Taxonomic change history
Changes from supplements to the 7th edition (1998) of the AOU Check-list of North American Birds that affected the lists of North Carolina or South Carolina birds.
- 42nd Supplement, July 2000
- Rename Oldsquaw to Long-tailed Duck
- Split; remove Crested Caracara Caracara plancus and replace with Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway
- Lump genus Catharacta (Skuas) into Stercorarius
- Split; remove Black-billed Magpie Pica pica and replace with Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia
- Change scientific name of Black-capped Chickadee from Poecile atricapillus to Poecile atricapilla
- Move Bullock's Oriole before Baltimore Oriole
- 43rd Supplement, July 2002
- Lump genus Ajaia (Spoonbills) into Platalea
- Lump genus Porphyrula (Purple Gallinule) into Porphyrio
- Split; remove Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago and replace with Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata
- Change scientific name of Red Phalarope from Phalaropus fulicaria to Phalaropus fulicarius
- Lump genus Guiraca (Blue Grosbeak) into Passerina
- 44th Supplement, July 2003
- Rename Rock Dove to Rock Pigeon
- Genus Columba is split up; Band-tailed Pigeon Columba fasciata becomes Patagioenas fasciata
- Genus Otus is split up; Eastern Screech-Owl Otus asio becomes Megascops asio
- Lump genus Nyctea (Snowy Owl) into Bubo
- Change scientific name of Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapilla back to Poecile atricapillus (see Supplement 42)
- Change scientific name of Ovenbird from Seiurus aurocapillus to Seiurus aurocapilla
- Move the entire orders Anseriformes and Galliformes to the beginning of the list
- 45th Supplement, July 2004
- Split; insert Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii after Barnacle Goose
- Move Canada Goose to follow Cackling Goose
- Change scientific name of Spotted Sandpiper from Actitis macularia to Actitis macularius
- Change scientific name of Worm-eating Warbler from Helmitheros vermivorus to Helmitheros vermivorum
- 46th Supplement, July 2005
- Lump; delete Black-backed Wagtail (merged with White Wagtail)
- 47th Supplement, July 2006
- Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris edwardsii recognized by AOU (was already on NC list)
- Black-bellied Storm-Petrel Fregetta tropica recognized by AOU (was already on NC list)
- Lump genus Catoptrophorus (Willet) into Tringa
- Change specific name of Willet; was Catoptrophorus semipalmatus, now
Tringa semipalmata
The sequence of species of Tringa and Actitis becomes
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes - Create new family Stercorariidae containing the skuas and jaegers
- Move Stercorariidae to follow the Laridae (preceding Alcidae)
- Genus Sterna is split up: Gull-billed Tern goes to Gelochelidon,
Caspian to Hydroprogne, Royal and Sandwich to Thalasseus, Least to
Sternula,
Bridled and Sooty to Onychoprion. Specific name of Royal Tern changes from
maxima to maximus; Sooty Tern from fuscata to fuscatus. The sequence of
tern species becomes
Brown Noddy Anous stolidus Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus Least Tern Sternula antillarum Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Black Tern Chlidonias niger White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii Common Tern Sterna hirundo Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis - Rename Ringed Turtle-Dove Streptopelia risoria to African Collared-Dove Streptopelia roseogrisea
- Move Yellow-billed Cuckoo before Black-billed Cuckoo
- 48th Supplement, July 2007
- Move family Cathartidae (Vultures) from Ciconiiformes back to Falconiformes as the first family in that order
- Split; remove Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans and replace with Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
- Genus Ceryle is split; Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon becomes Megaceryle alcyon
- 49th Supplement, July 2008
- Move the order Phoenicopteriformes to follow Podicipediformes
- Split; remove Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber and replace with American Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
- "black-headed" gulls are split from genus Larus:
Bonaparte's and Black-headed move to genus Chroicocephalus; Little to Hydrocoloeus;
Laughing and Franklin's to Leucophaeus
The sequence of gull species becomes
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla Sabine's Gull Xema sabini Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Franklin's Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan followed by the remaining species of Larus in the same sequence as before.
