Flag for Taxon: Birds (Class Aves)
| Flagger | Content Author | Content | Reason | Flag Created | Resolved by | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| birdwhisperer | Birds (Class Aves) |
Clements Update 2023 |
Oct. 15, 2023 18:43:28 +0000 | birdwhisperer |
Completed except for staff changes |
Comments
@birdwhisperer thanks - are you going to put a list of all changes on the flag as you did last year?
@birdwhisperer thanks!
I'm currently working on a comparative spreadsheet that I could share when it's done (at least if it's done within in a week or so)
The 2023 pdf has been published today. @maxkirsch How are you doing on that spreadsheet?
Here's a list that I pulled up. Doesn't seem too bad this year. Please comment if there's stuff I missed. Also for curators helping us, please make sure you go above and beyond if you help, especially updating range maps. Lastly, don't commit any changes over 10k observations.
Splits
1 Savanna Nightjar
2 Lesser Sand-Plover
3 Gull-billed Tern
4 Royal Albatross
5 Wandering Albatross
6 Yellow-nosed Albatross
7 Black-capped Petrel
8 Cattle Egret
9 Intermediate Egret
10 Northern Goshawk
11 Black-throated Trogon
12 African Pied Hornbill
13 White-crested Hornbill
14 Black Dwarf Hornbill
15 Blue-eared Barbet
16 Crimson-breasted Woodpecker
17 Greater Flameback
18 Buff-rumped Woodpecker
19 Tullberg's Woodpecker
20 Yellow-crested Cockatoo
21 Lesser Vesa Parrot
22 Eclectus Parrot
23 Blue-rumped Parrot
24 Azure-rumped Parrot
25 Red-crowned Parakeet
26 Orange-breasted Fig Parrot
27 Papuan Lorikeet
28 Coconut Lorikeet
29 Philippine Hanging-Parrot
30 Gray Parrot
31 Scarlet-fronted Parrot
32 Silver-breasted Broadbill
33 Papuan Pitta
34 Hooded Pitta
35 White-fringed Antwren
36 Tawny Antpitta
37 Curve-billed Scythebill
38 Pale-legged Hornero
39 Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
40 Striped Woodhaunter
41 Rufous-fronted Thornbird
42 White-lored Spinetail
43 Shrike-like Cotinga
44 Black-and-white Becard
45 Royal Flycatcher
46 Olivaceous Flycatcher
47 Sulawesi Myzomela
48 Red-collared Myzomela
49 Crested Berrypecker
50 Timor Oriole
51 Dark-throated Oriole
52 Black-and-crimson Oriole
53 White-gorgeted Fantail
54 Arafura Fantail
55 Rufous Fantail
56 Brown Fantail
57 Streaked Fantail
58 Hair-crested Drongo
59 Paradise-crow
60 Lawes's Parotia
61 Slender-billed Crow
62 Palm Crow
63 Spotted Berrypecker
64 Ashy Robin
65 Plain Martin
66 Common House-Martin
67 Sunda Bulbul
68 Sula Golden-bulbul
69 Yellowish Bulbul
70 Stripe-throated Bulbul
71 Flavescent Bulbul
72 Brown-winged Parrotbill
73 Black-crowned Babbler
74 Cream-throated White-eye
75 Gray-throated White-eye
76 Black-capped Babbler
77 Pale-breasted Illadopsis
78 Eurasian Nuthatch
79 Flame-crowned Flowerpiercer
80 Fire-breasted Flowerpiercer
81 Mistletoebird
82 Olive-backed Sunbird
83 Asian Fairy-bluebird
84 Blue-winged Leafbird
85 Common Chaffinch
86 Antillean Euphonia
87 Carmiol's Tanager
88 Blue Seedeater
89 Turquiose Seedeater
90 Cuban Bullfinch
Lumps:
1 Little Green/Green-backed Woodpecker
2 Scale-breasted/Waved Woodpecker
3 Siau and Sangihe/Sulawesi Pitta
4 New Britain, Tabar, and New Ireland/Bismarck Pitta
5 Restinga/Serra Antwren
6 Puna/Streaked-backed Canastero
7 Cordilleran/Pacific-slope Flycatcher
8 Western Squared-tailed/Sharpe's Drongo
9 Gloosy-backed/Fork-tailed Drongo
10 Fanti/Velvet-mantled Dronogo
11 Luzon and Bohol/Metallic-winged Sunbird
12 Vincent's/Cape Bunting
13 Caqueta/Wing-barred Seedeater
New Species
1 Principe Scops-Owl
2 Wangi-wangi White-eye
3 Ibera Seedeater
Subspecies Reshuffles
1 remigialis (Southern Boobook) --> Barking Owl
2 viridensis (Sumatran Drongo) --> Hair-crested Drongo
3 darwini (Genovesa Cactus-Finch) --> Large Ground-Finch
There's the name changes.
Name changes include some large genus splits eg Charadrius. There are also some more subspecies changes
@cyanfox @rjq Thanks for the note. The pdf for this year is really difficult to read and is not formatted the same way it was last year. It appears they officially added "groups" to the list, and they make a lot of concept changes in like subspecies group orientations. I'm just going to transcribe what is said there instead of sort out what needs to be done.
Concept Change:
1 Southern Boobook
2 Common Kingfisher
3 Ashy Drongo
4 Periparus ater aemodius
5 Cinnyris frenatus robustirostris
6 Fringilla spodiogenys spodiogenys
7 Spilopelia chinensis suratensis
8 Calidris alpina alpina
9 Muscicapa dauurica siamensis
10 Bornean Spiderhunter
11 Rosy Minivet
12 Gray-breasted Spiderhunter
Family Splits
1 Macrosphenidae
2 Sylviidae
New Subspecies
1 Common Quail
2 Manx Shearwater
3 White-tailed Eagle
4 Yellow-spotted Barbet
5 Ochraceous Piculet
6 Darjeeling Woodpecker
7 Norfolk Island Parakeet
8 White-browed Tailorbird
9 Himalayan Bulbul
10 Ruby-throated Bulbul
Groups Added -- Probably not necessary for iNat taxonomy???
Groups Realligned -- Same deal as above.
Name changes -- To be written; I don't have time this morning.
New eBird group -- Probably not necessary
New Family
1 Hyiidae
2 Paradoxornithidae
New Group -- Probably not necessary
New subspecies -- To be written
Range -- I mean, we can do that.
Sequence -- We don't do sequence so...
Subspecies Deleted -- To be written
Agree, it's a poor format and too much about groups, which we can ignore. Have drafted a couple of large splits - Chaffinch and Olive-backed Sunbird and swapped the subspecies. Chaffinch split will need staff input, Sunbird can be committed once I've rechecked the atlases. Was hoping to avoid a split for Chaffinch but there are too many obs in Africa to manually reassign
@birdwhisperer Where's the PDF? There are 6 versions of the checklist, 3 are XLSX and 3 CSV. And there's an HTML page about updates and corrections.
Sorry about the Vanellus split, I hope it doesn't affect existing observations of the non-cayanus species.
I made a few taxon switches from one genus to another: Black butcherbird, Alpine swift, Eurasian dotterel, Pied lapwing and both American thick-knees.
Eurasian dotterel: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132890
Pied lapwing: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132888
Peruvian Thick-knee: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132883
Double-striped Thick-knee: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132877
Mottled swift: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132871
Alpine swift: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132852
Black butcherbird: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132851
@donalddavesne the Vanellus split means that every genus level identification of Vanellus has become a family level identification (Charadriidae) eg https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/178689674. The taxa needed to be atlased before splitting. If in doubt, please draft the Taxon change and ask for comments
Several of the other genus changes probably also need a genus split eg Burhinus, Apus
OK, sorry about that!
Is it possible to reverse the Vanellus split?
How to change the atlas though, since the ranges do overlap? (not in the case of the thick-knees)
Edit: I think I found how to do this, I've added an atlas for Hoploxypterus and Vanellus.
Does it update the previously changed observations?
Unfortunately changes made by a taxon split can't be updated, so the new atlases will have no effect. In theory it is possible to reverse a split, but only iNat staff can do this.
Hum would another solution be to fuse Vanellus and Hoplopteryx again, then remaking the split anew?
I won't do it until a staff member has given directions.
Once again, sorry about this mixup.
I'm afraid that wouldn't work, as the IDs would stay at family level
Oh geez, this is getting chaotic really quick. Here's the list for the remaining chances. Ones that are struck out are down.
