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Re: Today's ABA birding blog

From:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Reply-To:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Date:

Fri, 1 Apr 2011 08:59:04 -0500

People seem to think that ABA matters.  ABA hasn't mattered in 15-20 years
> as far as I'm concerned.  So don't worry Jim, we won't shoot you.
>
> Norm and all,

Perhaps the ABA doesn't matter but if you read the article, this all comes
(in advance via the ABA) from the AOU, which, sadly, does matter because
they think they rule all things Ornithological. We are going thru the usual
round of lumping and splitting that has listers erasing and adding checks
every year. Why they keep wavering back and forth on these matters is what
gets me. Folks, they are doing it again. Get ready (again) for Northern
Orioles, Rufous-sided Towhees and, are you ready?, - Lazuli and Indigo
Buntings will become one. They didn't give a name for that one. However they
are splitting Slate-colored and Oregon Juncos. Yippee.

I think the problem comes from factions within the AOU. They can't agree on
a definition for what a species is and whenever one side dominates the
committee that decides these matters, the other side has their nose out of
joint until they come into power. Kinda like Democrats and Republicans. You
know that if one faction usurps power, that certain things will change. You
would think that in this age of genetic research that by now they would have
decided what constitutes a species. Just look at the genetic "fingerprint"
and agree that a certain amount of overlap is acceptable within separate
species. However nobody can seem to decide what is acceptable and the line
keeps moving.

Off my soapbox for now. I know this all sounds strange coming from a
non-lister, but unfortunately I live with one and her list just shrunk
again. I haven't got the heart to tell her. Somebody out there want to do it
for me?

Jerry Tarbell
Living with a shrunken list in Carroll County

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