The standard source for CBN (and I understand
for all COG official publications) is Christidis and Boles (1994). When I took
over as co-editor in 1998 I was advised that this was a decision ratified by a previous
COG committee. To the best of my knowledge, I have erred from that path once
inadvertently and twice deliberately, to follow an author’s preference
for common English names used in HANZAB 7, on the understanding that they would
be sanctioned by the new Christidis and Boles. But as that has not appeared,
and/or until directed otherwise, I shall continue to follow Christidis and
Boles (1994). My personal preference would be to use the common English names I
was brought up with – Brown Warblers and the like. But even I accept that
such a practice may cause confusion, hence I have desisted. I suggest that we
maintain the above policy until the new C&B appears, then watch the ensuing
debates, then request the Rarities Panel as advised by their consultants to suggest
a revised policy to the COG committee. Barbara Allan, editor CBN
From: Geoffrey Dabb
[
Sent: Monday, 5 February 2007 9:44
AM
To: 'COG Lists Manager';
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Koel
Yes, a hearty well-done to all concerned.
I am uneasy about anyone telling anyone else their use of a name is
‘wrong’. (See ‘DIDACTICISM’ in Fowler’s
Modern English Usage, first ed). I have the following questions:
Are not the names in CWMC&W merely
proposals?
What is the standard source for species
and names used at the present moment by editors/managers of (a) CBN (b)
Gang-gang (c) Emu (d) Wingspan (e) CSIRO Publishing (f) the electronic version
of COG’s list of local birds (g) COG’s reporting forms?
What is the reason for the choice of
source in each case?
What standard source for species and names
is recommended for this list by the COG Lists Manager?
From: COG Lists
Manager [
Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2007
6:04 PM
To:
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] Koel
One of the many great achievement of Mark Clayton and his colleagues in
producing the volume Clayton, M, Wombey, JC, Mason, IJ, Chesser, RT &
Wells, A 2006, CSIRO list of Australian
vertebrates: a reference with conservation status, 2nd edn, (CSIRO
Publishing, Collingwood, Vic.) is updating the species list of birds, and the
English name for some where the species is not changed but an English name
change is warranted. Some of the changes were published a couple of years ago
in Shodde & Mason's Directory -
though passerines only there.
Name changes of species that we have in the ACT that I spotted when Mark's book
was published, updating Christidis & Boles 1994, are:
- Pacific Koel - was
Common Koel - different species
- Australian Reed Warbler
- was Clamorous Reed-Warbler - different species
- Australian Pipit - was
Richard's Pipit - different species
- Horsfield's Bushlark -
was Singing Bushlark - different English name tho same species
- Eurasian Skylark - was
Skylark - different English name tho same species
Any other changes to the
ACT birds, Mark?
Also ... I wonder if the mention of the Oriental Skylark as being a vagrant/accidental
in the ACT is a typo, or if there is a local record not generally known about?
And another also:- I note that Milburn (and many others) refer to the
Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus as
Pacific Swift, but HANZAB and Clayton et al. do not follow suit. Considering
that its range includes not only the Pacific but also India, Sri Lanka,
Tibet, Mongolia, inland China,
not to mention SE Asia and Western
Australia, perhaps Fork-tailed is preferable?
David
At 08:55 2/02/2007, Paul Fennell
wrote:
Wots a Pacific Koel then? I thought
they were seldom pacified.
Paul Fennell
Database Manager
Canberra Ornithologists Group
0407 105 460
02 6254 1804
25 Pickles St
Scullin ACT 2614
From: Mark Clayton
Sent: Thursday, 1 February 2007
8:27 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Koel
Evening all,
At 20 past 8 this evening a Pacific Koel was calling very close to my Kaleen
yard.
Cheers, Mark