New Common Names
1 Marbled Teal
2 Verreaux's Partridge
3 Szechenyi's Partridge
4 Hume's Pheasant
5 Japanese Wood-Pigeon
6 Comoros Green-Pigeon
7 White-crowned Koel
8 Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar
9 Philippine Spinetailed Swift
10 Papuan Spinetailed Swift
11 White-rumped Needletail
12 Silver-rumped Needletail
13 Polynesian Swiftlet
14 Alexander's Swift
15 Madagascar Wood-Rail
16 Tsingy Wood-Rail
17 St. Helena Crake
18 St. Helena Rail
19 White-headed Lapwing
20 White-crested Bittern
21 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
22 Bermuda Night-Heron
23 Black-crowned Night-Heron
24 Reunion Night-Heron
25 Mauritius Night-Heron
26 Rodrigues Night-Heron
27 Nankeen Night-Heron
28 Malayan Night-Heron
29 Japanese Night-Heron
30 Eurasian Marsh-Harrier
31 Eastern Marsh-Harrier
32 Papuan Harrier
33 New Caledonia Goshawk
34 Little Barbet
35 Oceanic Parrot
36 Blue-breasted Pitta
37 Serra do Mar Tyrannulet
38 Sao Paulo Tyrannulet
39 Yellow-olive Flycatcher
40 Orange-eyed Flycatcher
41 Yellow-winged Flycatcher
42 Yellow-margined Flycatcher
43 Gray-crowned Flycatcher
44 Olive-faced Flycatcher
45 Ochre-lored Flycatcher
46 Comoros Cuckooshrike
47 Comoros Blue Vanga
48 Common Square-tailed Drongo
49 Blue-headed Crested-Flycatcher
50 African Crested-Flycatcher
51 Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher
52 Crested Shrikejay
53 Torrent Flycatcher
54 Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
55 Dusky Crested-Flycatcher
56 White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher
57 White-tailed Crested-Flycatcher
58 Latakoo Lark
59 Razo Skylark
60 Grand Comoro Brush-Warbler
61 Pale Sand Martin
62 Grand Comoro Bulbul
63 Streak-throated Fulvetta
64 Mariqua Flycatcher
65 Grand Comoro Flycatcher
66 Pale-chinned Blue Flycatcher
67 Mariqua Sunbird
68 Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver
69 Horsfield's Bushlark
English and Sci Name Changes
1 Pied Lapwing
2 White-backed Night-Heron
3 White-eared Night-Heron
4 Sooty Melidectes
5 Short-bearded Melidectes
6 Long-beared Melidectes
7 Papuan Flycatcher
8 Yellow-legged Flycatcher
9 Yellow-bellied Robin
10 Olive-yellow Robin
Sci Name Changes
1 Forbe's Forest Rail
2 Mayr's Forest Rail
3 Water Ground Dove
4 Shy Ground Dove
5 Santa Cruz Ground Dove
6 Thick-billed Ground Dove
7 Tanna Ground Dove
8 Bronze Ground Dove
9 Palau Ground Dove
10 White-bibbed Ground Dove
11 Marquesas Ground Dove
12 Caroline Islands Ground Dove
13 Polynesian Ground Dove
14 White-throated Ground Dove
15 Norfolk Ground Dove
16 Karoo Bustard
17 Ruppell's Bustard
18 Little Brown Bustard
19 Savile's Bustard
20 Buff-crested Bustard
21 Red-crested Bustard
22 Black Bustard
23 White-quilled Bustard
24 White-cheeked Turaco
25 Prince Ruspoli's Turaco
26 Purple-crested Turaco
27 Rwenzori Turaco
28 Bare-faced Go-away-bird
29 Gray Go-away-bird
30 White-bellied Go-away-bird
31 Alpine Swift
32 Mottled Swift
33 Violet-crowned Hummingbird
34 Green-fronted Hummingbird
35 Zapata Rail
36 Ocellated Crake
37 Chestnut-headed Crake
38 Double-striped Thick-Knee
39 Peruvian Thick-Knee
40 Rufous-chested Dotterel
41 Eurasian Dotterel
42 Hooded Plover
43 Black-fronted Dotterel
44 Shore Plover
45 Caspian Plover
46 Oriental Plover
47 Greater Sand-Plover
48 Double-banded Plover
49 Wrybill
50 Red-breasted Dotterel
51 Wilson's Plover
52 Collared Plover
53 Mountain Plover
54 Puna Plover
55 Two-banded Plover
56 Madagascar Plover
57 Kittlitz's Plover
58 St. Helena Plover
59 Red-capped Plover
60 Snowy Plover
61 Chestnut-banded Plover
62 Malaysian Plover
63 White-fronted Plover
64 Javan Plover
65 Kentish Plover
66 White-faced Plover
67 White-bellied Sea-Eagle
68 Sanford's Sea-Eagle
69 African Fish-Eagle
70 Madagascar Fish-Eagle
71 Gray-headed Fish-Eagle
72 Lesser Fish-Eagle
73 Akun Eagle-Owl
74 Verrreaux's Eagle-Owl
75 Dusky Eagle-Owl
76 Barred Eagle-Owl
77 Javan Trogon
78 Sumatran Trogon
79 Helmeted Hornbill
80 Brown-breasted Barbet
81 Black-backed Barbet
82 Double-toothed Barbet
83 Bearded Barbet
84 Black-breasted Barbet
85 Abyssinian Woodpecker
86 Melancholy Woodpecker
87 Gabon Woodpecker
88 Elliot's Woodpecker
89 Little Gray Woodpecker
90 Speckled-breasted Woodpecker
91 Cardinal Woodpecker
92 Stierling's Woodpecker
93 Brown-backed Woodpecker
94 African Gray Woodpecker
95 Mountain Gray Woodpecker
96 Olive Woodpecker
97 Orange-backed Woodpecker
98 Olive-backed Woodpecker
99 Brown-eared Woodpecker
100 Buff-spotted Woodpecker
101 Pink Cockatoo
102 Mascarene Parrot
103 Mulga Parrot
104 Hooded Parrot
105 Golden-shouldered Parrot
106 Paradise Parrot
107 Ornate Lorikeet
108 Russet-mantled Softtail
109 Tumbes Tyrannulet
110 Northern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
111 Southern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
112 Golden Bowerbird
113 Pale-billed Scrubwren
114 Bicolored Mouse-Warbler
115 Vogelkop Scrubwren
116 Buff-faced Scrubwren
117 Gray-green Scrubwren
118 Papuan Scrubwren
119 Papuan Babbler
120 Black Butcherbird
121 Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise
122 Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise
123 Blue Bird-of-Paradise
124 Greater Melampitta
125 Olive Flyrobin
126 Black-chinned Robin
127 Black-throated Robin
128 White-rumped Robin
129 Pale-yellow Robin
130 White-faced Robin
131 New Caledonian Grassbird
132 Brazza's Martin
133 Striated Bulbul
134 Finsch's Bulbul
135 Yellow-browed Bulbul
136 Cream-striped Bulbul
137 Nicobar Bulbul
138 Puff-backed Bulbul
139 Black-and-white Bulbul
140 Yellow-wattled Bulbul
141 Gray-headed Bulbul
142 Black-headed Bulbul
143 Andaman Bulbul
144 Blue-wattled Bulbul
145 Black-capped Bulbul
146 Neumann's Warbler
147 Pale-footed Bush-Warbler
148 Short-tailed Parrotbill
149 Pale-billed Parrotbill
150 Spectacled Parrotbill
151 Gray-hooded Parrotbill
152 Vinous-throated Parrotbill
153 Ashy-throated Parrotbill
154 Rusty-throated Parrotbill
155 White-tailed Flycatcher
156 Heuglin's Wagtail
157 White-rumped Snowfinch
158 Pere David's Snowfinch
159 Rufous-necked Snowfinch
160 Blanford's Snowfinch
161 Afghan Snowfinch
162 Yellowish Pipit
163 Crimson-collared Grosbeak
164 Slaty Finch
165 Chestnut Forest Rail
166 White-striped Forest Rail
167 Maranon Flycatcher
168 Green Barbet
169 Russet-crowned Crake
170 Speckled Spinetail
171 Striated Grassbird
172 White-winged Cliff-Chat
New subspecies (Not monotypic before)
1 Spilopelia chinensis ceylonensis
2 Cacomantis variolosus
3 Amaurornis phoenicurus leucocephala
4 Accipiter atricapillus apache
5 Mulleripicus pulverulentus mohun
6 Erythropitta rufiventris obiensis
7 Aphrastura spinicauda subantarctica
8 Asthenes wyatti brunnescens
9 Rhynchocyclus aequinoctialis cryptus
10 Dicrurus leucophaeus celaenus
11 Cyanocorax chrysops insperatus
12 Periparus ater
13 Alaudala cheleensis seebohmi
14 Alauda gulgula australis
15 Aegithalos concinnus
16 Grammatoptila striata brahmaputra
17 Turdus grayi suarezi
18 Turdus poliocephalus beehleri
19 Muscicapa dauurica poonensis
20 Prunella rubeculoides muraria
21 Fringilla spodiogenys harterti
22 Calidris alpina centralis
Subspecies deleted
1 Cacomantis variolosus oreophilus
2 Horus Swift
3 Rallicula rubra telefolminensis
4 Bicolored Antpitta
5 Alaudala raytal krishnakumarsinhji
6 Automolus ochrolaemus amusos
7 Stachyris nigriceps coei
OK @birdwhisperer Thanks for this.
I have added (but not validated) a few more of these for genus changes into an existing genus.
Should we detail them all here too?
@donalddavesne Yes, so I can mark them down as done.
OK! Those that I validated, all genus changes:
*Double-striped Thick-knee + subspecies (Burhinus --> Hesperoburhinus)
*Peruvian thick-knee (Burhinus --> Hesperoburhinus)
*Pied plover/lapwing (Vanellus --> Hoploxypterus)
*Eurasian dotterel (Charadrius --> Eudromias)
*Alpine swift + subspecies (Apus --> Tachymarptis)
*Mottled swift + subspecies (Apus --> Tachymarptis)
*Black butcherbird + subspecies (Cracticus --> Melloria)
*Genus split Vanellus / Hoploxypterus (this is the one that screwed things up a bit)
Those are NOT validated:
Species that change genus:
*Hooded plover (Thinornis --> Charadrius) VALIDATED
*Shore plover (Thinornis --> Charadrius) VALIDATED
*Black-fronted dotterel (Elseyornis --> Charadrius) VALIDATED
Genus splits:
*Apus / Tachymarptis
*Burhinus / Hesperoburhinus
Genus fusions:
*Elseyornis --> Charadrius VALIDATED
*Thinornis --> Charadrius VALIDATED
I have created the switches of the relevant Charadrius plovers to Anarhynchus:
*45 Caspian Plover VALIDATED
*46 Oriental Plover VALIDATED
*47 Greater Sand Plover VALIDATED
*48 Double-banded Plover VALIDATED
*50 New Zealand Plover VALIDATED
*51 Wilson's plover VALIDATED
*52 Collared Plover VALIDATED
*53 Mountain Plover VALIDATED
*54 Puna Plover VALIDATED
*55 Two-banded Plover VALIDATED
*56 Madagascar Plover VALIDATED
*57 Kittlitz's Plover VALIDATED
*58 St. Helena Plover VALIDATED
*59 Red-capped Plover VALIDATED
*60 Snowy Plover
*61 Chestnut-banded Plover VALIDATED
*62 Malaysian Plover VALIDATED
*63 White-fronted Plover VALIDATED
*64 Javan Plover VALIDATED
*65 Kentish plover VALIDATED
*66 White-faced Plover VALIDATED
*49 Wrybill doesn't need to change I think
I did NOT create a switch for Lesser sand plover since it will get splitted.
