Hi all,
I see that Ken Simpson, in his latest version (7th Edition, 2004) of the
"Simpson and Day Field
Guide to the Birds of Australia" has changed the English name of Figbird (in
Australia) to
"Australasian Figbird" and the species name from Sphecotheres viridis to S.
vieilloti.
He notes:
"Former species name viridis now confined to a population of smaller figbirds
in Indonesia (East
Lesser Sunda area). Name 'Australasian Figbird' proposed for separate
Austro-Papuan superspecies
group (based on Schodde and Mason, 1999)."
Has this been accepted?
When?
Who 'proposed' the English name (I'm not objecting!)?
My 2000 edition (the first) of the "Michael Morcombe Field Guide to Australian
Birds" still has the
old names as does "The New Atlas Of Australian Birds" (2003).
I don't have the 7th (!) edition of "The Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight Field
Guide to the Birds of
Australia" so I don't know which names are used there.
Naturally, the 1994 monograph: "The Taxonomy and Species of Birds of Australia
and Its Territories"
has the 'old' names.
Can anyone reveal which English name and species names will be used in the
relevant volume of the
"Handbook of Australian New Zealand and Antarctic Birds" (HANZAB)?
As I understand it, HANZAB originally began by using classifications and
nomenclature based on
Condon's "Checklist of the Birds of Australia, Part 1 (1975)" and Kinsky's
"Annotated Checklist of
the Birds of New Zealand (1970)".
>From Vol 3 the taxonomy and nomenclature was changed to follow the revised
>*species* list of
Christidis and Boles (with some qualifications).
It appears that from Vol 4 details of *subspecies* and *subspecific*
nomenclature began to follow
Schodde and Mason (1997), again with qualifications.
In 2000 the "Directory of Australian Birds, Passerines" (DAB) by Schodde and
Mason was published and
this was used as an aid in the preparation of HANZAB Vol 5 (2001) and Vol 6
(2002). Christidis and
Boles were still followed for *families* and *species* with some 'departures'
(e.g., some grasswrens
and the 'Little' Wattlebird). I presume these 'departures' were as a result of
acceptance of the
*subspecies* arrangements in the DAB (Schodde & Boles).
Therefore, if the same 'plan' is followed for HANZAB Vol 7, 'Simpson and Day
Edition 7' will prove
to be correct.
This seems to be a prime example of why it is necessary to acquire the latest
versions of each of
the Australian bird field guides?
Especially if there is a perceived need to accurately label photographs.
Now to check all of the other species...................
Cheers
Bob Inglis
Woody Point
Queensland
Australia
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