For more detailed information please refer to the original AOU document:

 

American Ornithologists’ Union.  2006.  Forty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds.  Auk 123(3):926-936.

www.aou.org/checklist/Suppl47.pdf

 

The complete updated AOU check-list can be found at:

www.aou.org/checklist/index.php3

 

 

 

 

Synopsis of the

47th Supplement to the AOU check-list of North American Birds

 

July 07, 2006

 

 

 

QUAIL, GROUSE, AND TURKEY (PHASIANIDAE)

*Blue Grouse is split into two species (based on molecular, morphological, and behavioral evidence).  Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) includes the formerly recognized “coastal” subspecies group of CA, western OR, and the western quarters of WA, B.C., and AK.  Dusky Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) includes the formerly recognized “inland” subspecies group that occurs east of the range of Dusky Grouse.  Sooty follows Dusky in the species list.

 

FULMAR, PETRELS, AND SHEARWATERS (PROCELLARIIDAE)

*Cape Verde Shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii) is split from Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) and now follows that species in the list.

 

STORM-PETRELS (HYDROBATIDAE)

*Black-bellied Storm Petrel (Fregetta tropica) is added to the list (based on a sighting off N.C. in 2004) and follows after European Storm-petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) in the species list.

 

HAWKS AND EAGLES (ACCIPITRIDAE)

*Gray Hawk is moved from the genus Asturina and is placed in the genus Buteo (based on molecular evidence).  It now follows after Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) in the species list.

 

SANDPIPERS (SCOLOPACIDAE)

*Willet and Grey-tailed & Wandering Tattlers are moved from the genera Catoptrophorus and Heteroscelus, respectively, and are now placed (based on molecular evidence) within the “marsh sandpiper” group (i.e., “yellowlegs/shanks”) in the genus Tringa.

 

*The list of sandpipers following Wattled Jacana and preceding Upland Sandpiper is rearranged (based on molecular evidence).  The new order is:

Terek Sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)

Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)

Gray-tailed Tattler (Tringa brevipes)

Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana)

Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)

Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Willet (Tringa semipalmata)

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis)

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)

 

*The Latin species name for Willet is changed from semipalmatus to semipalmata.

 

*The Latin species name for Spotted Sandpiper is changed from macularia to macularius.

 

GULLS AND TERNS (LARIDAE)

*The list of tern species is rearranged (based on molecular and plumage evidence) with some species grouped into five newly revived genera.  The new order is:

Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)

Black Noddy (Anous minutus)

Blue-gray Noddy (Procelsterna cerulean)

White Tern (Gygis alba)

Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)

Gray-backed Tern (Onychoprion lunatus)

Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus)

Aleutian Tern (Onychoprion aleuticus)

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)

Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)

Yellow-billed Tern (Sternula superciliaris)

Large-billed Tern (Phaetusa simplex)

Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

Inca Tern (Larosterna inca)

Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)

White-winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida)

Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii)

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus)

Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)

Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)

Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans)

 

SKUAS AND JAEGERS (STERCORARIIDAE)

*Skuas and Jaegers are now elevated from subfamily to the family Stercorariidae (based on molecular evidence).  The family is now situated after the Gulls and Terns (following Black Skimmer) and before the Alcids (before Dovekie) in the list.

 

PIGEONS AN DOVES (COLUMBIFORMES)

*Ringed Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia risoria) is replaced with African Collared-Dove (Streptopelia roseogrisea) (in recognition of the species name and not the form).

 

CUCKOOS (CUCULIFORMES)

*Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus) is replaced with Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) (recognizing a split based on morphological and behavioral evidence).

 

*The list of cuckoo species that follow Oriental Cuckoo is rearranged (based on molecular evidence) with both Little Cuckoo (genus Piaya) and the cuckoos from the Antilles (genera Saurothera & Hyetornis) now placed in Coccycua and Coccyzus, respectively.  The new order is:

Little Cuckoo (Coccycua minuta)

Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana)

Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus)

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

Pearly-breasted Cuckoo (Coccyzus euleri)

Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor)

Cocos Cuckoo (Coccyzus ferrugineus)

Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)

Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo (Coccyzus pluvialis)

Bay-breasted Cuckoo (Coccyzus rufigularis)

Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus vetula)

Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus vieilloti)

Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini)

Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus longirostris)


FLYCATCHERS (TYRANNIDAE)

*Social Flycatcher (Myiozetetes similis) remains unchanged on the list but is now considered to occur in the United States (based on a sighting in TX in 2004).

 

WRENS (TROGLODYTIDAE)

*Socorro Wren is moved from the genus Thyomanes and is placed in the genus Troglodytes (based on molecular evidence).  It now follows after House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) in the species list.

 

OLD WORLD FLYCATCHERS (MUSCICAPIDAE)

*Red-breasted Flycatcher (Ficedula parva) is replaced with Taiga Flycatcher (Ficedula albicilla) (recognizing a recent split based on morphological, behavioral, and molecular evidence).

 

THRUSHES (TURDIDAE)

*Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus mexicanus) remains unchanged on the list but is now considered to occur in the United States (based on a sighting in TX in 2004).

 

FINCHES (FRINGILLIDAE)

*Barbados Bullfinch (Loxigilla barbadensis) is split from Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis) and follows that species in the list (based on molecular, morphological, and behavioral evidence).

 

 

 

David Ziolkowski Jr.

USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

12100 Beech Forest Rd.

Laurel, MD  20708-4038

 

Tel: 301-497-5753

Fax: 301-497-5784

www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/