Done the subspecies deletions except for #6 (which needs another change to happen first) and added new subspecies #21
genus changes (VALIDATED):
101 Pink Cockatoo
128 White-rumped Robin
129 Pale-yellow Robin
130 White-faced Robin
131 New Caledonian Grassbird
134 Finsch's Bulbul
English and sci name changes
10 Olive-yellow Robin
and genus switches:
Lophochroa --> Cacatua
Tregellasia --> Eopsaltria
@donalddavesne please could you add taxon framework relationships for any new taxa that you create
@rjq Done for the validated taxa. Thanks for the reminder
Split species:
3 Gull-billed Tern
NOT VALIDATED
Gelochelidon nilotica ssp. macrotarsa --> Gelochelidon macrotarsa VALIDATED at ssp level
EDIT: Atlases up-to-date following the ebird splitting approach
Split species:
8 Cattle Egret
This is a big one so I didn't commit anything yet and put a warning.
EDIT: The atlases should be up-to-date
Split species:
9 Intermediate Egret
Another big one. I didn't commit either.
EDIT: Atlases should be good. Feel free to check
Split:
10 Northern Goshawk
VALIDATED
+subspecies split for A. a. apache
VALIDATED for subspecies
I pulled the plug on the final ex-Charadrius:
40 Rufous-chested Dotterel
65 Kentish Plover
I DID NOT VALIDATE Snowy plover as I feel there's too many observations on this one.
Once this (and the split of the Lesser sand plover) is done, the reshuffle of Charadriidae will be completed!
is the Gelochelidon swap actually complete? I still have observations of nilotica from Australian east coast, when they should have been automatically swapped to macrotarsa?
No, the split of Gelochelidon nilotica is still not validated. I'm waiting for more experienced validators to do so.
@thebeachcomber I haven't swapped it yet because it sounds like Gull-billed Tern (sensu stricto) winters in Australia, and that does not offer a smooth transition in the split.
in all of Australia?; a previous comment I read suggested only the northwest (I have no idea)
@thebeachcomber Actually if you feel confident to differentiate both species (they are definitely IDable with good pictures) feel free to add IDs of macrotarsa when relevant.
I have no confidence whatsoever differentiating them, and have no idea how to. But my concern is that there is now a huge mixed selection of Gelochelidon observations in Australia, with the only ones that have swapped over to macrotarsa being the ones that had been IDed to subspecies. In many cases, people don't ID to subspecies, so we now have a lot of observations that actually are macrotarsa, but are sitting erroneously as nilotica right now just because noone bothered to ID to subspecies when first posted
so am I correct that effectively every single one will have to be manually reassessed to see which species? Or as I alluded to above, are there regions where we can safely say nilotica is not going to be present?
It is a transitional situation, once the species split will be validated, everything in Eastern Australia will switch to macrotarsa.
could you just clarify what you mean by 'validated', I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to in this context
@thebeachcomber Committed. We have the split set; we just want to make sure everything is going to be assigned to the right spots before we hastily push any buttons. Please be patient, we are volunteers after all.
It just means the species split is validated (and the records updated). As for now I've just validated the switch from the ssp. macrotarsa to the full species status.
Once the records are updated, everything that is in areas where both species overlap (e.g. Western Australia) will unfortunately become Gelochelidon sp. and will need expert input to identify at the species level.
This is why I'm reluctant to pull the plug, as I haven't been a moderator for very long.
Surely @rjq would have an opinion :)
@birdwhisperer
yes, so am I ;)
I just wanted to clarify the situation so I can communicate to Australian bird IDers how many records need to be reassessed
New VALIDATED genus changes:
79 Helmeted Hornbill
103 Mulga Parrot
104 Hooded Parrot
105 Golden-shouldered Parrot
106 Paradise Parrot
107 Ornate Lorikeet
The entire genus Alopecoenus (ground-doves) switched to Pampusana + associated gender changes
ALL VALIDATED
16 Karoo Bustard VALIDATED
17 Ruppell's Bustard VALIDATED
18 Little Brown Bustard VALIDATED
19 Savile's Bustard VALIDATED
20 Buff-crested Bustard
21 Red-crested Bustard VALIDATED
22 Black Bustard VALIDATED
23 White-quilled Bustard VALIDATED
24 White-cheeked Turaco
25 Prince Ruspoli's Turaco
26 Purple-crested Turaco
27 Rwenzori Turaco
28 Bare-faced Go-away-bird
29 Gray Go-away-bird
30 White-bellied Go-away-bird
33 Violet-crowned Hummingbird
34 Green-fronted Hummingbird
1 Forbe's Forest Rail
2 Mayr's Forest Rail
165 Chestnut Forest Rail
166 White-striped Forest Rail
These ones switch families, going to the genus Rallicula within Sarothruridae.
Genus (and family) names + name changes VALIDATED
Genus changes ALL VALIDATED
112 Golden Bowerbird
119 Papuan Babbler
121 Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise
122 Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise
123 Blue Bird-of-Paradise
132 Brazza's Martin
133 Striated Bulbul
Genus and English name changes
4 Sooty Melidectes VALIDATED
5 Short-bearded Melidectes VALIDATED
6 Long-beared Melidectes VALIDATED
apologies for the delay! looks like a lot of this spreadsheet is no longer necessary, but in case any of it is still useful for cross-checking, here it is https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17s69uP1PvbNTcfqecGh6cSaFhV9uXHqg/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103291163277464917436&rtpof=true&sd=true
(once lesser sand-plover is split and snowy plover is swapped into Anarhynchus, we should split Charadrius a few ways as well, given that a significant percentage of genus-level Charadrius IDs refer to species now in Anarhynchus)
Genus changes VALIDATED:
133 Striated Bulbul
135 Yellow-browed Bulbul
136 Cream-striped Bulbul
137 Nicobar Bulbul
155 White-tailed Flycatcher
156 Heuglin’s Wheatear
157 White-rumped Snowfinch
172 White-winged Cliff-Chat
158 Pere David's Snowfinch
159 Rufous-necked Snowfinch
160 Blanford's Snowfinch
161 Afghan Snowfinch
163 Crimson-collared Grosbeak
164 Slaty Finch
Latin name change VALIDATED
162 Yellowish Pipit
A couple of species splits:
Grey parrot / Timneh parrot NOT VALIDATED, I'm waiting to see what we should do with the captive and escapees
Coconut / Biak lorikeet VALIDATED switching the ssp. was enough to cover all relevant observations
Eclectus parrot a four-way split. NOT VALIDATED yet; please check atlases
Updated list (for easier reading)
Splits
2 Lesser Sand-Plover
3 Gull-billed Tern
4 Royal Albatross
5 Wandering Albatross
6 Yellow-nosed Albatross
7 Black-capped Petrel
8 Cattle Egret
9 Intermediate Egret
11 Black-throated Trogon
12 African Pied Hornbill
13 White-crested Hornbill
14 Black Dwarf Hornbill
15 Blue-eared Barbet
16 Crimson-breasted Woodpecker
17 Greater Flameback
18 Buff-rumped Woodpecker
19 Tullberg's Woodpecker
20 Yellow-crested Cockatoo
21 Lesser Vesa Parrot
22 Eclectus Parrot
23 Blue-rumped Parrot
24 Azure-rumped Parrot
25 Red-crowned Parakeet
26 Orange-breasted Fig Parrot
27 Papuan Lorikeet
28 Coconut Lorikeet
29 Philippine Hanging-Parrot
30 Gray Parrot
31 Scarlet-fronted Parrot
32 Silver-breasted Broadbill
33 Papuan Pitta
34 Hooded Pitta
35 White-fringed Antwren
36 Tawny Antpitta
37 Curve-billed Scythebill
38 Pale-legged Hornero
39 Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
40 Striped Woodhaunter
41 Rufous-fronted Thornbird
42 White-lored Spinetail
43 Shrike-like Cotinga
44 Black-and-white Becard
45 Royal Flycatcher
46 Olivaceous Flycatcher
47 Sulawesi Myzomela
48 Red-collared Myzomela
49 Crested Berrypecker
50 Timor Oriole
51 Dark-throated Oriole
52 Black-and-crimson Oriole
53 White-gorgeted Fantail
54 Arafura Fantail
55 Rufous Fantail
56 Brown Fantail
57 Streaked Fantail
58 Hair-crested Drongo
59 Paradise-crow
60 Lawes's Parotia
61 Slender-billed Crow
63 Spotted Berrypecker
64 Ashy Robin
65 Plain Martin
66 Common House-Martin
67 Sunda Bulbul
68 Sula Golden-bulbul
69 Yellowish Bulbul
70 Stripe-throated Bulbul
71 Flavescent Bulbul
72 Brown-winged Parrotbill
73 Black-crowned Babbler
74 Cream-throated White-eye
75 Gray-throated White-eye
76 Black-capped Babbler
77 Pale-breasted Illadopsis
78 Eurasian Nuthatch
79 Flame-crowned Flowerpiercer
80 Fire-breasted Flowerpiercer
81 Mistletoebird
82 Olive-backed Sunbird
83 Asian Fairy-bluebird
84 Blue-winged Leafbird
85 Common Chaffinch
86 Antillean Euphonia
87 Carmiol's Tanager
88 Blue Seedeater
