The information below includes the date and a brief description of each significant change, a link to the relevant page, and that page's new version number. Neither minor spelling corrections nor additions to the references are noted on this page.

IOC Engligh Names

Although I started with the Howard-Moore list, I am now using the IOC list as a baseline. Every species gets an IOC-style name. That doesn't mean its the only name, or that it exactly matches the IOC name. A bit over 4% of the species have two names. This usually happens because of differences between the IOC name and the AOU name (NACC or SACC). In such cases, I usually give the IOC name second. A few other non-IOC names have also been retained.

Some IOC-style names don't exactly match the true IOC name due to differences in taxonomy. For example, IOC recognizes two species of Laniisoma—Brazilian Laniisoma and Andean Laniisoma. In this case, I currently follow SACC taxonomy which has only one Laniisoma. However, their English name is entirely different (Shrike-like Cotinga). Keeping in mind that the species has been known as the Elegant Mourner, I added the IOC-ish English name Elegant Laniisoma.

The IOC-style names have been fully Americanized (gray, not grey; AOU-style hyphenation). I'm also a little more aggressive than AOU in adding hyphens to break up words that don't scan well. I'm also more agressive than IOC at removing hyphens when they seem unnecessary. They may not always look the same, but they are pronounced the same. In a few cases where proper names are used as adjectives by the IOC, and an adjectival form is available, I substituted the adjectival form (e.g., Madagascan for Madagascar).

Comparison with IOC list

As of March 7, 2010, the TIF list contains 10414 species. Removing the 85 extinct species not included by IOC brings the TIF list to 10329. The actual differences between the lists involve fewer than 200 extant species (66 non-IOC species added, 121 IOC species removed). Of the 121 species on the IOC 2.4 list that I have not included, over 70% are New World species that neither of the AOU committees has accepted. I will be gradually be reconsidering these. Some of the rest are species from the Sibley-Monroe list that were not included on either the Howard-Moore or BirdLife International lists. Adding all of the extras would bring the TIF list to 10450 species, 66 more than the IOC list. Of those 66, 24 are on IOC's proposed split list, 4 have been recently removed, leaving 38 other splits or new species.

Spreadsheets

An enhanced Version 4 of Stephen Nawrocki's excel spreadsheet of the TIF world list is now available (Jan. 5, 2010). Four lists are also available in csv format:

The ABA and AOU lists include only ABA or AOU species, but in TiF order. The South American list has a slightly different species list than the AOU's SACC working list.

Archives

The updates for 2008 and 2009 have been archived separately.

March 2010

March 5

I've added Monte Tyrannulet / Gray-crowned Tyrannulet, Serpophaga griseicapilla, to the list. It was previously referred to as Serpophaga griseiceps, but the type of griseiceps was actually a juvenile of S. munda (Herzog and Mazur Barnett, 2004). Straneck (2007) gave it the name S. griseiceps. It has been referred to as Gray-crowned Tyrannulet, but SACC proposal #419 prefers Monte Tyrannulet, which is also in use.

The Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata, is split into Myrtle Warbler, Dendroica coronata, Audubon's Warbler, Dendroica auduboni, Black-fronted Warbler, Dendroica nigrifrons, and Goldman's Warbler, Dendroica goldmani. See Milá et al. (2007) and Brelsford and Irwin (2009). This also causes a slight change in the ordering of the Dendroica as bigger clades are listed last. The Yellow-rumped clade just got bigger.
[Parulidae, Core Passeroidea III, 2.53]

March 2

There are several IOC splits in the pipeline (for version 2.4) based on the forthcoming 4th edition of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand's checklist.

New Zealand Snipe, Coenocorypha aucklandica has been split into Subantarctic Snipe, Coenocorypha aucklandica, South Island Snipe, Coenocorypha iredalei, and Snares Snipe, Coenocorypha huegeli. They have also been rearranged slightly. See Baker et al. (2010) and Worthy et al. (2002).
[Scolopacidae, Charadriiformes, 2.53]

The two splits in the New Zealand Wattlebirds have also been recognized in HBW-14. The Kokako, Callaeas cinereus, is split into North Island Kokako, Callaeas wilsoni, and the recently extinct South Island Kokako, Callaeas cinereus. See also Double and Murphy (2002). The Saddleback, Philesturnus carunculatus is split into North Island Saddleback, Philesturnus rufusater, and South Island Saddleback, Philesturnus carunculatus.
[Callaeidae, Basal Passerida, 2.53]

There are two other IOC changes for version 2.4 that I'm adopting. One is to split Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Macropygia amboinensis, into Slender-billed Cuckoo-Dove, Macropygia amboinensis, and Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Macropygia phasianella. This matches the treatment in HBW-4, with symmetric treatment of the allospecies.
[Columbidae, Metaves I, 2.53]

The other change is based on Nguembock et al. (2008c). Tropical Boubou, Laniarius aethiopicus, is split into Tropical Boubou, Laniarius major, and Ethiopian Boubou, Laniarius aethiopicus. Based on Nguembock et al.'s results, I would expect more changes for this genus in the future.
[Malaconotidae, Corvida I, 2.55]

