A recent taxonomy update, posted to OKBirds by my spouse, Steve Schafer:

Given the interest in the recent discussion on this list of the
systematics of the Yellow-rumped Warbler, I thought I'd summarize some
of the more interesting changes that have either been recently approved
by the AOU Check-List Committee, or will be so in the very near future:

1) The most surprising of the changes is the discovery of a new species
of yellowlegs (genus _Tringa_), right beneath our noses, so to speak.
Genetic research has revealed that the larger, longer-billed individuals
of what have previously been thought to be Lesser Yellowlegs (_T.
flavipes_), along with the smaller, shorter-billed individuals of what
have previously been considered Greater Yellowlegs (_T. melanoleuca_),
are actually both members of a third species, now known as Middler
Yellowlegs (_T. intermedia_).

2) Gull taxonomy has undergone some radical changes. There are now five
species of _Larus_ gull. Total. In the whole world. They are:

 _L. melanodorsum_   - Black-backed Gull
 _L. poliomaximus_   - Large Gray-backed Gull
 _L. poliomedianus_  - Medium Gray-backed Gull
 _L. poliominimus_   - Small Gray-backed Gull
 _L. allothersi_     - Black-headed Gull-of-Any-Size

3) You may have heard that genetic evidence has shown that birds in the
genus _Piranga_ (our North American tanagers, plus a couple of Central
and South American species), aren't really tanagers, but rather
cardinals. Conversely, South American cardinals of the genus _Paroaria_,
including the Yellow-billed Cardinal (_P. capitata_) and Red-crested
Cardinal (_P. coronata_), both introduced to and established in Hawai'i,
are actually tanagers. Well, it seems that the ornithologists involved
in the original classification of these birds aren't too happy about
admitting their error, which has been described as a form of "bait and
switch." Unfortunately, they also have a lot of seniority in the
community, and collectively carry quite a bit of clout. So, in a fine
CYA move, they have reached a compromise, destined to please no one,
wherein the English names of the _Piranga_ species will henceforth be
"{descriptive} Tanager-Cardinal," while those of _Paroaria_ will be
"{descriptive} Cardinal-Tanager."

Or maybe it's the other way around.

4) Speaking of tanagers, the bird formerly known as Stripe-headed
Tanager (genus _Spindalis_), and currently known as Western Spindalis
(_S. zena_), has received a new English name: Western Stripe-headed
Passeroid. The rationale for the change, according to one ornithologist
close to the checklist revision process, was "Well, we have no idea what
it really is, and what the hell kind of name is 'Western Spindalis,'
anyway?" That same ornithologist offered no comment in reply to the
observation that "Western Stripe-Headed Passeroid" was hardly any
better.

5) Finally, there were some gasps heard in the ornithological community
a few years back when Least Pygmy-Owl (genus _Glaucidium_) underwent a
five-way split, and birders across North America have been uneasy ever
since it was announced that Red Crossbill (genus _Loxia_) may consist of
as many as ten separate species in North America alone, with another
half-dozen or more occurring in Eurasia. Those records have now been
shattered by the upcoming split of Song Sparrow (genus _Melospiza_) into
twenty-three species:

 _M. adusta_     - Rio Lerma Song-Sparrow
 _M. atlantica_  - Atlantic Coast Song-Sparrow
 _M. caurina_    - Yakutat Song-Sparrow
 _M. cleonensis_ - Cascade Song-Sparrow
 _M. fallax_     - Desert Song-Sparrow
 _M. goldmani_   - El Salto Song-Sparrow
 _M. gouldii_    - Northern California Song-Sparrow
 _M. graminea_   - Channel Islands Song-Sparrow (endangered)
 _M. heermanni_  - Southern California Song-Sparrow (includes one
                   near-threatened subspecies)
 _M. insignis_   - Bischoff Song-Sparrow
 _M. kenaiensis_ - Kenai Song-Sparrow
 _M. maxillaris_ - Suisun Song-Sparrow (near-threatened)
 _M. maxima_     - Giant Song-Sparrow
 _M. melodia_    - Eastern Song-Sparrow
 _M. mexicana_   - Puebla Song-Sparrow
 _M. montana_    - Plains Song-Sparrow
 _M. morphna_    - Northwestern Song-Sparrow
 _M. pusillula_  - Alameda Song-Sparrow (threatened)
 _M. rivularis_  - Baja California Song-Sparrow
 _M. rufina_     - Sooty Song-Sparrow
 _M. samuelis_   - San Pablo Song-Sparrow (near-threatened)
 _M. sanaka_     - Aleutian Song-Sparrow
 _M. villai_     - Toluca Song-Sparrow

Interestingly, all of the endangered, threatened and near-threatened
populations are in California, and four of the five are in or near the
San Francisco Bay Area. So, gas up the RV and head out there, before
it's too late.

-Steve


Janet S. Duerr, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
241 Life Sciences Research Facility
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
Tel.:740-597-1921(office)
Tel.:740-597-1923(lab)
FAX:740-593-0300

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