89 Turquiose Seedeater
90 Cuban Bullfinch
Lumps
2 Scale-breasted/Waved Woodpecker
3 Siau and Sangihe/Sulawesi Pitta
4 New Britain, Tabar, and New Ireland/Bismarck Pitta
5 Restinga/Serra Antwren
6 Puna/Streaked-backed Canastero
8 Western Squared-tailed/Sharpe's Drongo
9 Gloosy-backed/Fork-tailed Drongo
10 Fanti/Velvet-mantled Dronogo
11 Luzon and Bohol/Metallic-winged Sunbird
12 Vincent's/Cape Bunting
13 Caqueta/Wing-barred Seedeater
Concept Change
1 Southern Boobook
2 Common Kingfisher
3 Ashy Drongo
4 Periparus ater aemodius
5 Cinnyris frenatus robustirostris
6 Fringilla spodiogenys spodiogenys
7 Spilopelia chinensis suratensis
8 Calidris alpina alpina
9 Muscicapa dauurica siamensis
10 Bornean Spiderhunter
11 Rosy Minivet
12 Gray-breasted Spiderhunter
New Subspecies (monotypic)
1 Common Quail
New Common Names
37 Serra do Mar Tyrannulet
38 Sao Paulo Tyrannulet
39 Yellow-olive Flycatcher
40 Orange-eyed Flycatcher
41 Yellow-winged Flycatcher
42 Yellow-margined Flycatcher
43 Gray-crowned Flycatcher
44 Olive-faced Flycatcher
45 Ochre-lored Flycatcher
46 Comoros Cuckooshrike
47 Comoros Blue Vanga
48 Common Square-tailed Drongo
49 Blue-headed Crested-Flycatcher
50 African Crested-Flycatcher
51 Japanese Paradise-Flycatcher
52 Crested Shrikejay
53 Torrent Flycatcher
54 Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
55 Dusky Crested-Flycatcher
56 White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher
57 White-tailed Crested-Flycatcher
58 Latakoo Lark
59 Razo Skylark
60 Grand Comoro Brush-Warbler
61 Pale Sand Martin
62 Grand Comoro Bulbul
63 Streak-throated Fulvetta
64 Mariqua Flycatcher
65 Grand Comoro Flycatcher
66 Pale-chinned Blue Flycatcher
67 Mariqua Sunbird
68 Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver
69 Horsfield's Bushlark
New Sci/Eng Names
7 Papuan Flycatcher
8 Yellow-legged Flycatcher
9 Yellow-bellied Robin
10 Olive-yellow Robin
New Sci Names
24 White-cheeked Turaco
25 Prince Ruspoli's Turaco
26 Purple-crested Turaco
27 Rwenzori Turaco
28 Bare-faced Go-away-bird
29 Gray Go-away-bird
30 White-bellied Go-away-bird
31 Alpine Swift
32 Mottled Swift
33 Violet-crowned Hummingbird
34 Green-fronted Hummingbird
35 Zapata Rail
36 Ocellated Crake
37 Chestnut-headed Crake
50 Red-breasted Dotterel
51 Wilson's Plover
52 Collared Plover
53 Mountain Plover
54 Puna Plover
55 Two-banded Plover
56 Madagascar Plover
57 Kittlitz's Plover
58 St. Helena Plover
59 Red-capped Plover
60 Snowy Plover
61 Chestnut-banded Plover
62 Malaysian Plover
63 White-fronted Plover
64 Javan Plover
65 Kentish Plover
66 White-faced Plover
77 Javan Trogon
78 Sumatran Trogon
79 Helmeted Hornbill
80 Brown-breasted Barbet
81 Black-backed Barbet
82 Double-toothed Barbet
83 Bearded Barbet
84 Black-breasted Barbet
85 Abyssinian Woodpecker
86 Melancholy Woodpecker
87 Gabon Woodpecker
88 Elliot's Woodpecker
89 Little Gray Woodpecker
90 Speckled-breasted Woodpecker
91 Cardinal Woodpecker
92 Stierling's Woodpecker
93 Brown-backed Woodpecker
94 African Gray Woodpecker
95 Mountain Gray Woodpecker
96 Olive Woodpecker
97 Orange-backed Woodpecker
98 Olive-backed Woodpecker
99 Brown-eared Woodpecker
100 Buff-spotted Woodpecker
101 Pink Cockatoo
102 Mascarene Parrot
108 Russet-mantled Softtail
109 Tumbes Tyrannulet
110 Northern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
111 Southern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
112 Golden Bowerbird
113 Pale-billed Scrubwren
114 Bicolored Mouse-Warbler
115 Vogelkop Scrubwren
116 Buff-faced Scrubwren
117 Gray-green Scrubwren
118 Papuan Scrubwren
119 Papuan Babbler
120 Black Butcherbird
121 Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise
122 Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise
123 Blue Bird-of-Paradise
124 Greater Melampitta
125 Olive Flyrobin
126 Black-chinned Robin
127 Black-throated Robin
128 White-rumped Robin
129 Pale-yellow Robin
130 White-faced Robin
131 New Caledonian Grassbird
132 Brazza's Martin
133 Striated Bulbul
134 Finsch's Bulbul
135 Yellow-browed Bulbul
136 Cream-striped Bulbul
137 Nicobar Bulbul
138 Puff-backed Bulbul
139 Black-and-white Bulbul
140 Yellow-wattled Bulbul
141 Gray-headed Bulbul
142 Black-headed Bulbul
143 Andaman Bulbul
144 Blue-wattled Bulbul
145 Black-capped Bulbul
146 Neumann's Warbler
147 Pale-footed Bush-Warbler
156 Heuglin's Wagtail
157 White-rumped Snowfinch
158 Pere David's Snowfinch
159 Rufous-necked Snowfinch
160 Blanford's Snowfinch
161 Afghan Snowfinch
162 Yellowish Pipit
163 Crimson-collared Grosbeak
164 Slaty Finch
165 Chestnut Forest Rail
166 White-striped Forest Rail
167 Maranon Flycatcher
168 Green Barbet
169 Russet-crowned Crake
170 Speckled Spinetail
171 Striated Grassbird
172 White-winged Cliff-Chat
New subspecies (polytypic)
9 Rhynchocyclus aequinoctialis cryptus
10 Dicrurus leucophaeus celaenus
11 Cyanocorax chrysops insperatus
12 Periparus ater
13 Alaudala cheleensis seebohmi
14 Alauda gulgula australis
15 Aegithalos concinnus
16 Grammatoptila striata brahmaputra
17 Turdus grayi suarezi
18 Turdus poliocephalus beehleri
19 Muscicapa dauurica poonensis
20 Prunella rubeculoides muraria
22 Calidris alpina centralis
Deleted ssp
6 Automolus ochrolaemus amusos
Split VALIDATED:
Madagascar martin
Antillean euphonia
Asian fairy bluebird
Lump VALIDATED:
Metallic-winged sunbird + Bohol + Luzon
Genus switches VALIDATED
35 Zapata Rail
36 Ocellated Crake
37 Chestnut-headed Crake
169 Russet-crowned Crake
168 Green Barbet
80 Brown-breasted Barbet
81 Black-backed Barbet
82 Double-toothed Barbet
83 Bearded Barbet
84 Black-breasted Barbet
97 Orange-backed Woodpecker
98 Olive-backed Woodpecker
99 Brown-eared Woodpecker
100 Buff-spotted Woodpecker
108 Russet-mantled Softtail
170 Speckled Spinetail
113 Pale-billed Scrubwren
114 Bicolored Mouse-Warbler
115 Vogelkop Scrubwren
116 Buff-faced Scrubwren
117 Gray-green Scrubwren
118 Papuan Scrubwren
There are probably quite a few genus splits needed to tidy up disagreeing IDs etc
@rjq Yes, possibly. I did test the involuntary disagreements every time though, and have corrected most of them when present in smaller species.
I agree they should be tidied up for genera with a larger number of observations.
An example I spotted is the Haliaeetus / Icthyophaga split.
Genus switches VALIDATED
124 Greater Melampitta
Black-chinned Robin
Black-throated Robin
Striated Grassbird
138 Puff-backed Bulbul
139 Black-and-white Bulbul
140 Yellow-wattled Bulbul
141 Gray-headed Bulbul
142 Black-headed Bulbul
143 Andaman Bulbul
144 Blue-wattled Bulbul
Split:
Simeulue parrot
Did any apart from Haliaeetus say that a split was recommended eg Eupodotis? Lybius?
Eupodotis I think the ranges of the new genera overlap considerably so it would be worse, plus I added IDs to most disagreements.
Lybius there shouldn't be any remaining disagreement and they also overlap.
Haliaeetus works because they have a mostly disjuncted distribution with Icthyophaga, but it needs staff approval
Splitting is still worthwhile even with overlapping ranges as it solves disagreements with outdated genus level IDs - family level is better than genus level if it's unavoidable.
Also, should we commit the splits of Gelochelidon nilotica and Charadrius mongolus?
They've been sitting with switched subspecies for a few days now.
I committed the sand-plover split. It's as good as it's going to be. I don't think a split of Haliaeetus is worth the time/effort, given there's 120,000 obs, and only about 30 pertain to Icthyophaga. That's something I can easily fix manually, since I have proficiency in that genera's id.
shouldn't a split of Haliaeetus only affect genus-level Haliaeetus IDs (of which there are probably no more than a couple hundred), and not the 100000+ observations with exclusively species-level IDs (since those species-level IDs wouldn't change regardless)? (if that's the case, a split couldn't hurt, given at least a couple dozen or so observations of Icthyophaga spp with conflicting Haliaeetus IDs, some requiring multiple IDers to override)
Is it possible to specify IDs at genus level only?
Thanks @birdwhisperer !
I will check the tern one last time and then commit too. There will be a lot of Gelochelidon sp. but so be it.
OK, done for the Gelochelidon.
I have also commited Citron-crested cockatoo, Eclectus parrots, Grey parrots and Comoro black parrot splits.
Now that the Sand plover split is done, we could consider swapping the Snowy plover to complete the Charadriidae reshuffle. It is less than 10k obs after all.
EDIT: It's committed now.
Are we happy with the sunbird split?
It sure looks fine to me. Most of the sp. are misidentified stuff. Geographical separation looks good.
