birding-aus

BARC Checklist

To: "'John Tongue'" <>, "'Robert Inglis'" <>
Subject: BARC Checklist
From: "Tony Palliser" <>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2013 23:38:50 +1000
Well put John,  I agree it is a matter of taste and personal interests.  I
get the feeling there is a tendency towards the IOC or Clements for those
with international interests and those more interested in Australia and
conservation may wish to adopt the new Australian BirdLife list.  (I was
surprised to see that it did not match the International BirdLife list
though). 

Bob to answer your question as to why BARC is utilizing the IOC is quite
easy to answer:  (1) Christidis & Boles recommended that we follow it back
in 2006 (2)  It is the list most commonly used internationally along with
Clements (3)  It is the list more appropriate to use when dealing with new
birds for Australia  (4) It is the only international list that has advisors
listed from Australia (namely: Phil Gregory, Leo Joseph, Dick Schodde &
Murray Lord & Peter Higgins) (5) We had no argument from Birds Australia (as
it was then known) when we suggested this is what we were going to do back
in 2006 and (6) clearly it remains the most dynamic and up to date,
something we have all been longing for.

That said, from a BARC point of view I cannot think of any species right now
that would be impacted anyway? So again for the most part this is just
personal preference which list you would like to use.

Regards,
Tony







-----Original Message-----
From: 
 On Behalf Of John Tongue
Sent: Tuesday, 2 July 2013 10:48 PM
To: Robert Inglis
Cc: Birding-Aus
Subject: BARC Checklist

Not sure there is much point in stressing about it.  The Australian Birding
fraternity have always used a variety of taxonomies, for different reasons
and with different purposes.  The closest we have come to a "unified" list
was when many followed C&B (while it was current).  As that is no longer
being updated, it will become of less and less relevance, and others have
ably pointed out many of the competing considerations to take into account
in 'adopting' another.  I suspect we will probably never come as close again
to having a 'standard' taxonomy, and most will just adopt that which works
best for their purposes, and get used to 'translating' across lists.

Life is too short - and there are too many birds to enjoy - to stress about
it.

Just my thoughts.

Cheers,
John Tongue
Ulverstone, Tas.


On 02/07/2013, at 7:06 PM, Robert Inglis wrote:

> Thank you David James.
> 
> I have been sitting here (as it were) becoming more and more agitated,
frantic, despairing, confused, annoyed, thinking of a large brandy as I have
been reading all these postings about the various taxonomies that various
birders are using for their own esoteric reasons while, at the same time,
wondering just what Birdlife Australia is thinking.
> I wait with bated (which my much loved and ancient Chambers Twentieth
Century Dictionary tells me is the same as "Abated" meaning "to lessen; to
deduct from; to mitigate; to put an end to [I like that one], do away with,
as of an action or a nuisance, to render null, as a writ")  breath to see
the "explanation to the introduction about why BARC uses the IOC checklist
for its purposes".
> 
> I am also trying to visualise those hardy and much admired soles who are
currently working on (at least, I am hoping they are still working on) new
"Australian Bird Field Guides" but wondering which taxonomy they should be
using. Poor soles. My heart goes out to you.
> 
> I could go on but ............
> 
> Bob Inglis
> Sandstone Point
> Queensland
> 
> Sent from my very tolerant and long suffering desktop PC of mongrel
design.
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