Tag Archives: Species

World Bird Names – I.O.C. Version 9.1

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Australian Boobook (Ninox boobook) by Ian Montgomery

Southern now Australian Boobook (Ninox boobook) by Ian Montgomery

The new version of the World Bird Names from the I. O. C. raised the count to “10,738 extant species and 158 extinct species of birds of the world (Version 9.1), with subspecies (20,046) and annotations.” These birds are classified into Classification of 40 Orders, 245 Families (plus 1 Incertae sedis), 2313 Genera (World Bird Names)

Version 8.2 had 10, 711 birds listed. That is a total gain of 27 birds. This is one of the largest increases I have noticed since starting to keep track of the versions. With the DNA studies ongoing, they are finding enough differences to raise these birds to species status.

In August of 2009, about the time I started the Birds of the World pages and doing these updates, I wrote: “Considering that there are over 10,300 birds, I may be awhile. Actually, the 224 bird families are the most important. So, that will be the starting place.” That is over 400 new birds that have been added in that time span.

It also helps me understand why the Lord didn’t need to place one pair of every living species in the world on the Ark. We know that the birds and creatures were created “after their kind or families.” They have been reproducing after their kinds and the variations are showing up, but yet a Stork kind is still a Stork kind. Looking through these additions and changes, it appears the “White-eye” kind/family group have been very busy.

“Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.” (Genesis 8:19 NKJV)

Did every species of White-eyes or Storks need to be on the ark?

Reunion Olive White-eye (Zosterops olivaceus) ©WikiC

Reunion Olive White-eye (Zosterops olivaceus) ©WikiC

I’ll be busy for a while updating my pages again in the Birds of the World section. The Taxonomic changes haven’t even been looked at yet. Updates will be given as they are changed. Stay tuned!

Additions and Deletions:

The code indicates whether the bird was raised from a subspecies (AS), or (NEW), or (DEL) which is usually placed back as a subspecies.

ENGLISH NAME  (SCIENTIFIC NAME) CHANGE  CODE
Chaco Nothura (Nothura chacoensis) DEL AL
Rote Boobook (Ninox rotiensis) ADD AS
Timor Boobook (Ninox fusca) ADD AS
Alor Boobook (Ninox plesseni) ADD AS
Buru Boobook (Ninox hantu) ADD AS
Green-backed Hillstar (Urochroa leucura) ADD AS
Dry-forest Sabrewing (Campylopterus calcirupicola) ADD NEW
Chiriqui Foliage-gleaner (Automolus exsertus) ADD AS
Rufous-breasted Antpitta (Grallaricula leymebambae) ADD AS
Tapajos Antpitta (Myrmothera subcanescens) ADD AS
Spotted Scrubwren (Sericornis maculatus) ADD AS
Erlanger’s Lark (Calandrella erlangeri) DEL SSP
Rufous-capped Lark  (Calandrella eremica) ADD AS
Albertine Sooty Boubou (Laniarius holomelas) ADD AS
Steppe Grey Shrike (Lanius pallidirostris) DEL AL
Chivi Vireo (Vireo chivi) ADD AS
Western Square-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus occidentalis) ADD NEW
Sharpe’s Drongo (Dicrurus sharpei) ADD AS
Fanti Drongo (Dicrurus atactus) ADD AS
Glossy-backed Drongo  (Dicrurus divaricatus) ADD AS
Rote Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus rotiensis) ADD NEW

Montane White-eye (Zosterops poliogastrus eurycricotus) ©WikiC

Mountain White-eye (Zosterops montanus) DEL AL
Swinhoe’s White-eye (Zosterops simplex) ADD AS
Enganno White-eye (Zosterops salvadorii) DEL AL
Hume’s White-eye (Zosterops auriventer) ADD AS
Sangkar White-eye (Zosterops melanurus) ADD AS
Socotra White-eye (Zosterops socotranus) ADD AS
Mbulu White-eye (Zosterops mbuluensis) ADD AS
Pale White-eye (Zosterops flavilateralis) ADD AS
Aldabra White-eye  (Zosterops aldabrensis) ADD AS
South Pare White-eye  (Zosterops winifredae) ADD AS
Southern Yellow White-eye (Zosterops anderssoni)  ADD AS
Broad-ringed White-eye  (Zosterops eurycricotus) ADD AS
Green White-eye (Zosterops stuhlmanni)  ADD AS
Chattering Gnatwren (Ramphocaenus sticturus) ADD AS
Himalayan Shortwing (Brachypteryx cruralis) ADD AS
Chinese Shortwing (Brachypteryx sinensis) ADD AS
Taiwan Shortwing (Brachypteryx goodfellowi) ADD AS
Cherrie’s Tanager (Ramphocelus costaricensis) DEL AL