Have committed the sunbird split. I’ve drafted a Haliaeetus split which looks fine - there are only 872 IDs of the genus. @maxkirsch does this mean we are OK to commit without Scott’s approval, even though there are 132432 observations? I’ve also drafted a Charadrius split - no point atlasing this but split still needs doing to avoid ID clashes
i would assume so, although it couldn't hurt to double check
one other thing that needs to be done is updating (or removing) range maps (and checking photos and names) for most species (and, for photos and names, genera as well) where the input was reused as an output in a split - see e.g. Cinnyris jugularis
Thanks, will tag Scott on the split. Have now removed the range map for the sunbird, afraid my GIS skills are limited; names are correct.
(my GIS skills are unfortunately also limited)
Confirmed that the number of IDs is key, not simply the number of observations - which can make a big difference in genus splits. Won’t help with species splits where number of IDs is higher than number of observations
So have committed the Haliaeetus split. Burhinus split also fine to commit
thanks for confirming that!
with 6189 IDs, is the Charadrius split ok to commit?
Have committed Charadrius, so I hope so!
Hello!
What about the albatross splits?
I just looked at the Royal albatross and most observations are actually at subspecies level already. So switching both subspecies to full species should make the split straightforward, with most disagreements not affecting the ID (since they'll become Diomedea sp.) or is there something else I'm missing here?
@birdwhisperer has created the sanfordi ssp. to sp. switch, and I just made the ssp. epomophora to sp. epomophora.
We could also make a taxon split, with the atlases covering at least their respective breeding zones.
@rjq @maxkirsch I'll try to make a video tutorial for QGIS this weekend, and I'll post it to Youtube/iNat forum. It took me 2 days to relearn after last year, and the written instructions in the iNat forum didn't really help.
I don't think we can add atlases for the Wandering Albatross split, as non-breeding ranges overlap, and we can't base atlases only on breeding ranges. Yellow-nosed species overlap less, but the other issue is that iNat atlases don't work for observations not on land
Splits
3 Gull-billed Tern
4 Royal Albatross
5 Wandering Albatross
6 Yellow-nosed Albatross
7 Black-capped Petrel
8 Cattle Egret
9 Intermediate Egret
11 Black-throated Trogon
12 African Pied Hornbill
13 White-crested Hornbill
14 Black Dwarf Hornbill
15 Blue-eared Barbet
16 Crimson-breasted Woodpecker
17 Greater Flameback
18 Buff-rumped Woodpecker
19 Tullberg's Woodpecker
20 Yellow-crested Cockatoo
21 Lesser Vesa Parrot
22 Eclectus Parrot
23 Blue-rumped Parrot
24 Azure-rumped Parrot
25 Red-crowned Parakeet
26 Orange-breasted Fig Parrot
27 Papuan Lorikeet
28 Coconut Lorikeet
29 Philippine Hanging-Parrot
30 Gray Parrot
31 Scarlet-fronted Parrot
32 Silver-breasted Broadbill
33 Papuan Pitta
34 Hooded Pitta
35 White-fringed Antwren
36 Tawny Antpitta
37 Curve-billed Scythebill
38 Pale-legged Hornero
39 Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
40 Striped Woodhaunter
41 Rufous-fronted Thornbird
42 White-lored Spinetail
43 Shrike-like Cotinga
44 Black-and-white Becard
46 Olivaceous Flycatcher
47 Sulawesi Myzomela
48 Red-collared Myzomela
49 Crested Berrypecker
50 Timor Oriole
51 Dark-throated Oriole
52 Black-and-crimson Oriole
53 White-gorgeted Fantail
54 Arafura Fantail
55 Rufous Fantail
56 Brown Fantail
57 Streaked Fantail
58 Hair-crested Drongo
59 Paradise-crow
60 Lawes's Parotia
63 Spotted Berrypecker
64 Ashy Robin
65 Plain Martin
66 Common House-Martin
67 Sunda Bulbul
68 Sula Golden-bulbul
69 Yellowish Bulbul
70 Stripe-throated Bulbul
71 Flavescent Bulbul
72 Brown-winged Parrotbill
73 Black-crowned Babbler
74 Cream-throated White-eye
75 Gray-throated White-eye
76 Black-capped Babbler
77 Pale-breasted Illadopsis
78 Eurasian Nuthatch
79 Flame-crowned Flowerpiercer
80 Fire-breasted Flowerpiercer
81 Mistletoebird
82 Olive-backed Sunbird
83 Asian Fairy-bluebird
84 Blue-winged Leafbird
85 Common Chaffinch
86 Antillean Euphonia
87 Carmiol's Tanager
88 Blue Seedeater
89 Turquiose Seedeater
Lumps
2 Scale-breasted/Waved Woodpecker
3 Siau and Sangihe/Sulawesi Pitta
4 New Britain, Tabar, and New Ireland/Bismarck Pitta
5 Restinga/Serra Antwren
6 Puna/Streaked-backed Canastero
8 Western Squared-tailed/Sharpe's Drongo
9 Gloosy-backed/Fork-tailed Drongo
10 Fanti/Velvet-mantled Dronogo
11 Luzon and Bohol/Metallic-winged Sunbird
12 Vincent's/Cape Bunting
13 Caqueta/Wing-barred Seedeater
Concept Change
1 Southern Boobook
2 Common Kingfisher
3 Ashy Drongo
4 Periparus ater aemodius
5 Cinnyris frenatus robustirostris
6 Fringilla spodiogenys spodiogenys
7 Spilopelia chinensis suratensis
8 Calidris alpina alpina
9 Muscicapa dauurica siamensis
10 Bornean Spiderhunter
11 Rosy Minivet
12 Gray-breasted Spiderhunter
New Subspecies (monotypic)
1 Common Quail
New Common Names
52 Crested Shrikejay
53 Torrent Flycatcher
54 Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
55 Dusky Crested-Flycatcher
56 White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher
57 White-tailed Crested-Flycatcher
58 Latakoo Lark
59 Razo Skylark
60 Grand Comoro Brush-Warbler
61 Pale Sand Martin
62 Grand Comoro Bulbul
63 Streak-throated Fulvetta
64 Mariqua Flycatcher
65 Grand Comoro Flycatcher
66 Pale-chinned Blue Flycatcher
67 Mariqua Sunbird
68 Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver
69 Horsfield's Bushlark
New Sci Names
28 Bare-faced Go-away-bird
29 Gray Go-away-bird
30 White-bellied Go-away-bird
31 Alpine Swift
32 Mottled Swift
33 Violet-crowned Hummingbird
34 Green-fronted Hummingbird
50 Red-breasted Dotterel
77 Javan Trogon
78 Sumatran Trogon
79 Helmeted Hornbill
80 Brown-breasted Barbet
81 Black-backed Barbet
82 Double-toothed Barbet
83 Bearded Barbet
84 Black-breasted Barbet
108 Russet-mantled Softtail
109 Tumbes Tyrannulet
110 Northern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
111 Southern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
112 Golden Bowerbird
113 Pale-billed Scrubwren
114 Bicolored Mouse-Warbler
115 Vogelkop Scrubwren
116 Buff-faced Scrubwren
117 Gray-green Scrubwren
118 Papuan Scrubwren
119 Papuan Babbler
120 Black Butcherbird
121 Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise
122 Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise
123 Blue Bird-of-Paradise
124 Greater Melampitta
125 Olive Flyrobin
126 Black-chinned Robin
127 Black-throated Robin
128 White-rumped Robin
129 Pale-yellow Robin
130 White-faced Robin
131 New Caledonian Grassbird
132 Brazza's Martin
135 Yellow-browed Bulbul
136 Cream-striped Bulbul
137 Nicobar Bulbul
145 Black-capped Bulbul
146 Neumann's Warbler
147 Pale-footed Bush-Warbler
156 Heuglin's Wagtail
162 Yellowish Pipit
163 Crimson-collared Grosbeak
164 Slaty Finch
165 Chestnut Forest Rail
166 White-striped Forest Rail
167 Maranon Flycatcher
170 Speckled Spinetail
171 Striated Grassbird
New subspecies (polytypic)
9 Rhynchocyclus aequinoctialis cryptus
10 Dicrurus leucophaeus celaenus
11 Cyanocorax chrysops insperatus
12 Periparus ater
15 Aegithalos concinnus
Deleted ssp
6 Automolus ochrolaemus amusos
I think all the new genera, and some other changes, have now been done by @donalddavesne, and a few splits have been done by other curators. Gull-billed Tern and Intermediate Egret splits have been done and Cattle Egret and Common Chaffinch drafted
@rjq I think all the genus changes are done indeed, but it would be worth double checking.
I drafted the House martin and Eurasian nuthatch splits, could anyone check the atlases?
We cannot commit anyway since they've both too many observations.
I committed the Fire-breasted flowerpecker and Leafbird splits.
Splits committed:
12 African Pied Hornbill
13 White-crested Hornbill
14 Black Dwarf Hornbill
15 Blue-eared Barbet
16 Crimson-breasted Woodpecker
17
18 Buff-rumped Woodpecker
19 Tullberg's Woodpecker
20 Yellow-crested Cockatoo
21 Lesser Vasa Parrot
@donalddavesne the nuthatch split is not needed as there are only 2 IDs of Sitta europaea that would be changed correctly, which can be fixed by manually adding IDs. Though I think these should go to Sitta sp. not Sitta arctica. But there would be many more out of atlas IDs changed incorrectly to Sitta sp.. So please delete this change
Splits
25 Red-crowned Parakeet
"Macquarie Parakeet Cyanoramphus erythrotis is split from Red-crowned Parakeet C. novaezelandiae...Although treated as a distinct species in this update, the extinct Macquarie Parakeet will be treated as a subspecies of Red-crowned Parakeet in future."
Extinct with no obs and will revert back to current state new year, no point in splitting just deviate?
