Oh, the number of species is higher than that, even under the Biological
Species Concept. Sibley and Monroe, in their monumental 1990 work, enumerated
9,672 species, but their 1996 update already contained 9,946 species. And more
recently (1998), M.G. Wells, in his 'World Bird Species Checklist: with
alternative English and scientific names', lists 9,951 species.
So, I think it is rather safe to say that there are around 10,000 modern bird
species in the world.
Paul Van Gasse
Kruibeke, Belgium
-----Original Message-----
From: Julian Bielewicz [SMTP:
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 1999 10:03 AM
To: Annette Cooke
Cc:
Subject: Re: No of bird species in world
Annette:
I'd get ready to buy your friend that bottle of good (Australian) wine.
The exact number of world species remains a little debatabe and depends on
which authority you follow BUT they all agree at around 9000 (eg Handbook of
the Birds of the World).
Julian
>I had always thought that there was something like 1200 species in the world.
Australia alone come in at around 800 these days and Africa and South
America overshadow even that!
Julian
....................
Julian Bielewicz
Past President
Queensland Ornithological Society
12 Florence Street
Kippa-Ring, Q. 4021
Australia
Tel: +61 7 3283 4921
Fax: +61 7 3889 4272
email:
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