WESTERN PALEARCTIC Updates
On this page you can view how changes to the IOC bird list have impacted on the contents of this ATWB eBook since its first annual edition.
2022 edition -> 2023 edition IOC bird list v 11.2 -> IOC bird list v 12.2
162/0902 Western Osprey
has a new English name:
162/0902 Osprey Pandion haliaetus
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Family: Oriolidae – Figbirds, Old World Orioles, Piopios has a new English name.
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744/6439 European Crested Tit
has a new English name:
744/6439 Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus
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Family: Phylloscopidae – Leaf Warblers has a modified English name.
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804/6994 African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus
has been lumped with and is now represented by six subspecies of:
804/6993 Eurasian Reed Warbler
which has a new English name:
804/6993 Common Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
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Family: Sturnidae – Starlings, Rhabdornises has a modified English name.
2021 edition -> 2022 edition IOC bird list v 10.2 -> IOC bird list v 11.2
Order Anseriformes has been resequenced to precede Order Galliformes.
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Family: Phasianidae – Pheasants & Allies has been revised and resequenced.
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286/162Y Mew Gull
has a new English name:
286/162Y Common Gull Larus canus
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The following species have been resequenced and ascribed to a different genus:
087/0567 Leach’s Storm Petrel Hydrobates leucorhous
087/0563 Band-rumped Storm Petrel Hydrobates castro
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The following species has been ascribed to a new genus:
146/0860 European Shag Gulosus aristotelis
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Family: Strigidae – Owls has been revised and resequenced.
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391/3130 Green Bee-eater
has been split into three species.
The two species that are regularly present in Western Palearctic are:
391/313E African Green Bee-eater Merops viridissimus (n Africa)
391/313K Arabian Green Bee-eater Merops cyanophrys
(se Israel, wc, sw Jordan, Arabian Peninsula)
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760/658P Arabian Lark Eremalauda eremodites
(Middle East, Arabian Peninsula)
has been split from:
760/6587 Dunn’s Lark Eremalauda dunni
(south-west nw Africa, Sahel)
…………………………………………………………………….
760/658Y Lesser Short-toed Lark
has been split into two species:
760/658Y Mediterranean Short-toed Lark Alaudala rufescens
(s Western Palearctic)
760/658T Turkestan Short-toed Lark Alaudala heinei
(ec, se Western Palearctic)
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Family: Hirundinidae – Swallows, Martins has been revised and resequenced.
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820/713E Delicate Prinia Prinia lepida
(n Oman, UAE, s Turkey to Kuwait to n Indian Subcontinent)
has been split from:
820/7133 Graceful Prinia Prinia gracilis
(wc Middle East, locally ne Africa, ne, locally c, coastal w, s Arabian Peninsula)
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Family: Regulidae – Goldcrests, Kinglets has been revised and resequenced.
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Family: Turdidae – Thrushes has been revised and resequenced.
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907/835E Atlas Wheatear Oenanthe seebohmi (nw, winters w Africa)
has been split from:
907/8353 Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
…………………………………………………………………….
907/837E Maghreb Wheatear Oenanthe halophila
(n Africa w of Nile river course)
and
907/837K Basalt Wheatear Oenanthe warriae (s Syria, ne Jordan)
have been split from:
907/8373 Mourning Wheatear Oenanthe lugens
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Family: Passeridae – Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches has been resequenced.
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953/8957 Eurasian Rock Pipit
has a new English name:
953/8957 European Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus
2020 edition -> 2021 edition IOC bird list v 9.2 -> IOC bird list v 10.2
065/0397 Double-spurred Francolin
has a new English name:
065/0397 Double-spurred Spurfowl Pternistis bicalcaratus
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Family: Rallidae – Rails, Crakes & Coots has been revised and resequenced.
The following species have been ascribed to a new genus:
201/1277 Baillon’s Crake Zapornia pusilla
201/1276 Little Crake Zapornia parva
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274/1530 Whimbrel
has a new English name:
274/1530 Eurasian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
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Within Order Charadriiformes, single species Family: Dromadidae – Crab-plover has been resequenced to precede Family: Glareolidae – Coursers, Pratincoles:
237/1398 Crab-plover Dromas ardeola
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286/164T West African Crested Tern Thalasseus albididorsalis
(w coast of Africa)
has been split from:
286/1648 Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus
(coasts of Americas)
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Within Order Suliformes, Family: Anhingidae – Anhingas, Darters has been resequenced to precede Family: Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants, Shags
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Family: Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants, Shags has been resequenced.
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323/229T Maghreb Owl Strix mauritanica (nw Africa)
has been split from:
323/229Y Tawny Owl Strix aluco
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Genus Poecile within Family: Paridae – Tits, Chickadees has been resequenced.
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Genus Locustella of Family: Locustellidae – Grassbirds & Allies has been resequenced.
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Within Order Passeriformes, Family: Sylviidae – Sylviid Babblers has been revised and resequenced to follow Family: Cisticolidae – Cisticolas & Allies.