Splits
4 Royal Albatross
5 Wandering Albatross
6 Yellow-nosed Albatross
7 Black-capped Petrel
8 Cattle Egret
9 Intermediate Egret
11 Black-throated Trogon
17 Greater Flameback
22 Eclectus Parrot
23 Blue-rumped Parrot
24 Azure-rumped Parrot
25 Red-crowned Parakeet
26 Orange-breasted Fig Parrot
27 Papuan Lorikeet
28 Coconut Lorikeet
29 Philippine Hanging-Parrot
30 Gray Parrot
31 Scarlet-fronted Parrot
32 Silver-breasted Broadbill
33 Papuan Pitta
34 Hooded Pitta
35 White-fringed Antwren
36 Tawny Antpitta
37 Curve-billed Scythebill
38 Pale-legged Hornero
39 Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner
40 Striped Woodhaunter
41 Rufous-fronted Thornbird
42 White-lored Spinetail
43 Shrike-like Cotinga
44 Black-and-white Becard
53 White-gorgeted Fantail
54 Arafura Fantail
55 Rufous Fantail
56 Brown Fantail
57 Streaked Fantail
58 Hair-crested Drongo
59 Paradise-crow
60 Lawes's Parotia
63 Spotted Berrypecker
64 Ashy Robin
65 Plain Martin
66 Common House-Martin
67 Sunda Bulbul
68 Sula Golden-bulbul
69 Yellowish Bulbul
70 Stripe-throated Bulbul
71 Flavescent Bulbul
72 Brown-winged Parrotbill
73 Black-crowned Babbler
74 Cream-throated White-eye
75 Gray-throated White-eye
76 Black-capped Babbler
77 Pale-breasted Illadopsis
78 Eurasian Nuthatch
79 Flame-crowned Flowerpiercer
80 Fire-breasted Flowerpiercer
81 Mistletoebird
82 Olive-backed Sunbird
83 Asian Fairy-bluebird
84 Blue-winged Leafbird
85 Common Chaffinch
86 Antillean Euphonia
87 Carmiol's Tanager
88 Blue Seedeater
89 Turquiose Seedeater
Lumps
2 Scale-breasted/Waved Woodpecker
3 Siau and Sangihe/Sulawesi Pitta
4 New Britain, Tabar, and New Ireland/Bismarck Pitta
5 Restinga/Serra Antwren
6 Puna/Streaked-backed Canastero
8 Western Squared-tailed/Sharpe's Drongo
9 Gloosy-backed/Fork-tailed Drongo
10 Fanti/Velvet-mantled Dronogo
11 Luzon and Bohol/Metallic-winged Sunbird
12 Vincent's/Cape Bunting
13 Caqueta/Wing-barred Seedeater
Concept Change
1 Southern Boobook
2 Common Kingfisher
3 Ashy Drongo
4 Periparus ater aemodius
5 Cinnyris frenatus robustirostris
6 Fringilla spodiogenys spodiogenys
7 Spilopelia chinensis suratensis
8 Calidris alpina alpina
9 Muscicapa dauurica siamensis
10 Bornean Spiderhunter
11 Rosy Minivet
12 Gray-breasted Spiderhunter
New Common Names
52 Crested Shrikejay
53 Torrent Flycatcher
54 Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
55 Dusky Crested-Flycatcher
56 White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher
57 White-tailed Crested-Flycatcher
58 Latakoo Lark
59 Razo Skylark
60 Grand Comoro Brush-Warbler
61 Pale Sand Martin
62 Grand Comoro Bulbul
63 Streak-throated Fulvetta
64 Mariqua Flycatcher
65 Grand Comoro Flycatcher
66 Pale-chinned Blue Flycatcher
67 Mariqua Sunbird
68 Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver
69 Horsfield's Bushlark
New Sci Names
108 Russet-mantled Softtail
109 Tumbes Tyrannulet
110 Northern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
111 Southern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet
112 Golden Bowerbird
113 Pale-billed Scrubwren
114 Bicolored Mouse-Warbler
115 Vogelkop Scrubwren
116 Buff-faced Scrubwren
117 Gray-green Scrubwren
118 Papuan Scrubwren
119 Papuan Babbler
120 Black Butcherbird
121 Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise
122 Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise
123 Blue Bird-of-Paradise
124 Greater Melampitta
125 Olive Flyrobin
126 Black-chinned Robin
127 Black-throated Robin
128 White-rumped Robin
129 Pale-yellow Robin
130 White-faced Robin
131 New Caledonian Grassbird
132 Brazza's Martin
135 Yellow-browed Bulbul
136 Cream-striped Bulbul
137 Nicobar Bulbul
145 Black-capped Bulbul
146 Neumann's Warbler
147 Pale-footed Bush-Warbler
156 Heuglin's Wagtail
162 Yellowish Pipit
163 Crimson-collared Grosbeak
164 Slaty Finch
165 Chestnut Forest Rail
166 White-striped Forest Rail
167 Maranon Flycatcher
170 Speckled Spinetail
171 Striated Grassbird
New subspecies (polytypic)
12 Periparus ater
15 Aegithalos concinnus
Deleted ssp
6 Automolus ochrolaemus amusos
@rjq You're right I deleted the nuthatch split.
I've noticed a few cases where ranges are not being updated.
If you're unable to modify or create the kml file please flag the species with 'missing range' or 'needs range update' or similar.
On a personal note please do not commit my taxon changes (for the Clements update), especially if they're less than a day old. In some cases I'm awaiting additional information, in another case trying to resole a bug, or just been called away from the computer. Comments and questions on the relevant change are always welcome.
Splits
26 Orange-breasted Fig Parrot - Commited
27 Papuan Lorikeet - Split drafted
29 Philippine Hanging-Parrot - Commited
40 Striped Woodhaunter - Committed
41 Rufous-fronted Thornbird - Committed
42 White-lored Spinetail - Committed
43 Shrike-like Cotinga - Committed
53 White-gorgeted Fantail - Committed
58 Hair-crested Drongo - Committed
59 Paradise-crow - Committed
63 Spotted Berrypecker - Committed
Another update. I haven't finished up double checking @donalddavesne changes yet, so some are still listed. There were a few species that had alternative names defaulted as the common name during the swap, but I fixed there. Green-fronted Hummingbird also has a hybrid with Broad-billed Hummingbird, so I swapped the genushybrid appropriately.
Splits
4 Royal Albatross
5 Wandering Albatross
6 Yellow-nosed Albatross
7 Black-capped Petrel
8 Cattle Egret
24 Azure-rumped Parrot
26 Orange-breasted Fig Parrot
27 Papuan Lorikeet
29 Philippine Hanging-Parrot
33 Papuan Pitta
34 Hooded Pitta
40 Striped Woodhaunter
41 Rufous-fronted Thornbird
42 White-lored Spinetail
43 Shrike-like Cotinga
44 Black-and-white Becard
53 White-gorgeted Fantail
54 Arafura Fantail
55 Rufous Fantail
56 Brown Fantail
57 Streaked Fantail
58 Hair-crested Drongo
59 Paradise-crow
60 Lawes's Parotia
63 Spotted Berrypecker
64 Ashy Robin
65 Plain Martin
66 Common House-Martin
79 Flame-crowned Flowerpiercer
80 Fire-breasted Flowerpiercer
81 Mistletoebird
82 Olive-backed Sunbird
83 Asian Fairy-bluebird
84 Blue-winged Leafbird
85 Common Chaffinch
86 Antillean Euphonia
87 Carmiol's Tanager
88 Blue Seedeater
89 Turquiose Seedeater
Lumps
2 Scale-breasted/Waved Woodpecker
3 Siau and Sangihe/Sulawesi Pitta
4 New Britain, Tabar, and New Ireland/Bismarck Pitta
5 Restinga/Serra Antwren
6 Puna/Streaked-backed Canastero
8 Western Squared-tailed/Sharpe's Drongo
9 Gloosy-backed/Fork-tailed Drongo
10 Fanti/Velvet-mantled Dronogo
11 Luzon and Bohol/Metallic-winged Sunbird
12 Vincent's/Cape Bunting
13 Caqueta/Wing-barred Seedeater
Concept Change
1 Southern Boobook
2 Common Kingfisher
3 Ashy Drongo
4 Periparus ater aemodius
5 Cinnyris frenatus robustirostris
6 Fringilla spodiogenys spodiogenys
7 Spilopelia chinensis suratensis
8 Calidris alpina alpina
9 Muscicapa dauurica siamensis
10 Bornean Spiderhunter
11 Rosy Minivet
12 Gray-breasted Spiderhunter
New Common Names
52 Crested Shrikejay
53 Torrent Flycatcher
54 Lemon-bellied Flycatcher
55 Dusky Crested-Flycatcher
56 White-bellied Crested-Flycatcher
57 White-tailed Crested-Flycatcher
58 Latakoo Lark
59 Razo Skylark
60 Grand Comoro Brush-Warbler
61 Pale Sand Martin
62 Grand Comoro Bulbul
63 Streak-throated Fulvetta
64 Mariqua Flycatcher
65 Grand Comoro Flycatcher
66 Pale-chinned Blue Flycatcher
67 Mariqua Sunbird
68 Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver
69 Horsfield's Bushlark
New Sci Names
145 Black-capped Bulbul
146 Neumann's Warbler
147 Pale-footed Bush-Warbler
156 Heuglin's Wagtail
162 Yellowish Pipit
163 Crimson-collared Grosbeak
164 Slaty Finch
165 Chestnut Forest Rail
166 White-striped Forest Rail
167 Maranon Flycatcher
170 Speckled Spinetail
171 Striated Grassbird
New subspecies (polytypic)
12 Periparus ater
15 Aegithalos concinnus
for the various Diomedea splits, are there plans to make a couple of Diomedea complexes as well?
I don't like the idea of complexes in birds. Seems to be more of an insect thing to me, and in some cases, a reptile thing. Plus, someone created a complex for the Western Flycatcher, and I'm still irritated that someone created that complex, after the AOS decision to lump them, because that's just more work on our end.
A complex for birds on iNat is literally the exact same thing as what eBird already does for hundreds of cases, ie species A/species B options in checklists. Another example is ‘fairywren sp.’ in Australia
I should clarify I have zero opinion either way on the addition of bird complexes to iNat (I brought it up because two other users asked about it), but I don’t think the statement that they’re not a bird thing is accurate, as they definitely exist in platforms such as eBird, just not explicitly labelled as ‘complex’
I think the point is that iNat somewhat uses "natural" groups in its classification, rather than "practical" categories like the uncertain option in ebird checklists.
