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.

2024 edition -> 2025 edition     IOC bird list v 13.2 -> IOC bird list v 14.2

065/036E    Red Grouse    Lagopus scotica    (UK, Ireland)

has been split from:

065/0364    Willow Ptarmigan    Lagopus lagopus

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173/1135    Houbara Bustard

has a new English name:

173/1135    African Houbara    Chlamydotis undulata

…………………………………………………………………….

173/1136    Macqueen’s Bustard

has a new English name:

173/1136    Asian Houbara    Chlamydotis macqueenii

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Family: Charadriidae – Plovers  has been resequenced.

…………………………………………………………………….

The following species have been ascribed to a new genus:

249/1462    Eurasian Dotterel    Eudromias morinellus

249/1460    Caspian Plover    Anarhynchus asiaticus

249/145T    Tibetan Sand Plover    Anarhynchus atrifrons

249/145Y    Greater Sand Plover    Anarhynchus leschenaultii

249/1447    Kittlitz’s Plover    Anarhynchus pecuarius

249/1450    Kentish Plover    Anarhynchus alexandrinus

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Family: Scolopacidae – Sandpipers, Snipes has been partially resequenced.

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Family: Glareolidae – Coursers, Pratincoles has been resequenced.

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Family: Laridae – Gulls, Terns, Skimmers has been resequenced.

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Family: Stercorariidae – Skuas has been resequenced.

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Family: Alcidae – Auks has been resequenced.

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The following two species have been resequenced:

091/0625    Cory’s Shearwater    Calonectris borealis

091/0624    Scopoli’s Shearwater    Calonectris diomedea

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Family: Ardeidae – Herons, Bitterns has been resequenced.

…………………………………………………………………….

The following species have been ascribed to a different genus:

120/0764    Little Bittern    Botaurus minutus

120/0783    Western Cattle Egret    Ardea ibis

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The following species have been ascribed to a new genus:

167/1006    Shikra    Tachyspiza badia

167/1008    Levant Sparrowhawk    Tachyspiza brevipes

167/103Y    Eurasian Goshawk    Astur gentilis

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684/6245    Spotted Nutcracker

has a new English name:

684/6245    Northern Nutcracker    Nucifraga caryocatactes

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Family: Hirundinidae – Swallows, Martins has been resequenced.

…………………………………………………………………….

768/6790    Red-rumped Swallow

has been split into thee species. The species that is regularly present in Western Palearctic is:

768/679E    European Red-rumped Swallow    Cecropis rufula

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961/909P    Lesser Redpoll

and

961/9098    Arctic Redpoll

have been lumped with and are now represented by one and two subspecies respectively of:

961/9097    Common Redpoll

which has a new English name:

961/9097    Redpoll    Acanthis flammea

 

Previous     Next

 

2023 edition -> 2024 edition     IOC bird list v 12.2 -> IOC bird list v 13.2

249/145Y    Greater Sand Plover    Charadrius leschenaultii

has been resequenced.

…………………………………………………………………….

249/145F    Lesser Sand Plover

has been split into two species. The species that is regularly present in Western Palearctic is:

249/145T    Tibetan Sand Plover    Charadrius atrifrons

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Genus Aquila of Eagles, Hawk-Eagles within Family: Accipitridae – Kites, Hawks, Eagles has been resequenced.

…………………………………………………………………….

167/103Y    Northern Goshawk

has a new English name:

167/103Y    Eurasian Goshawk    Accipiter gentilis

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Genus Otus of Scops Owls within Family: Strigidae – Owls has been partially resequenced.

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Family: Laniidae – Shrikes has been resequenced and repositioned to immediately precede Family: Corvidae – Crows, Jays.

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768/6785    Common House Martin

has a new English name:

768/6785    Western House Martin    Delichon urbicum

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836/746F    Desert Whitethroat

has been lumped with and is now represented by two subspecies of:

836/7469    Lesser Whitethroat    Curruca curruca

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

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The following species:

961/89F0    African Chaffinch    Fringilla spodiogenys    (nw, coastal nc Africa)

961/89F1    Azores Chaffinch    Fringilla moreletti    (Azores Islands)

961/89F2    Madeira Chaffinch    Fringilla maderensis    (Madeira)

961/89F3    Canary Islands Chaffinch    Fringilla canariensis

(w, c Canary Islands)

have been split from:

961/8984    Common Chaffinch

which has a new English name:

961/8984    Eurasian Chaffinch    Fringilla coelebs

 

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

**********************************************

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)

…………………………………………………………………….

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

**********************************************

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.

…………………………………………………………………….

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)

**********************************************

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

**********************************************

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

**********************************************

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

**********************************************

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

**********************************************

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)

**********************************************

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

**********************************************

Family Phylloscopidae – Leaf Warblers and Allies has been revised and resequenced.

**********************************************

Family Locustellidae – Grassbirds and Allies has been revised and resequenced.

**********************************************

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.