IOC WORLD BIRD LIST UPDATES (2009)
Below are summaries of 2009 updates to the IOC World Bird List, first published as Birds of the World, Recommended English Names - Version 1.0 (Gill and Wright 2006). All of the updated information and species changes are included in the latest version of the species lists available on this website. Different formats of the updated lists, including Excel spreadsheets can be downloaded from the links on the Home page (scroll down) . The Life List format spreadsheet includes Ranges of each species. The Computer Friendly spreadsheet is our Master List which includes Ranges and also Comments about the status of species.
UPDATES IOC World List Version 2.2
IOC World Bird List 2.2 was released on August 26, 2009. Previous year versions of the master list and updates are available in a separate Update Archive.
The IOC World Bird List 2.2 contains 10,347 species classified in 39 Orders, 224 Families (+6 Incertae sedis) and 2197 Genera.
Please note that autocounters have been added to the spreadsheet for the number of species in each family as requested by David Gascoigne, courtesy of Curtis Hawthorne.
Updates in version 2.2 include:
SPECIES
Added to Master List: 13
Deleted from Master List: 6, including 4 extinct
Added to Proposed Species List: 37
Note: The Proposed Species List provides a preview of potential splits that are under discussion and review for inclusion in the Master List. This is an evolving process. Our goal is to complete a major review of these species by the end of each year and then to transfer Accepted Species (AS) to the Master List. In addition, we may move some PS species as warranted to the Master List with each Update.
English Name Changes: 108, including New Guinea endemics and near endemics
New Guinea birds – Phil Gregory, Bruce Beehler and their colleagues are updating a master list of the birds of New Guinea and Bismarck Archipeligo. We worked closely for six months with Phil and his committee (Bruce Beehler, Brian Coates, Thane Pratt, Mary LeCroy) to align the English names of endemic and near endemic species on their list with the IOC list. The result has been a comprehensive alignment of the two lists, with minor exceptions. As a result we changed 96 English names on the IOC list, and conversely the New Guinea list is closely aligned with IOC names and spelling guidelines. Some refinements are to be expected in the months to come, but we present these changes now as a positive step forward for this wonderful avifauna.
CLASSIFICATION
Taxonomy – 9 changes of Genera; 1 change of Family (Yellow-bellied Fantail to Stenostiridae)
Sequences
The AOU’s regional committees (North and Middle America, South America) regularly change the sequence of species and genera to align their classifications with published DNA analyses of phylogeny. Our current policy is to change sequences conservatively for three reasons: (1) we all find a particular taxon or species more easily in a familiar sequence, even if dated; (2) additional DNA analyses, many of which are underway, may support additional changes; and (3) best sequences for world birds may not match those for species in regional avifaunas.
With those caveats, we resequenced the genera and species of New World trogons in version 2.2 of the IOC World List. We did so to align our list with the important works of Moyle (2005) and DaCosta and Klicka (2008) and with the new sequences adopted by the AOU.
Babblers
The bad news is that the prevailing classifications of the Sylviidae and Timaliidae are a mess. The good news is that a new improved classification is taking shape as a result of the published works of Cibois (2003), Pasquet (2006), Gelang et al (2009), Moyle et al (2009) with more in press or underway in different labs.
We could not complete the reclassification of babblers to our satisfaction for this update (2.2), but our working draft includes the following features, which we outline for feedback and discussion:
- Separate the Pygmy Wren-babblers to the family Pnoepgyidae, of unknown relationships
- Transfer the following genera to a much enlarged Sylviidae (Sylviid babblers): Myzornis (from Incertae sedis), Parophasma, Lioparus, Moupinia, Chrysomma, Fulvetta (8 species previously in ‘Alcippe’), Rhopophilus, Chamaea, Conostoma, Paradoxornis, Pseudoalcippe (merge w Sylvia?), Horizorhinus (merge w Sylvia?), Lioptilus.
- Recognize the following clades as separate families or subfamilies of Timaliidae: Zosteropidae (White-eyes);Timaliidae (Tree Babblers and Scimitar Babblers); Pellorneidae (‘Core’ Babblers); Leiothrichidae (Laughing Thrushes). These clades are roughly of equal rank in Gelang et al's phylogeny, and we currently lean (just slightly) to continued recognition of the Zosteropidae at the family level, which would require recognition of the other clades at the family level. But the definition of the clades and their relative ranks requires more attention and inclusion of missing taxa.
- Expand Zosteropidae with the inclusion of the following genera: Yuhina, Dasycrotapha, Sterrhoptilus (new), Zosterornis (new), and reorganize to follow Moyle et al 2009 including a broader Zosterops and exclusion of Cinnamon Ibon to Incertae sedis.
- Revise genera in the Timaliidae, including recognition of Stachyridopsis (new) and merger of Xiphirhynchus into Pomatorhinus (done 2.2).
- Revise genera in the Pellorneidae, including breakup of Alcippe with some former species to the Sylviidae (Lioparus and Fulvetta) and others to Schoeniparus in this family,
- Revise genera in the Leiothrichidae, especially Garrulax, treated extensively by Collar and Robson in HBW 12. In addition, Luo et al. (2008) show that Trochalopteron (consisting of about a dozen laughingthrush species) is probably unrelated to other laughingthrushes and should be recognized to preclude paraphyly. There is also some reasonable evidence for the validity of Ianthocincla for five larger species (Rheindt, pers. comm.)
- The tentative generic compositions of these clades are listed on a separate page Babbler Families, and the revised sequence of species on a separate page Babbler Species Sequences
UPDATE Version 2.1
IOC World Bird List 2.1 was released on May 13, 2009. Previous year versions of the master list and quarterly updates are available in a separate Update Archive.
The IOC World Bird List 2.1 contains 10,340 species classified in 39 Orders, 224 Families and 2198 Genera.
Updates from version 2.0 to version 2.1 include
SPECIES
Added: Newly described and splits: 14, including 8 albatross splits
Deleted: To PS List : 2; Lumps and other - 1
English Name Changes: 19, including Madeiracrest to Madeira Firecrest, Pediunker to Grey Petrel
Range Changes: 44
Revisions of Genera: 11
UPDATE Version 2.0
The release of this update of the IOC World Bird List on January 18, 2009 skips from the previously posted Version 1.7, released September 30, 2008, to Version 2.0. Versions 1.8 and 1.9 were unposted working drafts. Past versions of the master list and quarterly updates are available in a separate Update Archive.
The IOC World Bird List 2.0 contains 10,331 species classified in 39 Orders, 224 Families and 2199 Genera. This is a major update that includes revisions of the family classification as well as species taxonomy.
Updates from version 1.7 to version 2.0 (see below) include:
SPECIES
Added: Newly described and splits - 25; Conversions (PS to AS) - 226
Deleted: To PS List - 54; Lumps and other - 8
English Name Changes : 26
Range Changes: 13
Revisions of Genera – 190
CLASSIFICATION
Overview
Addition of 9 Orders and 33 Families
Revisions of Old World Warbler families
Resequenced families of suboscines to align with SACC Classification
FAMILY INDEX
A separate Index to the 224 Families with links to the appropriate HTML page of the IOC World List and also links of the Orders to corresponding pages in the Tree of Life project.