Based on VanderWerf (2007) and VanderWerf et al. (2010), the Elepaio, Chasiempis sandwichensis, is split into Kauai Elepaio, Chasiempis sclateri, Oahu Elepaio, Chasiempis ibidis, and Hawaii Elepaio, Chasiempis sandwichensis. AOU is currently considering this split.
[Monarchidae, Corvida II, 2.58]

March 1

Black Scoter, Melanitta nigra is split into Common Scoter, Melanitta nigra, and Black Scoter, Melanitta americana. See Sangster (2009), who shows that the breeding vocalizations are different. This change is under consideration by AOU, and has been accepted by BOU and IOC.
[Anatidae, Paleognaths and Anseriformes, 2.53]

The Blue-crowned Motmot, Momotus momota, is split into 6 species based on a combination of Witt (2004) and Stiles (2009). The species are Blue-crowned Motmot, Momotus coeruliceps (NE Mexico); Blue-diademed Motmot, Momotus lessonii (Middle America); Amazonian Motmot, Momotus momota (Amazon basin); Silver-banded Motmot, Momotus argenticinctus (W Ecuador and NW Peru); Trinidad Motmot, Momotus bahamensis (Trinidad and Tobago); and Whooping Motmot, Momotus subrufescens (E Panama and NW South America).
[Momotidae, Anomalogonates I, 2.55]

February 2010

February 23

Northern Boobook, Ninox japonica, and Chocolate Boobook, Ninox randi, are split from Brown Hawk-Owl, Ninox scutulata. See King (2002). These are on the IOC's accepted split list for the next edition, version 2.4.
[Strigidae, Anomalogonates I, 2.54]

The Hepatic Tanager, Piranga flava, is split into three species: Lowland Hepatic-Tanager / Red Tanager, Piranga flava, Northern Hepatic-Tanager / Hepatic Tanager, Piranga hepatica, and Highland Hepatic-Tanager / Tooth-billed Tanager, Piranga lutea. These have frequently been considered distinct species and are so treated in many regional guidebooks. Burns (1998) found genetic differences between the three in the range typical of species, not subspecies.

February 21

Although the three groups in the Lampornis castaneoventris complex appear to have only recently separated (see García-Moreno et al., 2006), there seems to be little hybridization (see Stiles and Skutch, 1989; Schuchmann, 1999). This suggests that they are best considered three species. Accordingly, I follow IOC and Stiles and Skutch (1989) rather than AOU, splitting Gray-tailed Mountain-gem, Lampornis cinereicauda from White-throated Mountain-gem, Lampornis castaneoventris.

Doubleday's Hummingbird, Cynanthus doubledayi, is split from Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris. These two taxa have easily distinguished plumage, and in spite of the fact that their ranges abut one another, seem to be reciprocally monophyletic (García-Deras et al., 2008). In short, they appear to be distinct species, as treated by IOC, HBW-5 (Schuchmann, 1999), and Howell and Webb (1995), but not AOU.

The Streamertail, Trochilus polytmus, is split into Red-billed Streamertail, Trochilus polytmus, and Black-billed Streamertail, Trochilus scitulus. The AOU maintains these as one species, but Gill et al. (1973) provides evidence of a narrow hybrid zone. Accordingly, I've decided to follow the IOC and HBW-5 (Schuchmann, 1999) on this one.

Finally, I've combined Schuchmann's treatment of the Trochilini with McGuire et al. (2007, 2009) in an attempt to deal with the tangled situation of Amazilia and its allies.
[Trochilidae, Apodiformes, 2.54]

February 19

Coiba Spinetail, Cranioleuca dissita is split from Rusty-backed Spinetail, Cranioleuca vulpina. In this case I'm following IOC rather than AOU. Although the two species look quite similar, there's an obvious difference in the song, which is usually enough to distinguish furnariids. I'm not sure why AOU has these lumped.
[Furnariidae, Furnariida II, 2.56]

February 16

The sequence of hummingbirds did not match the csv files. It has been corrected.
[Trochilidae, Apodiformes, 2.53]

February 11

Following HBW-14, Tablas Drongo, Dicrurus menagei, Sumatran Drongo, Dicrurus sumatranus, and Wallacean Drongo, Dicrurus densus are split from Hair-crested Drongo, Dicrurus hottentottus. The drongos have been reordered using Pasquet et al. (2007).
[Dicruridae, Corvida II, 2.57]

I've made various corrections to the scientific names. Genus spelling: Gliciphila melanops (Meliphagidae) Spelling of specific epithet: Megapodius forsteni (Megapodiidae), Ptilinopus greyi (Columbidae) Chrysococcyx meyerii (Cuculidae), Heterotetrax rueppelii (Otididae), Oriolus brachyrynchus (Oriolidae), Epimachus fastosus (Paradisaeidae), Urocissa erythroryncha (Corvidae), Zosterops leucophaeus (Zosteropidae), Anthreptes aurantius (Nectariniidae), Ploceus dichrocephalus (Ploceidae), Icterus jamacaii (Icteridae). Gender corrections: Ispidina picta, Corythornis cristatus, Ceyx pusillus, Ceyx azureus, Ceyx cyanopectus, and Ceyx argentatus (all Alcedinidae).

