birding-aus

World Checklists, Grasswrens and such

To:
Subject: World Checklists, Grasswrens and such
From:
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2011 22:56:11 EST
Yes it does!  Fortunately, I keep my lists on a computer program that  
sorts most of it out for me, at least with periodic updating and some fussing  
(like I still have to update for the recent split between the American and  
European Winter wrens).
 
 
In a message dated 1/3/2011 10:49:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
 writes:

So you  have the situation which applies here - keeping domestic lists 
according to  one taxonomy and international ones according to a different one. 
Gets very  confusing!

On 4 January 2011 14:31, <  > wrote:


Hi again.
 
Just wanted to clarify how things work in the U.S.  
 
A U.S. birder keeping lists under ABA rules has to keep a world  list in 
accordance with three authorities:
 
1.  The ABA checklist for birds within the ABA area (U.S. (except  Hawaii), 
Canada and some offshore bits).
 
2.  The American Ornithologists Union checklist for birds in its  area but 
outside the ABA.
 
3.  The Clements list for birds outside the AOU area.
 
In practice, the ABA follows the AOU on matters of taxonomy, and mostly  
makes decisions on whether an ABA record is acceptable or whether an exotic  
population has become established.
 
Most of the griping seems to be about Clements, who tends to  be rather 
conservative.
 
Each of these publications is updated on a fairly regular basis.
 
Eric Jeffrey
 

 

 
In a message dated 1/3/2011 10:22:07 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
   writes:

Hi  everyone,  


I agree with what is being said in this discussion.


C & B have, I believe, publicly stated that they are not going to  publish 
a new edition of their book. More than a new checklist, what I  think is 
needed now is for some organisation to accept responsibility for  maintaing the 
Australian checklist, post C & B - or adopting a new  one.


Perhaps BOCA and BA, as the "recognised organisations" in Australian  
birding would accept this role? 



I would add that both BOCA and BA are currently participating in the  
Birdlife International "Important Bird Area" project. For the purposes of  the 
project the Birdlife International checklist is being used, not  Systematics 
and Taxonomy of Australian Birds, Christidis & Boles  (2008). Perhaps BA and 
BOCA could adopt the Birdlife International  checklist for all their 
projects, not just the IBA project?



cheers


Jenny




On Tue, Jan 4, 2011 at 1:44 PM, Dave Torr < 
 > wrote:

That is correct - the "official" list (C&B) was  not published by a birding
organisation and the interval between  issues is rather lengthy.

I personally do not think there is a  role for a local committee to decide 
on
the merits of splits/lumps -  as this soon leads to the local list being
mis-aligned with  International lists. Currently we have a committee (BARC)
that rules  on new records. My feeling is that Aussie birders should  agree
(probably via the major organisations) to accept one  international list and
go with that for better or worse! We can then  spend a long time arguing
which list to accept. (If the proposed  merger happens between the two major
organisations - BA and BOCA -  the combined organisation will become 
BirdLife
Australia. BirdLife  International of course published a checklist, so
whether such an  organisation would be obliged to use that list is a matter
for yet  more debate!)



On 4 January 2011 13:24, <  >  wrote:

> Does Australia really not have a checklist committee?  Here in the  U.S.,
> the American Birding Association  provides the "official" checklist for 
the
> U.S., although to  large extent they follow the broader AOU.  Of course 
that
>  does not stop people from disagreeing and keeping their own  lists
> according to whatever criteria they prefer (so long  as they do not submit
> them  to
> the ABA).  The  whole concept of the Committee is to pass judgment on
>  things
> such as proposed lumps/splits, whether proposed new  records are
>  acceptable,
> etc.
>
> Eric  Jeffrey
> Falls Church, VA
> USA
>
>
> In  a message dated 1/3/2011 9:18:39 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
>    
writes:
>
>  Precisely, well said Jeff. I am not advocating a scientific  discussion 
by
> whoever would be on the committee so much as  an editing of data  for the
> sake of differentiating various  species in a universally accepted way.
>  That
> way  everybody is reading from the same page.
>
>  Cheers
>
> David  Kowalick
>
>
>  G'day Philip,
>
> "Allow me to express what I hope is  obvious", you haven't quite explained
> yourself here Philip  or I suspect you  don't really understand the 
reasons
> for a  committee as outlined by David.  Evolution has got absolutely  
nothing
> to do with this, David wasn't  suggesting a  committee that would change 
the
> Australian list to keep pace  with the evolution of new species as they
>  evolve!!!
> What would be your  process that would deliver on  "Suggesting a 
consistent
> list would be  helpful", it's our  evolving understanding of how many
> species
> there are  through published research that is driving this issue and
>  leading
> to an  ongoing need to reassess the list.
> I  am all for David's suggestion, it's  way overdue.
>
>  Cheers Jeff.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original  Message-----
> From:   
 
>  
 ]  On Behalf Of  Philip Veerman
> Sent: Tuesday, 4 January 2011 12:18 PM
>  To:  'David Kowalick';  
 
> Subject:  [Birding-Aus] World  Checklists, Grass wrens, Official list of  
Oz
> birds etc...
>
> I don't  quite understand  the concern. Allow me to express what I hope is
> obvious.  Evolution is an ongoing process, which means it is  happening
> now. At any  one time, most species are and  should be distinct but some
> small number of  species will  be in various stages of separation.
> Suggesting a consistent  list is helpful but suggesting that there should
> always be  a correct answer  is flawed. Then impose our various ways
>  (differences of opinions etc) on  what constitutes enough  distinction, 
of
> interpreting these dividing lines  and of  course there would be troubles.
> I would hate the idea of a  different  list every year and wouldn't be too
> comfortable  about the costs of doing  the committee David suggests,
>  relative to the expenditure of those funds on  more practical  things. Of
> course knowing about species diversity is  important to doing the
> conservation etc.
>
>  Philip
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:   
 
>  
 ]  On Behalf Of  David Kowalick
> Sent: Tuesday, 4 January 2011 11:11 AM
>  To:    
> Subject:  [Birding-Aus] World Checklists, Grass  wrens,Official list of  
Oz
> birds etc...
>
>
> Hi  everyone,
>
> This  is all very confusing. What  constitutes an accepted split? Where
> does the  Myall  subspecies of the Thick-belled Grasswren fall? Western  
or
>
> what?  And what of the the C&B list? What do  we take as the official
> list?  The world list or C&B?  These days I always try to tick every
> sub-species just in case  it ends up being split later on. It seems
> splitting very much  back in fashion but it seems impossible to keep
> abreast of all  the developments. Surely there could be a committee set
> up by  Birds Australia to review the official Australian list on an
>  annual basis that takes into account all the latest developments? I  have
>
> always lived and died by C&B but recently  that seems to no  longer be the
>
> case.In the  meantime I will try not to drown in the  data.
>
>  Cheers
>
> David  Kowalick
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