51st Supplement

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This is the 10th supplement since publication of the seventh edition of the Check-list of North American Birds (American Ornithologists’ Union 1998). It summarizes decisions made between 1 January 2009 and 31 March 2010 by the AOU’s Committee on Classification and Nomenclature—North and Middle America. The Committee has continued to operate in the manner outlined in the 42nd Supplement (AOU 2000). There were no changes to committee membership in 2009.

Changes in this supplement include the following:

1. One genus (Chrysomus) and eight species (Oceanodroma monorhis, Ixobrychus minutus, Ardea purpurea, Platalea leucorodia, Glareola pratincola, Elaenia albiceps, Luscinia sibilans, and Chrysomus icterocephalus) are added to the main list (including three species transferred from the Appendix) on the basis of new distributional information;
2. The distributional statement of one species (Trogon melanurus) is changed because of a split from an extralimital species;
3. Three species are changed (to Melanitta americana, Trogon caligatus, and T. chionurus) by being split from extralimital species;
4. Six species (Caprimulgus arizonae, Chasiempis sclateri, C. ibidis, Icterus northropi, I. melanopsis, and I. portoricensis) are added as a result of splits from species already on the list;
5. Two species (Troglodytes hiemalis and T. pacificus) are added by being split both from an extralimital taxon (T. troglodytes) and from each other;
6. Five species (Melozone fusca, M. albicollis, M. crissalis, M. aberti, and Amphispiza quinquestriata) are transferred to currently recognized genera;
7. Five genera (Psilorhinus, Peucaea, Oreothlypis, Parkesia, and Rhynchophanes) are added because of splits from other genera, resulting in changes to 20 scientific names;
8. A new scientific name (Vermivora cyanoptera) is adopted for one species because of a nomenclatural problem with the previous scientific name (V. pinus);
9. The citation for one species (Dendroica pinus) is changed;
10. The endings of the specific or subspecific names of two taxa (Acanthidops bairdi and Vireo gilvus swainsoni) are corrected;
11. The English names of three species (Caprimulgus vociferus, Chasiempis sandwichensis, and Icterus dominicensis) are modified as a result of taxonomic changes, the English name of one species (Puffinus gravis) is modified for global conformity, and the hyphen is removed from the English name of one species (Empidonomus aurantioatrocristatus);
12. Two species (Empidonomus aurantioatrocristatus and Thryothorus sinaloa) are added to the list of species known to occur in the United States.

Numerous changes are made at higher levels of the classification on the basis of new genetic data. Four newly recognized orders (Phaethontiformes, Suliformes, Accipitriformes, and Eurypygiformes) are added to the main list by being split from existing orders, and 11 newly recognized or restored families (Pandionidae, Capitonidae, Semnornithidae, Polioptilidae, Cettiidae, Phylloscopidae, Acrocephalidae, Donacobiidae, Megaluridae, Calcariidae, and Viduidae) are added to the main list by splits from existing families. Two families (Ardeidae and Threskiornithidae) are transferred from the order Ciconiiformes to the order Pelecaniformes. New linear sequences are adopted for species in the genera Cyanolyca, Aimophila, and Pipilo, and the sequences of genera within the Cotingidae and portions of the Corvidae and Emberizidae are rearranged to reflect new findings on relationships. One genus (Lipaugus) is moved from Incertae Sedis to the Cotingidae. The family placement of one species (Chamaea fasciata) is changed on the basis of new information on its phylogenetic relationships. The English group names of three orders (Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes, and Falconiformes), one suborder (Pelecani), and three families (Ramphastidae, Sylviidae, and Cardinalidae) are modified because of changes to the composition of these groups.

Literature that provides the basis for the Committee’s decisions is cited at the end of this supplement, and citations not already in the Literature Cited of the seventh edition (with supplements) become additions to it.

Errors

Three errors have been noted in the 51st supplement, have been corrected in the online checklist, and will be published in a forthcoming correction in The Auk.

These include:

1. Melanitta americana is treated as a separate species from the allopatric Melanitta nigra. The supplement erroneously states that the English name should be changed to American Scoter. Instead the English name should remain Black Scoter.
2. The sequence of species in the genus Cyanolyca is rearranged. The rearranged sequence is given incorrectly on p. 734 of the supplement. The correct sequence is given on p. 728 of the supplement as follows:
• Cyanolyca mirabilis
• Cyanolyca nana
• Cyanolyca pumilo
• Cyanolyca argentigula
• Cyanolyca cucullata
3. The sequence of species in the genus Melozone is rearranged on p. 737 of the supplement (p. 602 of the check-list), but the change is not mentioned on p. 729 of the supplement (p. xvii-liv of the checklist). The sequence given on p. 737, as follows, is correct:
• Melozone leucotis
• Melozone biarcuata
• Melozone kieneri
• Melozone fusca
• Melozone albicollis
• Melozone crissalis
• Melozone aberti

Citation

The supplement may be cited as:

Chesser, R. Terry, Richard C. Banks, F. Keith Barker, Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Irby J. Lovette, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, James D. Rising, Douglas F. Stotz, Kevin Winker. 2010. Fifty-first supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of North American Birds. Auk 127(3):726-744.

doi:10.1525/auk.2010.127.3.726

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