Lesser Shortwing (Brachypteryx leucophris) ©Flickr Dave Curtis

Additions and Deletions – Version 9.1

Name Changes

PREVIOUS IOC LISTS SCIENTIFIC NAME IOC LIST V9.1
Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) – Australian Boobook
Hantu Boobook (Ninox squamipila) –  Seram Boobook
Bicolored Mouse-warbler (Aethomyias nigrorufus) –  Bicolored Scrubwren
White-tailed Hillstar (Urochroa bougueri) – Rufous-gaped Hillstar
Square-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus ludwigii)  – Common Square-tailed Drongo
Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus)  – Warbling White-eye
Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosa) – Indian White-eye
Montane White-eye (Zosterops poliogastrus) – Heuglin’s White-eye
African Yellow White-eye (Zosterops senegalensis) – Northern Yellow White-eye
Long-billed Gnatwren (Ramphocaenus melanurus) – Trilling Gnatwren
Yellow-throated Petronia (Gymnoris superciliaris) – Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow
Bush Petronia (Gymnoris dentata) – Sahel Bush Sparrow
Yellow-spotted Petronia (Gymnoris pyrgita) – Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow
Passerini’s Tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) – Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Name Changes – Version 9.1

Yellow-spotted Petronia Now Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow (Gymnoris pyrgita) ©WikiC

Plus, there were numerous changes in Taxonomy. Here is the link to those changes and why they were changed:

Taxonomic Updates Version 9.1

Birds of the World

Jaybirds Mix It Up in Colorado

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Jaybirds Mix It Up in Colorado

Dr. James J. S. Johnson

Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.   (Genesis 6:20)

Jaybird-hybrid.Stellers-X-Blue-Jay

As my recent blogpost on Corvid hybrids illustrates [see blogpost reference below], birds feel no obligation to conform to taxonomist classifications of “genus” and/or “species” — because they limit their gene pool activities to the created “kind” categories that God gave to them, from the beginning, on Day # 5 of Creation Week (see Genesis 1:21), when God made different kinds of “winged fowl”.  And, it follows likewise, that real-world corvids likely reject modern speculations (by “natural selection” advocates) that appear in public wearing the term “speciation”.

Accordingly, it should not shock us to learn that hybrids are observed where the Blue Jay and Steller’s Jay ranges overlap, in America’s Great West.

Hence, this limerick:

Caveat, Taxonomists:  Jaybirds Mix It Up in Colorado!

In Western pines, before my eyes 

A jaybird perched, to my surprise  

Yet its front, wings, head, and back 

Were feathered blue, not much black

Wow!  Western jaybirds hybridize! 

(Birder’s take-away lesson:  don’t take terms like “species” and “speciation” too seriously.)

See recent blogposts:  “Ravin’ about Corvid Hybrids:  Something to Crow About”, posted at https://leesbird.com/2018/11/07/ravin-about-corvid-hybrids-something-to-crow-about/ .

 

 

The Changing Of Species

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Rinjani Scops Owl (Otus jolandae) ©WikiC

Rinjani Scops Owl (Otus jolandae) ©WikiC

I came across several interesting articles from Answers in Genesis that deal with changes within the species. Having just updated the pages to the I.O.C. 3.4 Version, there were several new species added. Where did they come from? Some of them were subspecies that had been elevated to a species status. At least one, was a newly discovered species. So, how do we look at this as Christians that believe in creation and not evolution?

An article from Answers asks, “Do Species Change?” by Paul Garner. It actually gave Darwin credit for realizing that there was not a fixity or immutability of species.

Before the time of Charles Darwin, a false idea had crept into the church—the belief in the “fixity” or “immutability” of species.1 According to this view, each species was created in precisely the same form that we find it today. In his famous book, On the Origin of Species, first published in 1859, Darwin set out to demolish this widespread view.

The article goes on to show how Darwin went too far. It is a very interesting article worth reading. Do Species Change?

Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) by Daves BirdingPix

Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) by Daves BirdingPix

“Seabird Study Said To Solve the Evolutionary Mystery of Flightlessness” by Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell discusses how the Penguin became flightless and use the Thick-billed Murre as a possible example. They compare the amount of energy used to swim and/or fly. “Murres, able to fly and to execute penguin-like wing-propelled dives, were the focus of the study because researchers believe their performance provides a living model of the penguin’s evolutionary past….”  Also, the bone structure is discussed. I like the wrap-up by the article writer, Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell.

Yet this fact just demonstrates a great design—an ideal “form” for a diving, flying seabird—and confirms nothing about the evolutionary path of any bird, let alone the flightless penguin.

God created birds on the fifth day of Creation week about 6,000 years ago. They reproduced “after their kinds” as the Bible describes, only varying within their created kinds. Biology does not demonstrate the evolution of flight or flightlessness or the evolution of any kind of creature into a different kind.

A few more of their writings worth reading are:

Creations Hidden Potential by Tom Hennigan, Georgia Purdom, and Todd Charles Wood

The Discontinuity of Life by Kurt P. Wise

Variation Withing Created Kinds by Dr. Gary Parker

Our Creator used His Omnipotence and His Wisdom to create the fantastic and varied creatures for us to enjoy, especially the birds. They are there in front of us all to see, observe and try to understand more about them and their development. How we look at them is where the differences in how this came about is where the creationist and evolutionist part ways.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NKJV)

or

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts… who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. … And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind… (Romans 1:20-28 NKJV)

Gospel Presentation – Video

(This video is narrated by Pastor Nathan Osborne and the music is played by Sean Fielder.)

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Woodpeckers – The Core Species..

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Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) by Daves BirdingPix

Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) by Daves BirdingPix

Woodpeckers – The Core Species.. ~ by ajmithra

Woodpeckers are often termed “core species”
because their presence
is a fundamental requirement to the existence of a wide range of other birds.
Woodpeckers drill new nest holes each year,
and thus many old nest cavities
are available for a entire suite
of hole-nesting species.
Many smaller species
of North American swallow
are dependent on woodpecker holes,
as are virtually all the small owls,
various bluebirds,
and a huge array of small birds like
wrens and chickadees
that use them advantageously.
Isaac dug wells
And the others took it..
He didn’t grumble
but, dug more wells..
And God blessed him even
In times of famine..

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 12:14,15)

Yours in YESHUA,
a j mithra

Please visit us at:

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Woodpeckers belong to the Picidae – Woodpeckers.

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Update to the IOC 2.10 Version Completed

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Hen (Northern) Harrier (Circus cyaneus) by J Fenton

Hen (Northern) Harrier (Circus cyaneus) by J Fenton

On October 18, 2011, the IOC released the Version 2.10 list of World Bird Names. I have been busy behind the scene again updating all the Birds of the World pages here to reflect that change. It is now complete.

The IOC World Bird List 2.10 contains 10,466 species classified in 40 Orders, 233 Families (including 5 Incertae Sedis) and 2234 Genera. They added 18 species, changed the name of 23 birds and made 28 changes to the taxonomy.

The birds, mostly from splits, added were:

Sira Curassow (Pauxi koepckeae)

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)

Cape Verde Buzzard (Buteo bannermani)

Oberholser’s Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus epius)

Sula Fruit Dove Ptilinopus mangoliensis

Everett’s Scops Owl Otus everetti

Negros Scops Owl (Otus nigrorum)

Mexican Barred Owl (Strix sartorii)

Salim Ali’s Swift (Apus salimalii)

Blyth’s Swift (Apus leuconyx)

Cook’s Swift (Apus cooki)

Magdalena Antbird Myrmeciza palliata

Urrao Antpitta (Grallaria urraoensis)

Tablas Drongo (Dicrurus menagei)

Moheli Bulbul (Hypsipetes moheliensis)

Saipan Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus hiwae)

Pagan Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus yamashinae)

Bornean Spiderhunter (Arachnothera everetti )

The Northern Harrier – Hen Harrier above is one of those splits. When J Fenton took the photo it was called a Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus). Now the Hen Harrier has taken the Circus cyaneus Scientific name and the subspecies (Circus hudsonius) is now the Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius). Confused? Don’t feel bad. I have no idea whether that photo is of a Hen or Northern Harrier. Which ever it is, Jim or James took a  great photo of a Hen or Northern Harrier. 

Such is the naming of the birds today. I have to update my pages every time the IOC releases another Version. As I have said many times on this blog, Adam had it a lot easier and got “first dibs” at naming them after their Creator presented them to Adam.

Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. (Genesis 2:19-20 NKJV)

Barking Boobook (Ninox connivens) by Ian

Barking Owl (Barking Boobook) (Ninox connivens) by Ian

English Names Updates for IOC Version 2.10

Previous Name               Scientific Name         New Name

Northern Harrier – Circus cyaneus – Hen Harrier
Grey-hooded Gull – Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus – Grey-headed Gull
Maroon-chinned Fruit Dove – Ptilinopus subgularis – Banggai Fruit Dove
Barred Owl – Strix varia – Northern Barred Owl
Rufous Boobook – Ninox rufa – Rufous Owl
Powerful Boobook – Ninox strenua – Powerful Owl
Barking Boobook – Ninox connivens – Barking Owl
Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar – Caprimulgus donaldsoni – Donaldson Smith’s Nightjar
Fork-tailed Swift – Apus pacificus – Pacific Swift
Himalayan Goldenback – Dinopium shorii – Himalayan Flameback
Common Goldenback – Dinopium javanense – Common Flameback
Lesser Goldenback – Dinopium benghalense – Black-rumped Flameback
Greater Goldenback – Chrysocolaptes lucidus – Greater Flameback
Crimson-backed Goldenback – Chrysocolaptes stricklandi – Crimson-backed Flameback
Somali Boubou – Laniarius (erlangeri) nigerrimus – Black Boubou
Stresemann’s Bush Crow – Zavattariornis stresemanni – Stresemann’s Bushcrow
Cricket Longtail – Spiloptila clamans – Cricket Warbler
Comoros Bulbul – Hypsipetes parvirostris – Grand Comoro Bulbul
Donaldson-Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver – Plocepasser donaldsoni – Donaldson Smith’s Sparrow-Weaver
Quail-Finch – Ortygospiza – 3 species Quailfinch
Colombian Brush Finch – Arremon basilicus – Sierra Nevada Brush Finch
Phelps’s Brush Finch – Arremon perijanus – Perija Brush Finch
Buffy-flanked Brush Finch – Arremon phaeopleurus – Caracas Brush Finch
Venezuelan Brush Finch – Arremon phygas – Paria Brush Finch

The Birds of the World are all listed here according to the IOC Version 2.10. You can find the following helps to help locate these birds:
Indexes

Orders

Families
Families – Alphabetical (Scientific)
Families – Alphabetical (English)
Families – Taxonomic (Scientific – English)
Families – Taxonomic (English – Scientific)

Species 
First Name of Bird
Last Name of Bird

(Tip* – Use Control+F on your keyboard to use Find or Search when looking for a specific bird in the lists.)

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My I.O.C. World Bird List – Ver. 2.8 Finally Finished

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Red-necked Tanager (Tangara cyanocephala) by Dario Sanches

Red-necked Tanager (Tangara cyanocephala) by Dario Sanches

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. (Psalms 32:11 KJV)

Seems like it has been forever  that I have been reworking all the Family pages of the Birds of the World. The 233 pages were given a complete work-over. When they release the major 3.0 Version sometime this year, these pages should only take minor changes. (I trust) All the indexes and pages are also up to date.

It took a lot of persistence and praise to the Lord for helping me to keep “plugging away.” This verse helps describe my happiness of “finishing the job.”

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. (Psalms 98:4 KJV)

In the mean time, I have been adding some new photos as the pages were being updated. This morning I just added many pictures to the Thraupidae – Tanagers and Allies Family. Recently Dario Sanches gave permission to use his photos. He has some really neat ones of Tanagers, and they have been linked to the lists. Thanks, Dario.

Wedge-tailed Grass Finch (Emberizoides herbicola) by Dario Sanches

Wedge-tailed Grass Finch (Emberizoides herbicola) by Dario Sanches

Because of all the Subspecies being added to the list of birds, you may find it helpful when viewing a list to use the “Find” on your browser. Some families have only one member, but a few have 300-400 species listed.

Dan asked me recently why I am taking all this effort to even have the Birds of the World pages in the first place, when they are already on the internet. Was I not wasting my time that could be spent on doing other things on this blog. I have to admit, that the thought had crossed my mind. But, as I work on these pages, I am exposed to birds that I would never see or even know of. When I work on finding photos for them, I just sit back in awe of the Lord’s creative hand in each and every one of these feathered friends. Some are pretty, some are dull, some look funny, and all so well designed, from the tip of the tail to the tip of their beaks. Just seeing how He, the Creator, colored them is beyond description.

