Like many questions in taxonomic classification (not to mention
life), it depends on who you ask! Then there are the "trends" in
taxonomy, fluctuating over decades of ebb & flow between the lumpers
& the splitters. While we like to think all this is based on strong,
objective scientific evidence (which it usually is!), the
interpretation of said evidence is still subjective and often simply
a matter of opinion. Of course, for the "birder" (as opposed to the
"ornithologist"), the final authorities are the AOU/ABA checklists,
updated every few years and based on advances in ornithology. After a
long bout of lumping, the trend in the last decade or so seems to be
in favor of the splitters, with the concept of sibling species
gaining favor. Hence, we've gained back not only the Black-crested
Titmouse (a really great bird!), but also the rosy-finches and a
number of others. Now here's a secret I rarely share -- I never
removed Black-crested Titmouse from my life list after it was lumped
-- so now I don't have to re-enter it!!

Mark


>Greetings,
>
>Here's one for the AOU experts out there:
>
>My Sibley's (copyright 2000) lists the Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus
>bicolor) as a single species with two subspecies, the Black-Crested
>(Mexican) and the Northern (Tufted) He also comments in the notes
>that these were formerly two separate species.
>
>Along comes my brand new Cornell Labs Birder's List & Diary
>(copyright 2003) with listings for Tufted Titmouse (B. bicolor) AND
>Black-Crested Titmouse (B. atricristatus) with no note describing
>them as subspecies. Cornell does point this distinction out in
>other cases throughout the book.
>
>So what do we have here, two species or one?
>
>-Rolan
>
>
>Rolan Nelson
>Fircrest, WA
>rnbuffle at yahoo.com
>
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