Tweets - Following is a summary of changes to be included in the 41st
supplement to the 6th edition of the AOU's _Checklist of N. American Birds_.
The 7th edition is due to be published later this year. I may have missed some
since the fax I received concentrated on BC species. Some surprises and some
welcome changes, too. This is the first checklist to be swayed heavily by the
latest advances in the technologies of biochemical genetics, such as DNA-DNA
hybridization, protein electrophoresis, and DNA sequencing.

I have set this in monospaced font hoping that it will come through unskewed.
However, sometimes this doesn't work. I apologize in advance if it comes out
fractured.

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FORMER NEW
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- change in genus and ordering
for N. Pacific albatrosses - new checklist ordering, too

Short-tailed Albatross Black-footed Albatross
(_Diomedea albatrus_) (_Phoebastria nigripes_)

Black-footed Albatross Laysan Albatross
(_Diomedea nigripes_) (_Phoebastria immutabilis_)

Laysan Albatross Short-tailed Albatross
(_Diomedea immutabilis_) (_Phoebastria albatrus_)

Family Cathartidae (American Family Cathartidae inserted in
Vultures) removed from the order suborder Ciconiae (Storks) of
Falconiformes (Diurnal Birds of the order Ciconiiformes (Bitt-
Prey) erns, Herons, Egrets, Ibises,
and Storks) following family
Ciconiidae (Storks)

Falcated Teal Falcated Duck
(_Anas falcata_)

Spruce Grouse Spruce Grouse
(_Dendragapus canadensis_) (_Falcipennis canadensis_)

Checklist order of grouse: Checklist order of grouse:
Spruce Grouse Ruffed Grouse
Blue Grouse Sage Grouse
Willow Ptarmigan Spruce Grouse
Rock Ptarmigan Blue Grouse
White-tailed Ptarmigan Willow Ptarmigan
Ruffed Grouse Rock Ptarmigan
Sage Grouse White-tailed Ptarmigan
Sharp-tailed Grouse Sharp-tailed Grouse

Family Phasianidae (Partridges, Family Phasianidae (Partridges,
Grouse, Ptarmigan, Turkeys, Grouse, Ptarmigan, and Turkey.
Bobwhites, and Quail) All Nearctic Quail and Bobwhites
raised to family Odontophoridae
and follow family Phasianidae in
checklist order

American Golden-Plover American Golden-Plover
(_Pluvialis dominicus_) (_Pluvialis dominica_)

Checklist order: Checklist order:
Pomarine Jaeger South Polar Skua
Parasitic Jaeger Pomarine Jaeger
Long-tailed Jaeger Parasitic Jaeger
South Polar Skua Long-tailed Jaeger

Parakeet Auklet Parakeet Auklet
(_Cyclorrynchus psittacula_) (_Aethia psittacula_)

Olive-sided Flycatcher Olive-sided Flycatcher
(_Contopus borealis_) (_Contopus cooperi_)
*** I want _borealis_ back! ****
*** Let's start a revolt ***

Checklist order for families of Checklist order for families of
Passeriformes: Passeriformes:
Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers) Tyrannidae
Alaudidae (Larks) Laniidae
Hirundinidae (Swallows) Vireoniidae
Corvidae (Jays, Magpies and Crows) Corvidae
Paridae (Titmice) Alaudidae
Aegithalidae (Bushtits) Hirundinidae
Sittidae (Nuthatches) Paridae
Certhiidae (Creepers) Aegithalidae
Troglodytidae (Wrens) Sittidae
Cinclidae (Dippers) Certhiidae
Muscicapidae (Kinglets, Bluebirds, Troglydytidae
Thrushes and allies) Cinclidae
Mimidae (Mockingbird, Thrashers Regulidae (Kinglets)
and allies) Muscicapidae (Bluebirds,
Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits) thrushes and allies)
Bombycillidae (Waxwings) Mimidae
Laniidae (True Shrikes) Sturnidae
Sturnidae (Starlings) Prunellidae (Accentors)
Emberizidae (Wood-warblers, Sparrows, Motacillidae
Blackbirds and allies) Bombycillidae
Fringillidae Parulidae (Wood-Warblers)
Passeridae Thraupidae (Tanagers)
Cardinalidae (Grosbeaks and
allies)
Emberizidae (Towhees, Sparrows,
Longspurs, Buntings and
allies)
Icteridae (Bobolink,
Blackbirds, Grackles, Orioles,
and allies)
Fringillidae
Passeridae

*** I can hear the howls of incredulity now***
*** with the following ***

Black-capped Chickadee Black-capped Chickadee
(_Parus atricapillus_) (_Poecile atricapillus_)

Mountain Chickadee Mountain Chickadee
(_Parus gambeli_) (_Poecile hudsonicus_)

Boreal Chickadee Boreal Chickadee
(_Parus hudsonicus_) (_Poecile hudsonicus_)

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee
(_Parus rufescens_) (_Poecile rufescens_)

Checklist order: Checklist order:
Black-capped Chickadee Black-capped Chickadee
Mountain Chickadee Mountain Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee Boreal Chickadee

Family Muscicapidae (Kinglets, Family Muscicapidae (Bluebirds,
Bluebirds, Thrushes and allies) Thrushes, and allies). The
kinglets, genus _Regulus_ now
have the rank of family
(Regulidae) and follow the
Family Cinclidae (Dippers) in
checklist order

Checklist order: Checklist order:
..Family Laniidae (Shrikes) ...Family Mimidae (Mockingbirds,
Family Sturnidae (Starlings) Thrashers, and allies)
Family Vireonidae (Vireos)... Family Sturnidae (Starlings)
Family Motacillidae (Wagtails
and Pipits)...

Solitary Vireo (all B.C.) Blue-headed Vireo (n.e. B.C.)
(_Vireo solitarius_) (_Vireo solitarius_)
Cassin's Vireo (rest of B.C.)
(_Vireo cassinii_)

Family Emberizidae (Wood-Warblers, Family Parulidae (Wood-
Tanagers, Sparrows, Blackbirds and Warblers)
allies) Family Thraupidae (Tanagers)
Family Emberizidae
(Emberizids)
Family Cardinalidae
(Grosbeaks and allies)
Family Icteridae (Icterids)

Checklist order: Checklist order:
White-throated Sparrow White-throated Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow Harris' Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow
Harris' Sparrow Golden-crowned Sparrow

Checklist order: Checklist order:
Great-tailed Grackle Common Grackle
Common Grackle Great-tailed Grackle

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That is what I have received so far. No doubt there are far more. Cooper
already has a hawk - give us back our Olive-sided Flycatcher!!

- Jack


Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca