The idea behind the suggestion by BARC to BirdLife Australia to adopt
the IOC checklist is so that it would be a living taxonomy changing
over time. So if the decision is made, I am confident that the
latest version of the IOC list would be adopted.
Of course it isn't as simple as just adopting the IOC. There are
other factors such as Birdata and the Ongoing Atlas. And any other
databases that BA and its branches have.
There is also the consideration that as BirdLife Australia is the
Australian affiliate, then it would need to consider the official
BirdLife International checklist as an alternative.
I use the IOC list (with Wildlife Recorder software), so of course I
would be happy for the IOC list to eventually be adopted.
The IOC has quite a few Australians on the advisory committee. Phil
Gregory, Leo Joseph and Dick Schodde are listed on the main
page. Many others are on the list of current participants. I am
therefore surprised about some of the common names that have been adopted.
Slender-billed Black Cockatoo rather than Carnaby's Black Cockatoo
Long-billed Black Cockatoo rather than Baudin's Black Cockatoo
I know there is a movement away from using people's names, but these
have been the local Western Australian names for a long time. Indeed
Ron Johnstone at the WA Museum would drop the Black.
the boobooks which has been previously discussed on this list
We may need to get used to names such as Dusky Myzomela, Scarlet
Myzomela? as this genus is more widespread than just Australia.
Green Oriole makes sense if it is split (or is different?) from Yellow Oriole.
Canary White-eye is a little harder to get used to, but I believe
Yellow White-eye has precedence in Africa?
I know there are several others which I can't remember off the top of my head.
The IOC also accepts Western Fieldwren. My understanding is that Ron
Johnstone rejects this split, saying that Rufous Fieldwren is
clinal. Tell him how much rufous you want and he will show you the specimen.
So another issue that might want to be resolved before BirdLife
Australia adopts the IOC list, is this issue of common names of
Australian endemic species.
_________________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au
Phone : (08) 9386 5694 Email :
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