That being said, Clements uses the word in such cases. For example in the latest Update:
"Species limits of the Wandering Albatross complex have long been contentious".
Question is: would that be useful? In a case like that where they overlap and look very similar it could but it shouldn't be overused (birds are very rarely impossible to ID from good pictures associated to locations).
@thebeachcomber Actually no, staff has already stated that complexes should only be made/used for very specific and unique circumstances. Yes, eBird provides something like White-crowned/White-throated Sparrow, but I'm not going to create a complex for that when you can just set your id at Zonotrichia sp. Besides, the distinction between White-crowned and White-throated Sparrow is so clear, the only way an iNat obs is not going to be able to obtain a species id is if the head is not visible, and even then, you can sometimes identify by back pattern.
Complexes are primarily used for phylogenetic species in which an id is physically not obtainable by simply viewing the specimen. For the most part, birds are determined by biological factors rather than phylogenetic factors.
The sparrow example is not relevant, as I'm specifically talking about the albatross cases here, nothing else. And as Donald notes above, the term complex is explicitly used.
From the eBird updates page:
"and remember, large albatross sp. Diomedea sp. is always there to cover a great albatross in the Royal or Wandering complex that can’t be further narrowed down."
as I already said though, I don't care whether a complex is made here, I brought it up because a few other users wanted me to ask about it. But, again, complexes clearly do exist in the bird world, I do not think that can be disputed.
I'll tell them it won't happen
abundant usage in the scientific literature of the 'wandering albatross complex' as well
adding wandering and royal albatross complexes is perfectly reasonable (and fully in line with iNat's guidelines for complexes)—they're two separate, distinct clades each containing multiple closely-related, often very morphologically similar taxa; many individuals, particularly in the wandering albatross complex, are very difficult to identify to species (without in-hand measurements); and as previously mentioned, they have extensive use—as species complexes—in the seabird literature (particularly the wandering albatross complex). a wandering complex and a royal complex on iNat would allow these two complexes to continue to be separated out even when species-level ID is difficult/impossible (and would preserve all previous at-sea species-level royal or wandering IDs at complex level, rather than simply mixing them all together in the genus because they can't be atlased). moving forward post-split, both a wandering and a royal albatross complex (especially the wandering albatross complex) would be useful where the ranges of multiple taxa in each complex can overlap.
white-crowned and white-throated sparrow aren't a species complex (they aren't super closely related [as Zonotrichia go] or even sister taxa and they've never been considered conspecific, nor are they near-identical in appearance in any plumages), so that particular eBird slash isn't relevant here. just because many/most eBird slashes and spuhs don't correspond to species complexes doesn't mean none of them do (a few spuhs that correspond to species complexes even explicitly mention that they do, e.g. the red-eyed vireo complex, the band-rumped storm-petrel complex, the rufous/chestnut antpitta complex, and so on)
@maxkirsch I'm not debating the fact that they are two distinct clades, I'm asking if it's really that bad in that rare case to have a genus id. We are talking are a genus with 2 species turning into six. That's not a lot when you compare it to complexes, I've made myself in grasshoppers (ex. Melanoplus montanus complex comprises 23 essentially identical species out of 220+ genus). And if these guys warrant a complex, it might become a slippery slope of how far we take it. What about dowitchers? Snow/Ross's Goose? Canada/Cackling Goose? What about the million scrub-jays we keep splitting? I think that's why staff against the complexes for everything. That and it clutters the iNat database with almost useless, and more importantly informal, taxa.
Thanks all for working on this - we switched over the Clements version associated with the taxoframework from 2022 to 2023 so this might now be helpful tracking taxa needing to be dealt with https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_frameworks/2/relationship_unknown
Okay, everything is done now, except for the following:
Splits
4 Royal Albatross (doesn't seem too bad; most reports are to "subspecies" anyway, we can probably swap and whatever's left can go to genus level)
5 Wandering Albatross (this one is the tricky one due to the sympatric distributions. Looking through them on Birds of the World, doesn't look like they're too hard to id, it might have to come down to manual re-ids)
6 Yellow-nosed Albatross (doesn't look too bad; change https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/133742)
STAFF APPROVAL: OVER 10K OBS! @loarie
8 Cattle Egret split (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132987)
66 Common House Martin split (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/133781)
85 Common Chaffinch (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132801)
The chaffinch split is not committed either (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132801) and will need staff approval @loarie
There are also a bunch of ranges that will need to be updated for lumps and splits.
I committed the cattle egret splits at the subspecies level ahead of the main species split, it should relieve a bit of the server load (there are about 1000 IDs of B. ibis coromandus)
Also, is there a decision on the albatross splits and the possibility to make complexes? As @birdwhisperer said they're not too bad and maybe not necessary, but @maxkirsch has a compelling argument about their viability and they may still be useful post-split.
(I'm just asking because I'm the one that drafted most of these splits, I do not have a strong opinion either way)
@loarie what do you think?
@donalddavesne That's why I closed the flag, because I figured the rest should be handled by staff, especially the albatross splits. I'm still against complexes for the albatrosses, just because the morphological differences are significant enough that if you can id it to "Wandering" Albatross, then you should in theory be able to tell which Wandering Albatross. But we'll see what happens.
OK, I am quite agnostic on the issue myself. I guess staff can confirm the relevant policy - we don't to create a precedent where people are dropping "complexes" everywhere, on that I agree
A few loose ends hiding in the taxa without framework relationships
Alaudala cheleensis kukunorensis -> Deleted
Has not idents, I've made it inactive
Eopsaltria pulverulenta & subspecies -> Melanodryas pulverulenta
Peneothello cryptoleuca & subspecies -> Melanodryas cryptoleuca
Peneothello cyanus & subspecies -> Melanodryas cyanus
Peneothello sigillata & subspecies -> Melanodryas sigillata
Genus change not explicitly noted for this species in the spreadsheet or 'update and corrections' page, @maxkirsch does note the change on his spreadsheet.
Changes drafted:
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/134471
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/134475
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/134476
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/134477
There are quite a few subspecies that did not have their epithet ending changed (eg. from -a to -us) following a genus change. If there are no IDs just swap them again, or can/should the parent swap be reversed?
i've gone ahead and committed the above robin swaps, as well as still outstanding swaps of Pericrocotus roseus roseus and a couple Rubigula flaviventris subspecies
as for subspecies with gender ending changes that were accidentally auto-swapped: the names of taxa created via automatic swaps can't be edited by whoever created the overarching taxon and/or taxon change, can they? if they can, then the names (listed below) could just be edited by those curators; if not, then staff should be able to edit the names (or they could be swapped again). (i know there's an open feature request for curators to be able to make minor spelling corrections without swaps, but i don't know how far off that is from implementation)
@donalddavesne
Gecinulus rafflesii dulitense > Gecinulus rafflesii dulitensis
Leucoptilon concretum concretus > Leucoptilon concretum concretum
Leucoptilon concretum cyaneus > Leucoptilon concretum cyaneum
Pampusana beccarii intermedius > Pampusana beccarii intermedia
Pampusana beccarii masculinus > Pampusana beccarii masculina
Pampusana jobiensis chalconotus > Pampusana jobiensis chalconota
Pardipicus caroli arizela > Pardipicus caroli arizelus
@birdwhisperer
Icthyophaga humilis plumbeus > Icthyophaga humilis plumbea
@maxkirsch I have swapped the subspecies to the correct gender
thanks!
Hi everyone!
I noticed the albatross switches were not committed yet.
I'm happy to commit them at the subspecies level if this is agreed, and leave the main species splits to staff, as discussed.
The Yellow-nosed Albatross split looks fine to be committed - I don't think anyone is suggesting a complex for this?
More generally, it's better not to just commit the subspecies changes, as that leaves the split half done and confuses observers [which I probably shouldn't have done for Chaffinch]
My view is that a Royal complex isn't needed, as 889/1075 observations are already identified to subspecies, but that a Wandering complex would be useful. I see that Northern Royal and Antipodean have already been added and are being used
I committed the yellow-nosed.
I also committed the Royal albatross split, I agree with @rjq they were very few IDs not at the subspecies level for this one.
The wandering albatross should not be touched unless someone from staff agrees upon making a species group or not.
@donalddavesne You really shouldn't have swapped Bubuculus ibis coromandus to Bubuculus coromandus without completing the split. The partial split has caused a mess. There's confusion. Did you know that people are still IDing cattle egrets in the east as B. ibis, and hundreds of observations have lost their Research Grade status due to the incomplete split? I've been ticking the "No, it's as good as it can be" box on such observations, even if the B. ibis IDs were made after the split, because can you really blame people for this "incorrect" ID when in many cases, their area only has B. ibis not B. coromandus? You also shouldn't have done the incomplete Delichon urbicum split.
@rjq Thanks for acknowledging that your incomplete Fringilla coelebs split was a mistake. I hope there will be no more incomplete splits.
@cyanfox We're already aware of the partial split problem, and it has been dealt with. No need to further push the issue.
@loarie @tiwane would it be possible for the Bubulcus ibis split to be committed soon? the current partial split has been causing a lot of confusion, large numbers of erroneous disagreements, and other issues over the last month or so across much of Asia and Australasia where B. coromandus occurs
just started committing records for cattle egret through the back end - might take a while
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_splits/132987
thanks so much!
Thanks a lot @loarie !
ok the cattle egret split finished processing - does anything look weird - are there any of those issues with the community ID or identification categories not updating?
