Winter wren name change (AGAIN....arggghh)
AOU traditionally has not liked to come back to reassess differences without new data, and I don't see anything in Steve Howell's argument that is new.
I think that in this thread so far we have had three different people (me included) who each have three different ideas for what the names are/should be. Obviously this says something about this issue.
Jim, I disagree. Any re-address of these names should change the eastern species to Boreal Wren, not tamper with the name of the western part. Only in that way will it be clear when the old and when the new taxonomy is used.
Niels
I think that in this thread so far we have had three different people (me included) who each have three different ideas for what the names are/should be. Obviously this says something about this issue.
NACC is to be applauded for publishing proposals for taxonomic changes (eg, in marked contrast to BOURC, which still operates entirely behind closed doors, revealing only final decisions, with no visibility of the commenting and voting processes). But NACC procedures still compare unfavourably with those of SACC, which manages to post individual proposals and comments as and when received. The batch posted by NACC yesterday includes proposals dating back as long ago as Dec 2009 - I wonder why it's considered necessary to delay for up to a year before publication?At long last...
If you want an alternative topic to discuss, I am sure some birders that have been birding longer than I have will appreciate getting Common Gallinule back