On July 10 2021 the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) released the latest version of its world bird list (v11.2):

Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen  (Eds). 2021. IOC World Bird List (v11.2). doi :  10.14344/IOC.ML.11.2.

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 v11.2 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

Grallaria Antpitta  +6 species
Chami Antpitta, Chachapoya Antpitta, Panao Antpitta,
Oxapampa Antpitta, Ayacucho Antpitta, Puno Antpitta

Melanocharis Berrypeckers  +1 species
Satin Berrypecker

Cisticola Cisticolas  +2 species
Hunter’s Cisticola, Kilombero Cisticola

Splits

Centropus Coucals  +1 species

Streptopelia Collared Doves  +2 species

Treron Green Pigeons  +1 species

Ptilinopus Fruit Doves  +2 

Ducula Imperial Pigeons  +2  

Larus Gulls  +1

Athene Owls  +3

Otus Scops Owls  +1

Merops Bee-eaters  +3

Trachyphonus (African) Barbets  +1

Picus Woodpeckers  +1

Mulleripicus Woodpeckers  +1

Corocopsis Parrots  +1

Psittinus Parrots  +1

Charmosyna Lorikeets  +1

Saudareos Lorikeets  +1

Grallaria Antpittas  +7  [all split from Rufous Antpitta]

Myzomela Honeyeaters (Myzomelas)  +5

Gerygone Australasian Warblers (Gerygones)  +1

Rhamphocharis Berrypeckers  +1

Paramythia Crested Berrypeckers  +1

Batis Batises  +1

Lalage Trillers  +1

Lanius Shrikes  +1

Oriolus Orioles  +1

Rhipidura Fantails  +1

Terpsiphone Paradise Flycatchers  +1

Carterornis Monarchs  +1

Myiagra (Monarch) Flycatchers  +2

Platysmurus Black Magpies  +1

Corvus Crows  +2

Lycocorax Paradise-Crows  +1

Heteromyias (Australasian) Robins  +1

Eremalauda Larks  +1

Ixos Bulbuls  +1

Hypsipetes Bulbuls  +1

Delichon Martins  +1

Phylloscopus Leaf Warblers  +1

Prinia Prinias  +1

Apalis Apalises  +1

Sterrhoptilus (Zosteropidae) Babblers  +1

Zosterops White-eyes  +4

Cyanoderma (Timaliidae) Babblers  +1

Pomatorhinus (Timaliidae) Scimitar Babblers  +1

Pellorneum (Pellorneidae) Ground Babblers  +2

Illadopsis Illadopsises  +1

Irena Fairy-bluebirds  +1

Polioptila Gnatcatchers  +1

Sitta Nuthatches  +1

Gracupica Mynas  +2

Rhabdornis Rhabdornis  +1

Turdus Thrushes  +1

Copsychus Shamas  +1

Cyornis (Old World) Flycatchers  +4

Niltava Niltavas  +1

Sheppardia Akalats  +1

Larvivora Robins  +1

Ficedula (Old World) Flycatchers  +1

Oenanthe Wheatears  +3

Chloropsis Leafbirds  +2

Dicaeum Flowerpeckers  +1

Anthreptes Sunbirds  +1

Crithagra Seedeaters  +1

Chrysocorythus Serins +1

Euphonia Euphonias +1

Basileuterus (New World) Warblers +1

Saltator Saltators +2

Lumps

Phylloscopus Leaf Warblers  -1  [Alpine Leaf Warbler]

Transfers

Cerulean Flycatcher [formerly Cerulean Paradise Flycatcher] has been transferred from Family: Monarchidae – Monarchs to Family: Rhipiduridae – Fantails

Boulder Chat has been transferred from Family: Muscicapidae – Chats, Old World Flycatchers to Family: Turdidae – Thrushes

Revision and resequencing of families

Family: Phasianidae – Pheasants & Allies has been revised and resequenced.

Order Caprimulgiformes has been split into four orders, each comprised of a single family. The revised sequence of these orders/families is as follows:

CAPRIMULGIFORMES/Caprimulgidae – Nightjars

STEATORNITHIFORMES/Steatornithidae – Oilbird

NYCTIBIIFORMES/Nyctibiidae – Potoos

PODARGIFORMES/Podargidae – Frogmouths

Family: Aegothelidae – Owlet-Nightjars has been split from Order Apodiformes to form an order comprised of a single family:

AEGOTHELIFORMES/Aegothelidae – Owlet-Nightjars

Genus Chaetura of New World swifts in Family: Apodidae – Swifts has been revised and resequenced.

The species within genus Oceanodroma of Family: Hydrobatidae – Northern Storm Petrels have been resequenced and ascribed to existing genus Hydrobates.

Family: Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants, Shags has been revised.

The Lorikeet and Lory genera within Family: Psittacidae – African & New World Parrots have been revised and resequenced.

Family: Grallariidae – Antpittas has been revised and partially resequenced.

The Negritos, Ground Tyrants, Black Tyrants, Monjitas, Shrike-Tyrants, Bush Tyrants and close relatives genera within Family: Tyrannidae – Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura have been revised and resequenced.

Family: Melanocharitidae – Berrypeckers, Longbills has been revised and partially resequenced.

Family: Vireonidae – Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers has been revised and resequenced.

Genus Lamprolia within Family: Rhipiduridae – Fantails has been resequenced.

Family: Hirundinidae – Swallows, Martins has been revised and resequenced.

Genus Cisticola within Family: Cisticolidae – Cisticolas & Allies has been partially resequenced.

Family: Turdidae – Thrushes has been revised and resequenced.

Family: Passeridae – Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches has been resequenced.

Genera Chlorophonia and Euphonia of Family: Fringillidae – Finches, Euphonias have been revised and resequenced.

In the IOC bird list there are now 10912 extant species (net +106) ascribed to 251 families.

The two releases of the IOC bird list this year (v11.1 and v11.2) are summarised in detail here.

All the v11.2 changes will be reflected in the 2022 editions of the ATWB Companion Guides. These editions will be released commencing August 2021.

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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 2022’ series of Companion Guides is Version 11.2, published July 10 2021.

The version of the IOC bird list 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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