Ohio birders may be interested in some potential changes to our bird checklists, based on the most recent set of proposals to the AOS (formerly AOU) checklist committee. The full set of proposals can be read at this link: http://checklist.aou.org/assets/proposals/PDF/2017-C.pdf The splits of Brown Creeper and Bell's Vireo described there won't change the number of species possible in Ohio, since the southwestern forms of those two complexes are extremely unlikely ever to show up in this part of the country. (But if they're split, the English names of our local forms might change.) However, if Nashville Warbler is split, we'll have to look at these birds a lot more closely, since the western form certainly could stray here in migration. Perhaps most interesting locally is the proposed lump of Iceland Gull and Thayer's Gull -- a move that, in the opinions of many, is long overdue. It's worthwhile to go to the link and read the full account about this situation. The back story on the research that led to the current status of Thayer's is truly astounding. The outline of that story has been well known to gull experts for more than 25 years, but until now I don't think it has been published anywhere that would be readily accessible to most birders. None of these proposed changes will be official until the AOS committee votes on them, but it's good to know some of the rationale ahead of time. If Thayer's and Iceland gulls are lumped, it will free us up to simply enjoy the extreme amount of variation in these birds without having to try to separate them into two (artificial?) categories. Kenn Kaufman Oak Harbor, OH ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]