Thanks, Phil, for keeping us updated.

Bill Ellis
Eldersburg
Carroll County

-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Phil Davis
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 7:10 PM
To: 
Subject: [MDOSPREY] AOU Checklist 45th Supplement Summary


MD Osprey / Chatters:

The 45th Supplement to the AOU Checklist is now out. It was
published in
the July 2004 issue of the Auk 121(3):985-995. For those not
familiar with
the AOU Checklist, it governs taxonomy (including splits/lumps,
common
names, scientific names, and order) of North American species.
Note that
the ABA Checklist is what governs the publication of the ABA
listers
totals; the ABA typically issues their own report subsequent to
the release
of AOU supplements.

Highlights (pertaining only to north of the Mexico border):

1. The species Great-winged Petrel has been added to the
checklist, based
on west coast pelagic records.

2. Cackling Goose has been split and is now a separate species
from Canada
Goose:

a. Cackling Goose (Anser hutchinsii) [the small forms] includes
the former
Canada Goose subspecies hutchinsii [Richarson's], asiatica
[Bering-extinct?], leucopareia [Aleutian], taverneri [part of the
Lesser
complex], and minima.

b. Canada Goose (Anser canadensis) now includes the subspecies
canadensis
[Atlantic], interior [Interior], maxima [Giant], moffitti
[Moffit's],
parvipes [the other part of the Lesser complex], fulva
[Vancouver], and
occidentalis [Dusky].

The Checklist committee telegraphs that more splits of this
complex may be
yet to come. [The separation of the Lesser complex may present a
field
challenge.] For a good treatment of Canada Goose subspecies
(prior to the
release of this supplement), check Angus Wilson's web site at ...

         http://www.oceanwanderers.com/CAGO.Subspecies.html


3. The common name Mongolian Plover is now Lesser Sand-plover, to
agree
with modern Old World literature.

4. Greater Sand-plover is added to the main checklist, based on
the
record  from California.

5. The common name Spoonbill Sandpiper has been changed to
Spoon-billed
Sandpiper.

6. The common name Jungle Nightjar has been changed to Gray
Nightjar to
agree with modern Old World literature.

7. Willow Warbler has been moved from the Appendix and added to
the main
checklist, based on the record from Gambell, AK.

8. Lesser Whitethroat is added to the checklist, based on the
record from
Gambell, AK.

9. The common name of Siberian Flycatcher has been changed to
Dark-sided
Flycatcher to agree with modern Old World literature.

10. The common name of Gray-spotted Flycatcher has been changed
to
Gray-streaked Flycatcher to agree with modern Old World
literature.

11. Spotted Flycatcher has been added to the checklist base on
the record
from Gambell, AK.

12. The western Alaska subspecies of Yellow Wagtail has been
split from the
Yellow Wagtail complex and now appears on the checklist as the
Eastern
Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla tschutschensis). (This is the only
"yellow"
wagtail on the AOU checklist.)

13. Rufous-tailed Robin has been added to the appendix (not the
main
checklist) based on a record from Attu.

14. Blue Rock Thrush has been added to the appendix (not the main
checklist) based on a record from British Columbia.

15. There are numerous changes to scientific names.


Phil


==================================
Phil Davis      Davidsonville, Maryland     USA
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==================================