when the taxonomy update is published).

Below is a list of the species that were split into one or more species. For every one of these, your records have been assigned to one or the other species based on geography. For two species (Whip-poor-will and Winter Wren) we could not convert all records, since the species do overlap in some areas. Now that this conversion has happened, feel free to change your records in whatever way you see fit (i.e., some birders will want to report Pacific/Winter Wren from California, even though Pacific Wren is the odds on favorite there).

Try making global range maps for all these birds. We now have all the data updated so these maps are showing up for the first time ever!

[NA] Black Scoter Melanitta nigra is split into two species. This split follows the two groups long available in eBird—Black Scoter (American) and Black Scoter (Eurasian):
 
•    Common Scoter Melanitta nigra – Old World
•    Black Scoter Melanitta americana – New World
•    Common/Black Scoter Melanitta nigra/americana

Black Scoter is known from Europe, but eBird does not have any records to date. If you have seen a Black Scoter in Europe, please report it! Currently we have only Common Scoter from Europe.

Darter Anhinga melanogaster is split into three species as follows:

•    African Darter Anhinga rufa – occurs in Africa
•    Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster – India to Southeast Asia
•    Australasian Darter Anhinga novaehollandiae – New Guinea and Australia

Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus is split into two species:

•    Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus – most of Old World range
•    Black-backed Bittern Ixobrychus dubius – New Guinea and Australia

[SA] Maroon-faced Parakeet has been re-split in to two species, which had been maintained in eBird as groups. The taxonomy of these parakeets has been turbulent, since the SACC recently lumped them and now has split them again:

•    Gray-breasted Parakeet Pyrrhura griseipectus - NE Brazil (Ceará)
•    Maroon-faced Parakeet Pyrrhura leucotis - E Brazil (Bahia to Sao Paulo)
•    Gray-breasted/Maroon-faced Parakeet Pyrrhura griseipectus/leucotis

[NA] Whip-poor-will is split into two species and a slash option is maintained:

•    Eastern Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus – Eastern US; winters to Costa Rica
•    Mexican Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus arizonae – Honduras to sw. US
•    Eastern/Mexican Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus/arizonae

[SA] The South American species Violaceous Trogon Trogon violaceus is split into two species. In the 2010 update, Gartered Trogon Trogon caligatus was split from Violaceous Trogon, so this is the second round of splits within these small trogons within the past year.

•    Guianan Trogon Trogon violaceus – Guianan shield: Venezuela to n. Brazil
•    Amazonian Trogon    Trogon ramonianus - Amazon Basin: s. Venezuela to Brazil
•    Guianan/Amazonian Trogon Trogon violaceus/ramonianus

Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti is split into four species:

•    Black-browed Barbet Megalaima oorti - Malay Peninsula, Sumatra
•    Indochinese Barbet Megalaima annamensis - s and e Laos and Vietnam
•    Chinese Barbet Megalaima faber - s. China
•    Taiwan Barbet Megalaima nuchalis - Taiwan

[SA] Due to an error in our June 2010 taxonomic update, the groups of the Plumbeous Antvireo and White-streaked Antvireo complex are revised. The new arrangement is:

•    Plumbeous Antvireo
•    White-streaked Antvireo
•    White-streaked Antvireo (White-streaked)
•    White-streaked Antvireo (Venezuelan)

[SA] Undulated Antshrike Frederickena unduligera is split into two species:

•    Undulated Antshrike Frederickena unduligera - Amazonia: Brazil to Bolivia
•    Fulvous Antshrike Frederickena fulva - se. Colombia to e Peru

[SA] Slate-crowned Antpitta Grallaria nana is split into two species, one of which has two ISSFs:

•    Slate-crowned Antpitta Grallaria nana - Andes: Peru to Venezuela
•    Slate-crowned Antpitta (Slate-crowned) Grallaricula nana nana/olivascens
•    Slate-crowned Antpitta (Guianan) Grallaricula nana kukenamensis
•    Sucre Antpitta Grallaricula cumanensis - Coastal mts. of n Venezuela

[SA] Paramo Tapaculo Scytalopus canus is split into two species:

•    Paramo Tapaculo Scytalopus opacus - Cent. Andes: Colombia to n Peru
•    Paramillo Tapaculo Scytalopus canus - W Andes of Colombia (Antioquia)

is split into two species:

•    Warbling Doradito Pseudocolopteryx flaviventris - s. Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, n. Argentina
•    Ticking Doradito Pseudocolopteryx citreola - Chile and w. Argentina; winters north to Bolivia

White-lined Honeyeater Meliphaga albilineata is split into two species:

•    White-lined Honeyeater Meliphaga albilineata - n. Australia
•    Kimberley Honeyeater Meliphaga fordiana - nw. Australia

Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus is split into two species:

•    Spangled Drongo Dicrurus bracteatus - Australia and New Guinea
•    Tablas Drongo Dicrurus menagei - Tablas, Philippines

Note also that several populations previously considered to pertain to Spangled Drongo are now part of Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus, including birds in the Philippines and Solomon Islands. Adding to the confusion, many field guides use Spangled Drongo to refer to Hair-crested Drongo. Be extra cautious when entering records of these three drongos!