And, many of my readers first arrive here at the blog while searching for a specific bird of the world. Those pages are the entry point for many to come here. I trust they enjoy what they find and may they find more than they expected and will linger and look at other pages, which many do. Thanks for reading this yourself. Glad you are visiting, no matter which page brought you here.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 KJV)

I will leave you with one more of Dario’s fantastic photos, this one of the Brazilian Tanager.

Brazilian Tanager (Ramphocelus bresilius) by Dario Sanches

Brazilian Tanager (Ramphocelus bresilius) by Dario Sanches

P. S. I am still looking for photographers and videographers who would be willing to let their photos be posted here. See our list of Photographers in the sidebar and visit their sites for fantastic photos of birds plus whatever else interests them.

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Birds of the World Pages Update

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Barred Antshrike by Ian

Barred Antshrike (Thamnophilus doliatus) by Ian

I have been busy working on the Birds of the World pages for their Orders and Families. I think I have them all done at least as far as I know. They are linked together and I hope to have some better Indexes and then start putting in some more pictures and information to go with each. Considering that there are over 10,300 birds, I may be awhile. Actually, the 224 bird families are the most important. So, that will be the starting place.

While doing all this, I have been amazed at the English names of the birds. I will be forthcoming in a blog about them. I want to find out more. For now, here are a just few of interest:

  • Antbird, Antwren, Antthrush, Antvireo, Antshrike, Flyrobin, Grasshopper Warbler (are all these small?)
  • Babblers, Chats, Chatterer (do they talk too much?) or Screamer?
  • Bee-eater, Berryeater, Berrypecker, Flycatcher, Flowerpecker, Flowerpiercer, Fruiteater, Honeyeater
  • Gnatcatcher, Gnateater, Gnatwren
  • Bellbird (does he ring?)
  • Butcherbird (does he run around with a meat cleaver?)
  • Friarbird (does he have a special collar?)
  • Cuckoo, Cuckoo-Dove, Cuckoo-Hawk, Cuckooshrike, Drongo-Cuckoo, Emerald Cuckoo
  • Dollarbird, Catbird, Cowbird, Sunbird, Figbird, Grassbird, Mousebird, Honeybird
  • Fantail, Flufftail, Firetail, Finfoot, Forktail
  • Go-away bird
Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) by Ian

Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) by Ian

See what happens when you play around with too much data. The Bible says that Adam named all the critters, and there probably was not 10,000+ bird species at that time, but it would have been interesting to see what the first birds were called. It would also be interesting just to know how many “kinds” there were.

“Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.” (Genesis 2:19 NKJV)

New Species?

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While working on the Orders of the Birds and finding so many species of birds worldwide, I went looking for more information about them. I came across this interesting article at the ICR.org website. The bolding is mine. I trust you will find it worth the reading.

Cormorant Tree by Dan

Cormorant Tree by Dan

Do ‘New Species’ Demonstrate Darwinism?
by Various Authors
Frank Sherwin, M.A., and Brian Thomas, M.S.*

“That species undergo change in this grand system called earth is apparent, but those changes do not occur the way Charles Darwin envisioned. Living things do shift behaviors and physiologies in response to environmental (and other) pressures, but can these minor changes completely rework a creature’s essential form (a concept referred to as “macroevolution”)? Decades of research emphatically say no.

Often, small changes within a kind are referred to as “microevolution,” which has been defined as “evolution resulting from a succession of relatively small genetic variations that often cause the formation of new subspecies.”1 Creation scientists agree that small variations occur, both because they can be observed, and because it is reasonable that a wise Creator would equip His creatures with survival-enhancing capabilities. But these variations do not lead to large-scale changes between kinds. Indeed, “there is no agreement [among evolutionists] as to whether macroevolution results from the accumulation of small changes due to microevolution, or whether macroevolution is uncoupled from microevolution.”2

The confusing array of definitions for the word “species” can obscure deficiencies in Darwinian evolution. As leading scientists have admitted, “The very term ‘species’ is deeply ambiguous.”3 Harvard’s Steven Palumbi said in 1994 that “the formation of species has long represented one of the most central, yet also one of the most elusive, subjects in evolutionary biology.”4

If different species are described as essentially those forms which cannot interbreed, then new species do arise, a process called “speciation.” They do so, however, because of a loss of information–the opposite direction to what Darwinian evolution requires. “…..

To see the complete article – CLICK HERE