836/747Y Subalpine Warbler
has been split into two species:
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)
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The following species have been ascribed to a new genus:
836/7468 Barred Warbler Curruca nisoria
836/746F Desert Whitethroat Curruca minula
836/7469 Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca
836/7472 Arabian Warbler Curruca leucomelaena
836/7470 Western Orphean Warbler Curruca hortensis
836/7471 Eastern Orphean Warbler Curruca crassirostris
836/7474 African Desert Warbler Curruca deserti
836/7473 Asian Desert Warbler Curruca nana
836/7479 Tristram’s Warbler Curruca deserticola
836/7482 Menetries’s Warbler Curruca mystacea
836/7483 Rüppell’s Warbler Curruca ruppeli
836/7484 Cyprus Warbler Curruca melanothorax
836/7481 Sardinian Warbler Curruca melanocephala
836/7480 Moltoni’s Warbler Curruca subalpina
836/7475 Common Whitethroat Curruca communis
836/747F Spectacled Warbler Curruca conspicillata
836/7477 Marmora’s Warbler Curruca sarda
836/7476 Dartford Warbler Curruca undata
836/7478 Balearic Warbler Curruca balearica
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Family: Leiothrichidae – Laughingthrushes & Allies has been resequenced.
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Genus Sitta within single genus Family: Sittidae – Nuthatches has been resequenced.
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Genus Ficedula within Family: Muscicapidae – Chats, Old World Flycatchers has been resequenced.
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907/835F Black-eared Wheatear
has been split into two species:
907/835F Western Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica
(breeds nw Africa, sw, western sc Europe)
907/835T Eastern Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe melanoleuca
(breeds eastern sc, se Europe, se WP)
2019 edition -> 2020 edition IOC bird list v 8.2 -> IOC bird list v 9.2
Non-Passerine Orders have been resequenced.
The following families have been moved to a different part of the IOC birdlist:
Family: Caprimulgidae – Nightjars (Part 4 to Part 1)
Family: Apodidae – Swifts (Part 4 to Part 1)
Family: Cuculidae – Cuckoos (Part 3 to Part 2)
Family: Pteroclidae – Sandgrouse (Part 3 to Part 2)
Family: Columbidae – Pigeons, Doves (Part 3 to Part 2)
Family: Podicipedidae – Grebes (Part 1 to Part 2)
Family: Phoenicopteridae – Flamingos (Part 1 to Part 2)
12 Charadriiformes families (Part 2 to Part 3)
Family: Phaethontidae – Tropicbirds (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Gaviidae – Loons (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Oceanitidae – Austral Storm Petrels (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Hydrobatidae – Northern Storm Petrels (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Procellariidae – Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Ciconiidae – Storks (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Sulidae – Gannets, Boobies (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants, Shags (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Anhingidae – Anhingas, Darters (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Threskiornithidae – Ibises, Spoonbills (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Ardeidae – Herons, Bitterns (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Pelecanidae – Pelicans (Part 1 to Part 3)
Family: Pandionidae – Ospreys (Part 2 to Part 4)
Family: Accipitridae – Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Part 2 to Part 4)
Family: Tytonidae – Barn Owls (Part 3 to Part 4)
Family: Strigidae – Owls (Part 3 to Part 4)
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The following families have modified English names:
Family: Phasianidae – Pheasants & Allies
Family: Anatidae – Ducks, Geese, Swans
Family: Rallidae – Rails, Crakes & Coots
Family: Laridae – Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Family: Oriolidae – Figbirds, Orioles, Turnagra
Family: Cettiidae – Cettia Bush Warblers & Allies
Family: Phylloscopidae – Leaf Warblers & Allies
Family: Acrocephalidae – Reed Warblers & Allies
Family: Locustellidae – Grassbirds & Allies
Family: Cisticolidae – Cisticolas & Allies
Family: Leiothrichidae – Laughingthrushes & Allies
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146/0851 Pygmy Cormorant
has had its species epithet amended. Its scientific name is now:
Microcarbo pygmaeus
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450/3683 Barbary Falcon Falco pelegrinoides
(Canary Islands, nw Africa, ne Egypt, s ME)
has been lumped with and is now represented by two subspecies of:
450/3682 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
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660/589F Steppe Grey Shrike Lanius pallidirostris
(southern nw Kazakhstan)
has been lumped with and is now represented by a subspecies of:
660/5898 Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor
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Family Leiothrichidae – Laughingthrushes & Allies has been revised and resequenced. As part of this review the following species have been ascribed to a new genus:
832/7350 Arabian Babbler Argya squamiceps
832/7351 Fulvous Babbler Argya fulva
832/7345 Iraq Babbler Argya altirostris
832/7347 Afghan Babbler Argya huttoni
2018 edition -> 2019 edition IOC bird list v 7.3 -> IOC bird list v 8.2
The following families have a modified English name:
Family: Procellariidae – Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Family: Oriolidae – Figbirds, Orioles & Turnagra
Family: Leiothrichidae – Laughingthrushes and Allies
Family: Fringillidae – Finches, Euphonias
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The subspecies of the following two species of Shrike have been reassessed:
660/5898 Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor
660/5899 Southern Grey Shrike Lanius meridionalis
The birds that are resident in the Canary Islands, nw Africa, locally n Libya, nc Egypt and s ME, and earlier thought to be subspecies of Southern Grey Shrike, have now been identified as being subspecies of Great Grey Shrike. Also as part of this review, Lanius meridionalis has a new English name:
660/5899 Iberian Grey Shrike (s France, Iberian Peninsula; winters nw Africa)
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The Eurasian Magpie Pica pica species complex in Family Corvidae – Crows, Jays has been revised. As part of this revision, the birds that are resident in north-west Africa have been split to a newly defined species:
684/62F0 Maghreb Magpie Pica mauritanica
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Family Phylloscopidae – Leaf Warblers and Allies has been revised and resequenced.
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Family Locustellidae – Grassbirds and Allies has been revised and resequenced.
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The families in Part 12 of the IOC bird list have been revised and resequenced. The 18 Emberiza species regularly present in the Western Palearctic world region have been ascribed to the re-defined family Emberizidae – Buntings.