AOU Committee on Classification and Nomenclature (North & Middle America)

2007-2008 Proposals

Proposals must receive a 2/3 positive vote by committee members to pass. Votes may be subject to change pending further data. Thus, the outcome of proposals is not final until published in the annual supplement to the Check-list of North American Birds.

Proposals 2007-A (PDF) - View comments

• 2007-A-1: Parentheses in Aimophila names - PASSED
• 2007-A-2: Technical Corrections - PASSED
• 2007-A-3: Adoption of IOC guidelines on English names - FAILED
• 2007-A-4: Split Anas zonorhyncha from A. poecilorhyncha - PASSED
• 2007-A-5: Remove parvus from Hemignathus to Magumma - PASSED
• 2007-A-6: Separate Pelecanus thagus from P. occidentalis (SACC #271) - PASSED
• 2007-A-7: Transfer Piculus rubiginosus and P. auricularis from Piculus to Colaptes (SACC #265) - PASSED
• 2007-A-8: Transfer Veniliornis fumigatus to Picoides (SACC #263) - FAILED
• 2007-A-9: Split Conopias parvus from C. albovittatus (SACC #251) - PASSED
• 2007-A-10: Change classification of the Formicariidae (SACC #235)
  • (a) Restrict Formicariidae to Formicarius and Chamaeza - PASSED
  • (b) Change Formicariidae include Formicarius, Chamaeza, and tapaculos - FAILED
  • (c) Accept family Grallariidae - PASSED
  • (d) Place Pittasoma in Conopophagidae - PASSED
  • (e) Erect family Pittasomidae - FAILED

Proposals 2007-B (PDF) - View comments

• 2007-B-1: Recognize Larus smithsonianus as a species - FAILED
• 2007-B-2: Recognize Larus vegae as a species - FAILED
• 2007-B-3: Adopt reclassification of Laridae by Pons et al. (2004), incl. generic limits (also see SACC #250) - PASSED*
• 2007-B-4: Recognize Chondrohierax of Cuba as a species - FAILED

* Partial pass - Most committee members favor continued recognition of Rhodostethia, and some members suggest a different linear sequence from that in the proposal. For this reason, a new set of proposals was submitted for consideration by the Committee (2007-E-1a through 2007-E-1d).

Proposals 2007-C (PDF) - View comments

• 2007-C-1: Change Colibri from Violet-ear to Violetear (SACC #199) - PASSED
• 2007-C-2: Resurrect Helicolestes for the Slender-billed Kite (SACC #201) - PASSED
• 2007-C-3: Split Gypopsitta from Pionopsitta (SACC #212) - PASSED*
• 2007-C-4: Change English name of Brotogeris versicolurus from White-winged to Canary-winged Parakeet (SACC # 224) - FAILED**
• 2007-C-5: Sequence of genera and subfamilies in Furnariidae (SACC #272) - PASSED
• 2007-C-6: Recognize the genus Epinecrophylla (Thamnophilidae) (SACC #275) - PASSED
• 2007-C-7: Change linear sequence of forest Tinamidae genera (SACC #237) - PASSED
• 2007-C-8: Change English names of several Turdus from "Robin" to "Thrush" (SACC #260) - PASSED
• 2007-C-9: Split Icterus icterus into three species (SACC #288) - PASSED
• 2007-C-10: Change name of Chlorothraupis carmioli from "Olive Tanager" to "Carmiol's Tanager" - PASSED
• 2007-C-11: Change English name of Microbates cinereiventris from "Tawny-faced Gnatwren" to "Half-collared Gnatwren" - FAILED
• 2007-C-12: Treat Nonnula frontalis as a separate species from N. ruficapilla - PASSED
• 2007-C-13: Recognize sister relationship between Podicipediformes and Phoenicopteriformes (SACC #274) - PASSED
• 2007-C-14: Separate Pionopsitta coccinicollaris from P. haematotis (SACC #212) - FAILED

*   See comments re: nomenclatural issue.
** Since this proposal was submitted, a new proposal to go back to White-winged has been submitted to the SACC (#307)

Proposals 2007-D (PDF) - View comments

• 2007-D-1: Move Sapayoa aenigma to Eurylaimidae - PASSED
• 2007-D-2: Split Icterus spurius  into two species - FAILED
• 2007-D-3: Resurrect the genus Rupornis for the Roadside Hawk - FAILED
• 2007-D-4: Separate Caribbean and European Flamingos - PASSED
• 2007-D-5: Treat Buteogallus subtilis as a subspecies of B. anthracinus (SACC #294) - PASSED
• 2007-D-6: Change English name of Cnipodectes to Twistwing (SACC #298) - PASSED
• 2007-D-7: Lump the genera Arremon, Buarremon, and Lysurus in an expanded genus Arrremon (SACC #289) - PASSED
• 2007-D-8: Change linear sequence in Tangara (SACC #291) - PASSED
• 2007-D-9: Change English name of Gallinula chloropus back from "Common Moorhen" to "Common Gallinule" - FAILED
• 2007-D-10: Add Pallas’s Warbler (Phylloscopus proregulus) - PASSED

Proposals 2007-E (PDF) - View comments

• 2007-E-1a: Disperse AOU taxa currently in Larus into four genera - PASSED
• 2007-E-1b: Merge Rhodostethia into Hydrocoloeus - FAILED
• 2007-E-1c: Rearrange the species order within Leucophaeus and Larus (sensu stricto) to reflect the relationships in Pons, except for the "distal white-headed group" - PASSED
• 2007-E-1d: Rearrange the order of genera within the Larinae to reflect the "primitive-derived" relationships in Pons Fig. 1 - PASSED
• 2007-E-2: Put the Old World and New World species of Carpodacus in different genera - FAILED
• 2007-E-3: Change English name of Goethalsia bella (SACC #304) - PASSED
• 2007-E-4: Move Swallow-tailed Gull from pg. 692-693 of the Appendix to the main list - PASSED
• 2007-E-5: Add Gray Heron (Ardea cinera) to the North American List (both for Canada and the U.S.) - PASSED
• 2007-E-6: Add Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) to US list - PASSED
• 2007-E-7: Add Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) to the Check-list - PASSED
• 2007-E-8: Add Parkinson's Petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni) to the U.S. list - PASSED