Whats next on the staff todo list?
thanks for all your work with this update!
thanks @loarie. Two more species splits to commit https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/133781 and https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132801. And then just an opinion on whether we should create a Wandering Albatross complex for the 4 new species, or just go ahead and split. As oceanic species with overlapping ranges, a range-based split doesn't work well
ok, thanks for pointing out those 2 users with IDs that didn't update. 1 has opted out of automatic taxonomy changes so that makes sense. The other hasn't so either they did at the time of the split or there's a bug. I'm recommitting records for cattle egret to try to mop this up if its a bug which will take a while, then I'll move on to the others you listed above
I figured out what was going on and looks like the cattle egret split worked well let me know if you see anything weird or not updating thats not caused by people opting out of automatic taxonomic updates or blocking users
I just started committing https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/133781 through the backend
let me know if you see anything weird with https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/133781
working on https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/132801 through the backend now
Ok thats done - I don't have opinions on Wandering Albatross
Distribution maps for the chaffinches need to be updated
Hi all, I noticed the wandering albatross splits are still not done.
I could at least commit the splits at the subspecies level - this would help decreasing confusion since the new species are already there.
We should do all stages at once, to avoid any more confusion. The choice is whether to do a straightforward split, or to create a species complex. A summary of the discussions above seems to be that a species complex here is allowable under iNat guidelines, but given that the genus is small, there is not a great deal to be gained from making a complex. @maxkirsch @birdwhisperer @donalddavesne what is your vote?
Myself, I would be more in favour of not having complexes everywhere. But in this case, about two thirds of the observations for D. exulans are not at the subspecies level and would therefore end up Diomedea sp. I guess it depends whether we consider it a problem or not.
Maybe a solution would be to contact the most prolific observers to warn them about the changes? A few of them have several dozens so if they reidentify under the new taxonomy that would go a long way making IDs more accurrate.
EDIT: I also created (not commited) the swap for D. exulans exulans to D. exulans, and the split.
EDIT EDIT: I added the breeding islands in the atlases: Tristan da Cunha for dabbenea, Auckland, Antipodes and Campbell for antipodensis, Amsterdam for amsterdamensis and South Georgia for exulans. It doesn't change anything in terms of auto-assigning IDs (EDIT: it does change for D. exulans sensu stricto, a bunch of the observations on South Georgia are of birds on the ground, so they are probably correct)
EDIT EDIT EDIT: I just checked on the ebird split page, and they didn't autoassign IDs either, because the taxa just overlap outside of their breeding grounds. So, we'll end up with a lot of Diomedea sp. and that's OK.
I personally don't believe complexes have a place in the avian world since the diagnosis of nearly identical species is minutely small compared to something like insects. And following a biological species concept also helps eases the load of what could be complex worthy taxa, which I know is a huge issue in herps and mammals. Of course, I may only have this opinion because I was one who dealt with Western Flycatcher lump, and it was a pain in the rear getting that lump set up because someone made a complex taxon only a month before the lump was finalized by the AOS. It was going to happen, why make our jobs harder?
Also, in the case of the flycatcher, it was easy to observe species in a well-documented part of the world and with many other species in the Empidonax genus, so I can get why people would have felt the need of having a complex to at least know it's one of these two species.
In the case of the albatrosses, people who would put up obs are probably mostly dedicated birders or naturalists anyway (who else would take pictures of birds in these areas of the world?) so I guess they will have no issue trying to ID them if this is even possible. What do you think?
it's specifically the people who live near the ranges of and/or regularly ID these taxa who'd use the complex anyway—and as previously mentioned, this complex has a history of use by albatross workers in the relevant literature. yes, complexes should be used sparingly, but people aren't requesting many of them in birds (and sparingly≠never); this is one very particular case that meets all of iNat's qualifications (monophyly, a decent presence in the literature, and no corresponding subgenus/etc., and it would be useful to ID many if not most at-sea wanderer observations). other arguments against the complex based on ease of ID have been either incorrect or misrepresentations about the IDability of the complex in question (in most cases it's simply not true that if you know it's a wanderer you should at the same time necessarily know which species it is just by appearance—ID is usually assumed by range most of the time, which works at or near breeding islands, but the at-sea distributions of the different taxa [and even the makeup of one breeding population] are incompletely known to this day; see below).
excerpts from Oceanic Birds of the World (Howell & Zufelt 2019); all italicized portions (besides scientific names) are mine for emphasis:
Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) Complex
…Species ID is mostly presumed by location, in combination with some plumage characters, but at-sea ranges of different taxa poorly known (all taxa combined on map below)… Plumage can continue to whiten through 20 years or older, and a range of typical 'adult' (breeding-age) plumages is shown opposite. [the next page shows a collage of regularly-seen breeding plumages, with a color key to which taxa can match each; all but two of the nine adult plumage types on display can be seen in 2–3 different taxa.]
PLUMAGE PROGRESSION IN WANDERING ALBATROSS COMPLEX
Information presented here is provisional, and much remains to be elucidated. Age of birds shown confirmed by wing molt patterns (p. 199); sex and species inferred by bill size, plumage, and location. Juveniles of all taxa look similar, with brown body and white face (see p. 208)… Male Snowy whitens most quickly, female Antipodes most slowly, with other taxa intermediate and varying with sex and individually. Immature refers to birds 1–5 years after fledging, subadult to birds about 5–10 years.
Wandering Albatross—Gough [Tristan] immatures
…2nd/3rd-cycle females resemble imm. Antipodes or adult Amsterdam, some even having dark lips and a greenish bill tip similar to Amsterdam; by 5th cycle, females resemble imm. or subadult female Gibson's but may develop a white head earlier. Subadults and adults not separable from Snowy or Gibson's on present knowledge.
Wandering Albatross—Gibson's immatures
…adults tend to have coarser and more extensive dark barring than adult Snowy… Subadults and adults not readily separated from Snowy or Gough on present knowledge.
[onto the species/subspecies accounts:]
[Snowy] …adults and subadults much like Gough and Gibson's; ID usually inferred by range… Macquarie I. birds perhaps this taxon or mixed with Gibson's…
[Gough (Tristan)] …ID usually inferred by range; imm. female can have dark lips and greenish bill tip like Amsterdam… older males much like Gibson's and Snowy
[Gibson's] …plumage highly variable… resembles Snowy and Gough but male averages coarser, more extensive dark barring; ID usually inferred by range
[nominate Antipodean is comparatively distinctive, and all plumages of Amsterdam closely resemble immature plumages of other taxa]
To sum up: this is a long-recognized-in-the-literature complex of closely related and in most cases very similar taxa, most with a complicated array of plumages with extensive overlap between species, often not IDable with certainty by appearance alone (and with a few exceptions—e.g., distinctively dark-capped nominate Antipodean adults, or the "snowiest" snowy adults—you need to be able to age the bird by wing molt first to start IDing the wide assortment of intermediate plumage stages), so ID is usually just assumed by location—but there remain large gaps in our knowledge of at-sea distributions of the different species. in-hand measurements are diagnostic afaik (indeed that's how most if not all of Australia's Tristan albatrosses have been confirmed), but unless you're an albatross bander you usually won't be getting these taxa in the hand; these differences do mirror subtle differences in bill/head proportions between some of the taxa (e.g. the larger subantarctic snowy vs the other more northerly-breeding taxa), but these birds aren't necessarily encountered at close enough range (or by people with enough experience to use those minor proportional clues) for those to be helpful the majority of the time. the complex has been specifically requested on iNat by people in/near the range of these taxa who regularly ID these taxa.
If people that are interested in these taxa are specifically requesting the complex, that's a good argument IMO
Based on @maxkirsch's comments above, I think there is a good case for a complex here. Not sure what the best process is - should we split the subspecies and then swap the existing exulans species taxon into an exulans complex taxon, so that IDs are updated to complex IDs?
@rjq @maxkirsch agreed.
Why not first create the complex, classify all four species under it, and then commit the exulans split that I created, so all IDs out of atlases will automatically end up in the complex?
(I created atlases for the four species based on the breeding grounds - see above - and they seem to mostly discriminate birds on the ground, which is probably correct)
the split (once everything involved is grafted under a complex so IDs are bumped up to complex rather than genus) looks good to me. that said, one potential alternative to the split (in which over 9 out of 10 IDs would have to be bumped up to complex anyway, since they're at sea not near breeding islands) might be to simply change the rank of the current wandering albatross taxon (508990) from species to complex (in other words, keeping its taxonomic scope the same; European earwig had a similar change done recently), followed by regrafting the new species under it (including a resurrected Diomedea exulans 4117 for the narrower concept of D. exulans) and then committing all the subspecies-to-(sub)species-level swaps. this would mirror what eBird did: because of the extensive geographic overlap among taxa, they didn't make any changes to observer-reported taxa based on location, solely updating former subspecies-level reports to current species and updating former species-level reports to a slash.
@maxkirsch that is a good suggestion! I'll look into it
EDIT: I tweaked the split so D. exulans 4117 (currently inactive) is a destination taxon.
If we agree on that, I can change D. exulans 508990 from species to complex, and put the 4 species under it
sounds good! the only issue with this route is that i'm not sure what happens during a split if the input taxon is also the parent of the output taxa. does the input get inactivated (if it's not also an output)? does the split work at all, or does it create an error message since the input has active descendants? if the input complex also has to be added as one of the outputs to keep it active, would iNat recognize that the complex itself is the narrowest ancestor taxon of all the outputs (so unatlased IDs would stay unchanged at complex), or would it bump them up to the parent of the complex (i.e. the genus)?
if we do go this route (editing the current wandering albatross to make it a complex containing the 4 species), and any of these would be issues, i wonder if maybe the split just shouldn't be committed, just leaving any previous IDs at complex (including on the 50ish observations from breeding islands without current subspecies IDs, which could just be ID'd manually).
To avoid having to ID those 50ish observations, why not just create a new complex, graft the species under it, and then split?
OK, I've created the "D. exulans complex" taxon (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1528569-Diomedea-exulans), and indeed, the proposed split (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxon_changes/137857) woud put any un-ID observation under it.
I y'all agree I can commit the split (plus subspecies swaps) later today.
that works for me - thanks!
OK, I've committed, it is on the way!
Thread for the upcoming Clements Update 2023 (scheduled to be published the 24th of this month). Let's collectively tag all new changes to this flag so we can transition the taxonomy smoothly.