February 10

The pairs Royal Penguin, Eudyptes schlegeli/Macaroni Penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus and Fiordland Penguin, Eudyptes pachyrhynchus/Snares Penguin, Eudyptes robustus are split. Based on Peucker et al. (2009), the Little and White-flippered Penguins are not split. However, I'm going out on a limb and making a different split of Eudyptula minor into Little Penguin, Eudyptula novaehollandiae, and Blue Penguin, Eudyptula minor.
[Spheniscidae, Pelecanae II, 2.53]

There are two splits in the pittas, bringing the list in better agreement with IOC and BLI. Sula Pitta, Erythropitta dohertyi is split from Blue-banded Pitta, Erythropitta arquata, and Black-crowned Pitta, Erythropitta ussheri is treated as separate from both Garnet Pitta, Erythropitta granatina, and Graceful Pitta, Erythropitta venusta.
[Pittidae, Passeriformes I, 2.51]

Krabbe and Cadena (2010) have found that the Paramo Tapaculo consists of two species, Scytalopus canus and S. opacus. The name Paramo Tapaculo is retained by S. opacus, while S. canus becomes Paramillo Tapaculo.
[Rhinocryptidae, Furnariida II, 2.55]

The Acanthizidae have been completely rearranged at the genus level based on Gardner et al. (2010). I've also reposistioned the Pardalotidae as sister to Acanthizidae.
[Acanthizidae, Paracorvids, 2.53]

Violet Crow, Corvus violaceus is split from Slender-billed Crow, Corvus enca. See Rheindt and Hutchinson (2007).
[Corvidae, Corvida II, 2.56]

I've made some changes to the order in the swallows.
[Hirundinidae, Sylvioidea I, 2.52]

Buru Golden Bulbul, Thapsinillas mysticalis is split from Seram Golden-Bulbul, Thapsinillas affinis. See Rheindt and Hutchinson (2007).
[Pycnonotidae, Sylvioidea II, 2.58]

February 6

Han et al. (2010) established the genus name Gactornis for the Collared Nightjar (formerly Caprimulgus enarratus). Based on their results and vocal differences, Mexican Whip-poor-will, Antrostomus arizonae, is split from Whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus.
[Caprimulgidae, Metaves II, 2.53]

January 2010

January 31

I've put the sandgrouse and mesites in their own orders (Pterocliformes and Mesitornithiformes) rather than keep them hidden with the pigeons and doves. The idea is that these are deep divisions in the avian tree, and that there is too much uncertainty about whether they actually form a clade to keep them in a single order. Right now, I have a few more orders than I would prefer, but the cases I'd like to lump together all have some uncertainty hanging over them. With the new arrangement, I have reasonable confidence that the orders are all monophyletic. This change does not affect the linear species order at all.
[Metaves I, 2.52]

I made some minor rearrangements of the long-tailed tits based on Päckert et al. (2010). Their results also suggest Aegithalos concinnus should be split, but due to limited taxon sampling, they stop short of recommending this.
[Aegithalidae, Sylvioidea II, 2.57]

January 23

Zuccon and Ericson (2010b) have found that Neolestes is a bulbul after all, so it is removed from the Incertae sedis basket and returned to Pycnonotidae. They also present a bulbul phylogeny based on more genes than previous analyses. This led to some adjustments in the ordering of the bulbuls, and the separation of several Pycnonotus species in genus Rubigula.
[Pycnonotidae, Sylvioidea II, 2.56]

Following the recommendations of Zuccon and Ericson (2010a), I've lumped the Amber Mountain Rock-Thrush, Monticola erythronotus, and Benson's Rock-Thrush, Monticola bensoni, into Forest Rock-Thrush, Monticola sharpei; moved White-winged Cliff-Chat from Thamnolaea to Monticola; and split the Red-bellied Rock-Thrush, Monticola philippensis, from the Blue Rock-Thrush, Monticola solitarius.
[Muscicapidae, Muscicapoidea II, 2.53]

Some time ago I had substituted Anthodiaeta in place of Hedydipna, following corrigenda-8 to the Howard and Moore checklist (Dickinson et al., 2003). However, this change seems to be incorrect, See Alan Peterson's analysis at zoonomen.net and the discussion on BirdForum. Accordingly, I've restored Hedydipna.
[Nectariniidae, Basal Passeroidea, 2.51]

January 8

Continuing the minor corrections, Tyranneutes chrysocephalum has been corrected to Tyranneutes chrysocephalus (Tyranneutes is masculine).
[Pipridae, Tyrannida I, 2.51a]
and Greater Amakihi, which was listed variously as being in Hemignathus and Viridonia is now consistently in Viridonia.
Fringillidae, Core Passeroidea II, 2.51a]

January 6

The scientific name of Maghreb Lark has been corrected to Galerida macrorhyncha. See van Steenis (2008). I've also updated the csv file to reflect this.
[Alaudidae, Sylvioidea I, 2.51a]

January 5

Stephen Nawrocki has updated and enhanced his excel spreadsheet of the TIF world list, reflecting all updates to the TIF list through January 4, 2010.