Hi Mike,
I wouldn't count your egg/chickens/egrets just yet - from what I recall,
the reversal was based on the unclear relationship between the American
population and the Eurasian and Australasian populations, plus clearly
defining the ranges. /Modesta/ and /alba/ were seen to be clearly
different from the work done in the original paper splitting them, but
there still remains the faint possibility that they are a ring species
with the American birds being the cline between the two. I saw that
they were expecting a three-way split, but it required analysis of the
relation ship of /modesta/ and /alba/ to /egretta/.before proceeding.
Cheers,
Tony
On 15/06/2012 10:12, Mike Carter wrote:
A report from Cocos yesterday that there is a Great Egret on the atoll
reminded me that this is another change. Our bird is no longer Eastern
Great Egret as that split has been reversed, not unexpectedly I
suggest. I agree with Frank O'Connor that Western Fieldwren is another
that will one day be reversed especially as the man whom it was named
after doesn't believe it! I think that when you dig deeply Paul, you
will continue to find more changes. When the task is finished please
share it with us in an easily digested format as you are quite right,
many of us are interested. You will need to set an end-date for changes.
I also wondered why you mentioned only Western and not also Northern
Shriketit as possible future splits. Of interest to me as I have seen
the former but not the latter. Other potential splits include the
Norfolk Island Golden Whistler, the Figbirds (N & S), some of the
Sittellas and the recently discussed Masked Lapwing and Spur-winged
Plover.
And thanks for not damning my error - I of course meant Yellow-browed
not Yellow-crowned Warbler.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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