Dear Tweeters,

Would love to tax your taxonomic brains. Please email Cyndie directly with
your insights.

Sincerely,
Marcus Roening Tacoma,WA
MDR51044 at GlaxoWellcome.com


> ----------
> From: Cyndie
> Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 1999 6:39 PM
> To: President at wos.org; Roening, Marcus (US Sales)
> Subject: FAMILY names
>
> I don't know to whom these questions should be directed but I am trying
> to obtain some information for the Ornithology class I am taking at
> Evergreen. It has been so instructed that the Western Tanager (Piranga
> ludoviciana) be placed in the Family of Emberizidae; on the CURRENT
> Washington Bird Checklist it is listed under the Family of Thraupidae.
> Which is the most current and accepted (to date) family? The same type
> of question also reflects the following: Western Meadowlark -
> Emberizidae or Icteridae?, Black-headed Grosbeak - Emberizidae or
> Cardinalidae?, Hermit Warbler - Emberizidae or Parulidae? Veery -
> Muscicapidae or Turdidae? Golden-crowned Kinglet - Muscicapidae or
> Regulidae?, Scaled Quail - Phasianidae or Odontophoridae? Brandt's
> Cormorant - Pelecanidae or Phalacrocoracidae?
>
> I don't wish to QUESTION either your union/organization nor my
> instructor and I do understand that classifications are constantly 'in
> flux' and things change as new technologies become available. If the
> Current Wash. Checklist Family names are correct, when was the change
> from the "old" to the "new"? I don't wish to embarrass myself or my
> instructor(should he be incorrect), yet I don't want to begin learning
> the taxonomy of birds in the incorrect manner. One last question - the
> American Pipit is listed in both Peterson & National Geographic (2nd
> ed.) as Anthus rubescens but hasn't the species name changed to
> spinoletta?
>
> Thank you for your time; if you can not help, could you please drop me
> an email and inform me of whom I could contact for these answers?
>
> thank you,
> Cyndie
>