On August 21 2024 the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) released the latest version of its world bird list (v14.2):

Gill F, D Donsker & P Rasmussen  (Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v14.2). doi :  10.14344/IOC.ML.14.2.

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, usually in January and July.

The details of the changes in the v14.2 release can be found by clicking on the Updates tab on the IOC website. Here is a summary of the major amendments affecting extant species:

New to science

Caprimulgus Nightjars  +1 species
Timor Nightjar

Tityra Tityras  +1 species
White-tailed Tityra

Splits

Lagopus Grouse/Ptarmigan  +1 species

Aegotheles Owlet-nightjars  +1 species

Coua Cuckoos (Couas)  +1

Phaenicophaeus Cuckoos (Malkohas)  +1

Chalcites Cuckoos  +1   Cacomantis Brush Cuckoos  +3

Larus Gulls  +1

Sula Boobies  +1

Trachyphonus, Pogoniulus African Barbets  +2

Colaptes Woodpeckers (Flickers)  +1

Xenops Ovenbirds (Xenopses)  +1

Amytornis Australasian Wrens (Grasswrens)  +1

Coracina Cuckooshrikes  +5

Edolisoma Cuckooshrikes (Cicadabirds)  +10

Pachycephala Whistlers  +5

Symposiachrus Monarchs  +2

Nucifraga Crows (Nutcrackers)  +1   Corvus Crows  +3

Corypha Larks  +5

Atimastillas, Phyllastrephus Greenbuls  +2

Ptyonoprogne Martins  +1

Hirundo Swallows  +1   Cecropis Swallows  +2

Cisticola Cisticolas  +1   Apalis Apalises  +1

Zosterops White-eyes  +2

Erythrogenys Scimitar Babblers  +1

Pheugopedius Wrens  +1   Troglodytes Wrens  +6

Cyphorhinus Wrens  +1

Polioptila Gnatcatchers  +1

Ramphocinclus Thrashers  +1

Turdus Thrushes  +15

Copsychus Shamas  +4   Tarsiger Bush Robins/Bluetails +2

Dicaeum Flowerpeckers  +3

Cinnyris Sunbirds  +1

Anthus Pipits  +1

Carduelis Goldfinches  +1

Arremon New World Sparrows  +1

Atlapetes New World Sparrows (Brushfinches) +1

Lumps

Aerodramus Swiftlets -3  [Sulawesi, Seram, Germain’s]

Monarcha Monarchs  -1  [Bougainville Monarch]

Myiagra Monarch Flycatchers  -1  [Dyaul Flycatcher]

Parus Tits  -1  [Japanese Tit]

Calendulauda Larks  -2  [Foxy, Barlow’s]

Mirafra Larks  -1  [Ash’s]

Arizelocichla Greenbuls  -1  [Olive-headed]

Cecropis Swallows  -2  [Striated, West African]

Cisticola Cisticolas  -1  [Rock-loving]

Eremomela Eremomelas  -1  [Salvadori’s]

Cyanoderma ‘Timaliidae’ Babblers  -1  [Buff-chested]

Acanthis Finches  -2  [Lesser Redpoll, Arctic Redpoll]

Revision and resequencing of families

Genus Accipiter within Family: Accipitridae – Kites, Hawks, Eagles has been split into five genera, which has resulted in a partial resequencing.

Genus Mirafra within Family: Alaudidae – Larks has been split into four genera, which has resulted in a partial resequencing.

Genus Salpornis of Spotted Creepers within Family: Certhiidae – Treecreepers has been moved to new Family: Salpornithidae – Spotted Creepers.

Additionally, there have been some minor re-orderings of species, including:

Genus Phyllomyias of Tyrannulets within Family: Tyrannidae – Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura has been resequenced.

Genus Chiroxiphia within family: Pipridae – Manakins has been resequenced.

Genus Cyanocorax of Magpie-Jays, Jays in Family: Corvidae – Crows, Jays has been resequenced.

In the IOC bird list there are now 11113 extant species (net +81) ascribed to 253 families.

The two releases of the IOC bird list this year (v14.1 and v14.2) are summarised in detail here.

The changes include the splitting of Red Grouse from Willow Ptarmigan to restore this UK/Ireland endemic taxon to species status.

A good proportion of the additional species has arisen from the splitting of:

– Common Cicadabird into eight species across n Australasia

– House Wren into seven species across the Americas and e Caribbean islands

– Island Thrush into 16 extant and one extinct species across the Philippines, Greater Sundas, n, ec Australasia, Samoa and Fiji in wc Pacific Ocean, and Christmas Island in ne Indian Ocean

All the v14.2 changes will be reflected in the 2025 editions of the ATWB Companion Guides. These editions will be released commencing September 2024.

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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 2024’ series of Companion Guides is Version 13.2, published July 16 2023.

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