On July 25 2020 the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) released the latest version of its world bird list (v10.2):

Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen  (Eds). 2020. IOC World Bird List (v10.2). doi :  10.14344/IOC.ML.10.2.

The IOC bird list is hosted on a dedicated World Bird Names website, which provides access to the list in various different formats. The list is updated twice a year, in January and July.

The details of the changes in the v10.2 release can be found by clicking on the Updates tab on the IOC website. Here is a summary of the major amendments:

New to science

Myzomela Honeyeaters  +1 species  Taliabu Myzomela

Rhipidura Fantails  +1 species  Peleng Fantail

Locustella Bush Warblers  +1 species  Taliabu Bush Warbler

Splits

Rheinardia Argus Pheasants  +1 species

Charadrius Plovers  +1 species

Campethera Woodpeckers  +1 species

Pyriglena Antbirds (Fire-eyes)  +2 species

Amytornis Grasswrens  +2

Dicrurus Drongos  +1

Petroica Australasian Robins  +1

Bleda Bristlebills (Bulbuls)  +1

Alophoixus Bulbuls  +2

Pycnonotus Bulbuls  +1

Locustella Bush Warblers  +2

Curruca (formerly Sylvia) Warblers  +1

Lumps

Picumnus Piculets  -1  [Tawny Piculet]

Corvus Crows  -1  [Northwestern Crow]

Revision and resequencing of families

The Gallus genus of Junglefowl in Family: Phasianidae – Pheasants & Allies has been resequenced.

Family: Trochilidae – Hummingbirds has been revised and resequenced.

Within Order Gruiformes, Family: Sarothruridae – Flufftails has been resequenced to precede Family: Rallidae – Rails, Crakes & Coots.

Genus Sarothrura of Flufftails has been resequenced.

Family: Rallidae – Rails, Crakes & Coots has been revised and resequenced.

Genus Rallicula of Forest Rails has been resequenced and transferred to Family: Sarothruridae – Flufftails.

Within Order Suliformes, Family: Anhingidae – Anhingas, Darters has been resequenced to precede Family: Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants, Shags

Family: Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants, Shags has been resequenced.

Family: Cathartidae – New World Vultures has been resequenced.

Genus Megascops of Screech Owls in Family: Strigidae – Owls has been revised and resequenced.

Genus Chloroceryle of American Kingfishers in Family: Alcedinidae – Kingfishers has been resequenced.

Genera Campethera and Geocolaptes (Ground Woodpecker) within Family: Picidae – Woodpeckers have been revised and resequenced.

Genus Forpus of Parrotlets within Family: Psittacidae – African & New World Parrots has been resequenced.

Genus Ara of Macaws within Family: Psittacidae – African & New World Parrots has been resequenced.

Within Order Passeriformes, Family: Philepittidae – Asities has been revised and resequenced to precede Family: Eurylaimidae – Typical Broadbills

Family: Eurylaimidae – Typical Broadbills has been resequenced.

The Smithornis genus within Family: Calyptomenidae – African and Green Broadbills has been resequenced.

Family: Pittidae – Pittas has been resequenced.

Family: Cotingidae – Cotingas has been resequenced.

The Dicrurus genus within single genus Family: Dicruridae – Drongos has been revised and resequenced.

Family: Pycnonotidae – Bulbuls has been revised and resequenced.

Genus Progne of American Martins within Family: Hirundinidae – Swallows, Martins has been resequenced.

Genus Locustella of Family: Locustellidae – Grassbirds & Allies has been resequenced.

Within Order Passeriformes, Family: Sylviidae – Sylviid Babblers has been revised and resequenced to follow Family: Cisticolidae – Cisticolas & Allies.

Parrotbills, Fulvettas, Asian Babblers and Myzornis, all formerly in Sylviidae, have been moved to new Family: Paradoxornithidae – Parrotbills and allies.

Single species genus Chamaea (Wrentit) has been transferred to new Family: Paradoxornithidae – Parrotbills and allies.

Family: Zosteropidae – White-eyes has been revised and resequenced and has been moved to follow Family: Paradoxornithidae – Parrotbills and allies.

Family: Timaliidae – Babblers, Scimitar Babblers has been revised and resequenced.

Family: Pellorneidae – Ground Babblers has a modified English name and has been revised and resequenced.

Genus Alcippe within Pellorneidae has been moved to new Family: Alcippeidae – Alcippe Fulvettas.

Family: Leiothrichidae – Laughingthrushes & Allies has been resequenced.

Genus Sitta within single genus Family: Sittidae – Nuthatches has been resequenced.

Genus Ficedula within Family: Muscicapidae – Chats, Old World Flycatchers has been resequenced.

Family: Estrildidae – Waxbills, Munias & Allies has been revised and resequenced.

Family: Passerellidae – New World Sparrows has been revised and resequenced.

Family: Thraupidae – Tanagers & Allies has been revised and resequenced.

In the IOC bird list there are now 10787 extant species (net +17) ascribed to 251 families.

The changes include the splitting of Subalpine Warbler into:

836/747T    Western Subalpine Warbler    Curruca iberiae

(breeds nw Africa, sw Europe)

836/747Y    Eastern Subalpine Warbler    Curruca cantillans

(breeds ne, c, s Italy, se Europe, w Turkey)

All the v10.2 changes will be reflected in the 2021 editions of the ATWB Companion Guides. These editions will be released commencing September 2020.

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Some details …

Each of the ATWB Companion Guides has a number of important features, including:

– A complete taxonomic listing of bird species

– An indication of where each bird family and species can be found in its native state

– Spotlighted species that have a restricted regional or worldwide range

However, perhaps the key feature of all eBooks in the Companion Guide series is the way you can quickly and simply access relevant, up to date online information about every featured bird species. If your reading device is connected to the internet, a single click will take you to a search results page for a species, from where you can continue to search for additional information to whatever level of detail you desire.

The ‘All the World’s Birds’ series of Companion Guides derives its taxonomy, English names and scientific names from The IOC World Bird List, an open access resource maintained by the International Ornithological Congress (IOC). The IOC bird list is hosted on a dedicated World Bird Names website, which provides access to the list in various different formats.

The version of the IOC bird list used in the ‘All the World’s Birds 2020’ series of Companion Guides is Version 9.2, published June 22 2019. The version of the IOC bird list that will be used in the ‘All the World’s Birds 2021’ series of Companion Guides is Version 10.2, published July 25 2020.

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