The AOU recently published its 52nd supplement for North American birds. There are some massive changes, as you will see. Below is a list of all of the major changes and additions that I thought would be of interest to us birders in the states.
6 species were added to the North American list of species, based on either vagrants or splits. The ones of interest are:
-White-chinned Petrel. This species has been recorded in Texas and Maine.
-Solitary Snipe. An individual was found in Alaska.
-Bahama Warbler. This species, though not found in the US of course, is very close to us. It was recently split from Yellow-throated Warbler.
In addition, several North American species were recognized as having been recorded in the states:
-Sungrebe. One found in New Mexico.
-Amazon Kingfisher. One found in southern Texas.
-Gray-collared Becard. A record in Arizona.
-Brown-backed Solitaire. Seen in Arizona a couple of times.
-Red-legged Thrush. One found in Florida.
The American form of Common Moorhen has been split from the Old World form and is now called Common Gallinule, G. galeata. Awesome, just added a new bird with this split, as I have seen both species!
The scientific name for Snowy Plover has been changed to C. nivosus. This is a result of Snowy Plover being split from Kentish Plover, an Old World species.
The scientific name of Mexican Jay has been changed slightly. Still the same genus, but different genus name. It has been split from Transvolcanic Jay, a central Mexican species.
And now to the most shocking/enormous changes of all: New World Warblers. Not only have the warblers been rearragned significantly, (with Ovenbird coming first, not Bachman's Warbler, and that is just one small rearrangement!), but many of the genuses that we have come to know are no longer: Parula, Dendroica, Wilsonia. Below is a list of US birds for which the genuses have changed. The name of the genus the birds have been moved to is noted above each list of species.
Geothlypis (with the Yellowthroats):
- MacGillivray's Warbler
- Mourning Warbler
- Kentucky Warbler. Connecticut Warbler is the sole survivor in the genus Oporornis.
Setophaga (originally just American Redstart, but now most of the warblers we see!)
- Hooded Warbler
- Kirtland's Warbler
- Cape May Warbler
- Cerulean Warbler
- Northern Parula
- Tropical Parula
- Magnolia Warbler
- Bay-breasted Warbler
- Blackburnian Warbler
- Yellow Warbler
- Chestnut-sided Warbler
- Blackpoll Warbler
- Black-throated Blue Warbler
- Palm Warbler
- Pine Warbler
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Yellow-throated Warbler
- Prairie Warbler
- Grace's Warbler
- Black-throated Gray Warbler
- Townsend's Warbler
- Hermit Warbler
- Golden-cheeked Warbler
- Black-throated Green Warbler
Cardellina (joining Red-faced Warbler, Red Warbler, and Pink-headed Warbler)
- Canada Warbler
- Wilson's Warbler
Attached below is the link to the 52nd supplement, where one can see all of the changes to North American birds.
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