Scarlet Robin Petroica multicolor is split into two species:

•    Pacific Robin Petroica multicolor - Australasian islands
•    Scarlet Robin Petrioca boodang - Mainland Australia

White-browed Robin Poecilodryas superciliosa is split into two species:

•    White-browed Robin Poecilodryas superciliosa - ne Queensland, Australia
•    Buff-sided Robin Poecilodryas cerviniventris - n. Australia (Queensland to W. Australia)

Gray-headed Robin Heteromyias cinereifrons is split into two species:

•    Gray-headed Robin Heteromyias cinereifrons - n Queensland, Australia
•    Ashy Robin Heteromyias albispecularis - New Guinea

Gray-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis gularis is split into two species:

•    Gray-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis gularis - e India to nw Vietnam
•    Black-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis margaritae - s. Vietnam  

[NA] Elepaio Chasiempis sandwichensis is split into three island endemic species, one of which has three ISSFs. The six Elepaio taxa are now:

•    Hawaii Elepaio Chasiempis sandwichensis
•    Hawaii Elepaio (Kona coast) Chasiempis sandwichensis sandwichensis
•    Hawaii Elepaio (Mauna Kea) Chasiempis sandwichensis bryani
•    Hawaii Elepaio (Hilo coast) Chasiempis sandwichensis ridgwayi
•    Kauai Elepaio    Chasiempis sclateri
•    Oahu Elepaio Chasiempis ibidis

[NA] Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) is split into three species, with Pacific Wren also including two groups:

•    Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes – Old World
•    Pacific Wren Troglodytes pacificus – Western US and Canada
•    Pacific Wren (Alaskan islands) Troglodytes pacificus [alascensis Group]
•    Pacific Wren (Western) Troglodytes pacificus [pacificus Group]
•    Winter Wren    Troglodytes hiemalis – Eastern US
•    Pacific/Winter Wren    Troglodytes pacificus/hiemalis

A large number of Asian babblers have been split. The many splits are as follows:

•    Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax ruficeps, of Taiwan, is split from the widespread White-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax albogularis.
•    Sumatran Laughingthrush Garrulax bicolor, of Sumatra, is split from the widespread White-crested Laughingthrush Garrulax leucolophus.
•    The Bare-headed Laughingthrush Garrulax calvus, of Borneo, is split from the more widespread Black Laughingthrush Garrulax lugubris
•    Cambodian Laughingthrush Garrulax ferrariusis, of Cambodia, is split from the more widespread White-necked Laughingthrush Garrulax strepitans   
•    Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush Garrulax castanotis, of Hainan province in s. China, is split from the more widespread Gray Laughingthrush Garrulax maesi
•    Blue-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax courtoisi , of e. central China, is split from the more widespread Yellow-throated Laughingthrush Garrulax galbanus
•    Buffy Laughingthrush Garrulax berthemyi, of se China, is split from the more widespread Rusty Laughingthrush Garrulax poecilorhynchus
•    Orange-breasted Laughingthrush Garrulax annamensis, of the Langbian Plateau of Laos, is split from the more widespread Spot-breasted Laughingthrush Garrulax merulinus.
•    [NA] Taiwan Hwamei Garrulax taewanus, a Taiwan endemic, is split from the more widespread Chinese Hwamei Garrulax canorus. Chinese Hwamei is the form that is introduced and established in Hawaii (earning the "North America" flag)
•    Bhutan Laughingthrush Garrulax imbricatus, of Bhutan and se Tibet, is split from the more widespread Streaked Laughingthrush Garrulax lineatus
•    Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax erythrocephalus is split into four species, including: 1) Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax erythrocephalus from India to n. Myanmar and s. Yunnan, China; 2) Assam Laughingthrush Garrulax chrysopterus of Assam, India and adjacent areas; 3) Silver-eared Laughingthrush Garrulax melanostigma of Myanmar and Thailand to n. Vietnam; 4) Malayan Laughingthrush Garrulax peninsulae of montane peninsular Thailand and Malaysia.
•    Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis is split into several species as follows: 1) Spot-breasted Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus mcclellandi of Assam India and w Myanmar; 2) Black-streaked Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus gravivox of s and sw China, n Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar; 3) Gray-sided Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus swinhoei of e and se China; 4) Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis of Taiwan.
•    Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus melanurus, a Sri Lanka endemic, is split from the more widespread Indian Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus horsfieldii
•    Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus musicus, a Taiwan endemic, is split from the more widespread Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis.
•    Long-billed Wren-Babbler Rimator malacoptilus is split into three species: Long-billed Wren-Babbler Rimator malacoptilus of India to Myanmar; 2) White-throated Wren-Babbler Rimator pasquieri of northern Vietnam; 3) Sumatran Wren-Babbler Rimator albostriatus of Sumatra.
•    Luzon Wren-Babbler Robsonius rabori and Gray-banded Babbler Robsonius sorsogonensis, both of the Philippines, are now considered separate species
•    Taiwan Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga formosana, a Taiwan endemic, is split from the more widespread Pygmy Wren-Babbler Pnoepyga pusilla
•    Long-tailed Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis chocolatinus is split into four species: Long-tailed Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis chocolatinus of Assam and Manipur provinces; 2) Chin Hills Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis oatesi of Mt. Victoria, Myanmar; 3) Gray-bellied Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis reptatus of NE Myanmar to s China (sw Yunnan); 4) Pale-throated Wren-Babbler Spelaeornis kinneari of nw Tonkin, Vietnam.
•    Chevron-breasted Babbler Sphenocichla roberti, of s Assam, India, and nw Myanmar, is split from the more westerly Blackish-breasted Babbler Sphenocichla humei.
•    Pygmy Babbler Stachyris plateni, of the Philippines, is split into Mindanao Pygmy-Babbler Stachyris plateni and the more northerly Visayan Pygmy-Babbler Stachyris pygmaea.
•    Striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis is split into Pin-striped Tit-Babbler Macronous gularis of mainland Indochina (China south to peninsular Malaysia) and Bold-striped Tit-Babbler Macronous bornensis of the Philippines of Indonesia (e.g., Java) and Borneo.
•    White-hooded Babbler Gampsorhynchus rufulus is split into White-hooded Babbler Gampsorhynchus rufulus, widespread in highlands from Malaysia to Nepal (but missing from Thailand and Myanmar) and Collared Babbler Gampsorhynchus torquatus, which occurs in Myanmar, Thailand, and Yunnan, China.
•    Miniature Tit-Babbler Micromacronus leytensis is split into Visayan Miniature-Babbler Micromacronus leytensis, of Leyte and Samar in the Philippines, and Mindanao Miniature-Babbler Micromacronus sordidus, which is endemic to Mindanao in the Philippines.
•    Cutia Cutia nipalensis is split into Himalayan Cutia Cutia nipalensis, from India to nw. Vietnam, and Vietnamese Cutia Cutia legalleni of s. Vietnam
•    Black-crowned Fulvetta Alcippe klossi, of the Langbian Plateau of s Vietnam, is split from the widespread Rufous-winged Fulvetta Alcippe castaneceps.
•    Gray-hooded Fulvetta Alcippe cinereiceps is split into three species: 1) Gray-hooded Fulvetta Alcippe cinereiceps, occurring mostly in central and southern China; 2) Streak-throated Fulvetta Alcippe manipurensis, occurring mostly in Indochina (e.g., Thailand, Vietnam, Laos etc.); and 3) Taiwan Fulvetta Alcippe formosana, endemic to Taiwan.
•    Indochinese Fulvetta Alcippe danisi, of Vietnam and Laos, is split from Spectacled Fulvetta Alcippe ruficapilla of China.
•    Black-browed Fulvetta Alcippe grotei, of Annam, Vietnam, adjacent Laos, and se Thailand, is split from Mountain Fulvetta Alcippe peracensis of s Laos, Vietnam, and higher mountains of Malaysia. The distribution of the two differs mostly in altitude, with Black-browed occurring at lower elevations.

Striated Yuhina Yuhina castaniceps is split into two species:

•    Striated Yuhina Yuhina castaniceps – ne India to Thailand and e Myanmar
•    Indochinese Yuhina Yuhina torqueola - northern Indochina (Thailand to s. China)

Bridled White-eye Zosterops conspicillatus is split into two species:

•    Bridled White-eye Zosterops conspicillatus –  Guam and Marianas
•    Rota White-eye Zosterops rotensis – Rota, Marianas

Slender-billed White-eye Zosterops tenuirostris is split into two species, one of them extinct:

•    Slender-billed White-eye Zosterops tenuirostris –  Norfolk I.
•    Robust White-eye Zosterops stenurus – Lord Howe I. (Extinct)

[NA] Greater Antillean Oriole is split into four species, all of which are island endemics. Note also that Black-cowled Oriole Icterus prosthemelas, of Middle America, was previously recognized as distinct, so older records (when all five species were lumped) from Middle America refer to that species. The new species are:
 
•    Hispaniolan Oriole Icterus dominicensis – Hispaniola
•    Cuban Oriole Icterus melanopsis - Cuba
•    Bahama Oriole Icterus northropi - Bahamas
•    Puerto Rican Oriole Icterus portoricensis – Puerto Rico

[SA] Epaulet Oriole Icterus cayanensis is split into two species:

•    Epaulet Oriole Icterus cayanensis – Colombia, Guianas, Venezuela, Trinidad, and northern Brazil
•    Variable Oriole Icterus pyrrhopterus – e Brazil, Bolivia, Paragay, Uruguay, an Argentina

TAXONOMIC UPDATE -- LUMPS

Much less popular are the lumps, which can cause one's lists to drop in number. Fortunately for all of us away from Oz, there are just five lumps with this taxonomic update and all affect Australian/New Guinean birders.

These updates are much easier to perform. Since the former species are retained as groups (in the event of a re-split, which happens often!), the records are simply updated in name and category, so that they count differently on lists.

Yellow Rosella Platycercus flaveolus and Adelaide Rosella Platycercus adelaidae are lumped into a single species under the name Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans. The two former species continue to be recognized as groups:

•    Crimson Rosella (Yellow) Platycercus elegans flaveolus
•    Crimson Rosella (Adelaide) Platycercus elegans adelaidae/subadelaidae

Greater Sooty-Owl Tyto tenebricosa and Lesser Sooty-Owl Tyto multipunctata are lumped under the species Sooty Owl Tyto tenebricosa, but are maintained as groups:

•    Sooty Owl (Greater) Tyto tenebricosa tenebricosa/arfaki
•    Sooty Owl (Lesser) Tyto tenebricosa multipunctata

Morepork Ninox novaeseelandiae and Southern Boobook Ninox boobook are lumped under the species Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae but are maintained as groups:

•    Southern Boobook (Morepork) Ninox novaeseelandiae [novaeseelandiae Group]
•    Southern Boobook (Boobook) Ninox novaeseelandiae [boobook Group]

White-shouldered Triller Lalage sueurii and White-winged Triller Lalage tricolor are lumped under the species White-winged Triller Lalage sueurii, but are maintained as groups:

•    White-winged Triller (White-shouldered)    Lalage sueurii sueurii
•    White-winged Triller (White-winged) Lalage sueurii tricolor

Zebra Finch Taeniopygia castanotis and Chestnut-eared Finch Taeniopygia guttata are lumped under the species Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata, but are maintained as groups:

•    Zebra Finch (Lesser Sundas) Taeniopygia guttata guttata
•    Zebra Finch (Australian) Taeniopygia guttata castanotis

TAXONOMIC UPDATE -- NEWLY DESCRIBED SPECIES

New species continue to be described from remote corners of the world, mostly in the Tropics of South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Amazingly, with the speed of information exchange these days, many birders have already seen these new species by the time their formal scientific description is published. When we are aware of an undescribed form, we have been trying to add it to eBird to allow for these sightings to be recorded and collected, even before the species is official (see the expanded list of eBird "forms" below for some of the species we are now including prior to formal description). With this taxonomic update, five new species and one new subspecies are recognized because of new discoveries:

1. [SA] Tapajos Hermit Phaethornis aethopyga, previously considered a form in eBird as Little Hermit (Tapajos) Phaethornis longuemareus aethopyga, is elevated to species status. Little Hermit thus becomes monotypic, with no ISSF forms:

•    Tapajos Hermit Phaethornis aethopyga
•    Little Hermit Phaethornis longuemareus

2. [SA] The Rio Orinoco Spinetail Synallaxis beverlyae has been described from islands in the Orinoco River of Suriname.

3. Willard's Sooty Boubou Laniarius willardi has been described from the Albertine Rift of Africa.

4. Bare-faced Bulbul Pycnonotus hualon has been described from Laos.

5. Limestone Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus calciatilis has been described from Laos and Vietnam

6. [SA] Band-winged Nightjar (Mocha) Caprimulgus longirostris mochaensis is a newly described form from Chile and is here included as an ISSF, although it may merit species status.

TAXONOMIC UPDATE -- OTHER NEW ADDITIONS

A number of other new additions are now available as well, and may of these were specifically requested by our users. If you have seen any of the below, please go ahead and enter them! Note also that many of our ISSF options are considered species by certain authorities: entering them in ebird using the below name will ensure that your lists are correctly updated if they are split in the future (e.g., Common Ostrich and Somali Ostrich are split by some African authors, but we show them as identifiable subspecies groups).

Many of these taxa are not yet appearing on checklists, so you may have to seek them out if you want to report them. To do so when entering or editing a checklist, just click "rare species" and then type part of the species' name in the "Add a species" box. For example, typing "Ostrich" will bring up the species as well as its two groups.

If you notice a form, ISSF, or spuh that should be on a checklist, please let us know and we can add it.