- Change the common name of Green Violet-ear to Green Violetear
- 50th Supplement, July 2009
- Move the family Odontophoridae to precede (instead of follow) the family Phasianidae (i.e., move Northern Bobwhite to precede Ring-necked Pheasant and Ruffed Grouse)
- Move the genus Piranga to the beginning of the family Cardinalidae, eliminating the family Thraupidae (i.e., move Summer, Scarlet and Western Tanagers to precede Northern Cardinal)
- Change the common name of Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow to Nelson's Sparrow
- Change the common name of Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow to Saltmarsh Sparrow
- Change the genus of Common Redpoll from Carduelis to Acanthis
- Change the genus of Pine Siskin and the goldfinches from Carduelis to Spinus
- 51st Supplement, July 2010
- Black Scoter is split into separate New World and Old World species. The Old World species takes the English name Common Scoter. The scientific name of the American species is changed from Melanitta nigra to Melanitta americana. In the published supplement, the English name of the American species is also changed to American Scoter. However, an erratum clarifies that this was an editing error, and that the American species remains Black Scoter.
- Greater Shearwater is renamed to Great Shearwater.
- Move Swinhoe's Storm-Petrel to precede Leach's Storm-Petrel and remove the note “Not on AOU Check-list”.
- Pelecaniformes is split into three orders: Pelecaniformes,
Phaethontiformes, and Suliformes. Only the Pelicans remain in
Pelecaniformes, and herons and ibises are moved from Ciconiiformes to
Pelecaniformes, leaving only storks in Ciconiiformes.
The new sequence of orders and families is
Phaethontiformes Tropicbirds Phaethontidae Tropicbirds Ciconiiformes Storks Ciconiidae Storks Suliformes Frigatebirds, Boobies, Cormorants, Darters, and Allies Fregatidae Frigatebirds Sulidae Boobies and Gannets Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants Anhingidae Darters Pelecaniformes Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies Pelecanidae Pelicans Ardeidae Herons, Bitterns, and Allies Threskiornithidae Ibises and Spoonbills Within families there is no change in sequence of species.
- Osprey is split into its own family. All raptors except falcons are
split from order Falconiformes into new order Accipitriformes, leaving
only the family Falconidae in order Falconiformes. The new sequence of
orders and families is
Accipitriformes Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies Cathartidae New World Vultures Pandionidae Ospreys Accipitridae Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies Falconiformes Caracaras and Falcons Falconidae Caracaras and Falcons There is no change in the sequence of species.
- Whip-poor-will is renamed Eastern Whip-poor-will because of a split.
- The scientific name of Winter Wren is changed from Troglodytes troglodytes to Troglodytes hiemalis because of a split.
- Gnatcatchers are now classified in their own family Polioptilidae and are moved to a position between the wrens and the kinglets.
- The scientific name of Blue-winged Warbler is changed from Vermivora pinus to Vermivora cyanoptera.
- Tennessee, Orange-crowned, and Nashville Warblers are split from genus Vermivora and placed in genus Oreothlypis.
- The two Waterthrushes are split from genus Seiurus and placed in new genus Parkesia, leaving only Ovenbird in Seiurus.
- Bachman's Sparrow is split from genus Aimophila and placed in Peucaea.
- The longspurs and snow buntings are split from Emberizidae and placed in the new family Calcariidae, which is placed between the waxwings and the wood-warblers. Chestnut-collared Longspur is moved to precede Smith's Longspur.
- 52nd Supplement, July 2011
- Common Gallinule is split as a separate species from the Common Moorhen of the Old World. Common Moorhen keeps the old scientific name (Gallinula chloropus) and Common Gallinule takes the new scientific name Gallinula galeata.
- Snowy Plover is split from the Kentish Plover of the Old World. Kentish Plover keeps the old scientific name (Charadrius alexandrinus) and Snowy Plover takes the new scientific name Charadrius nivosus.
- Northern Wheatear is removed from the family Turdidae and placed in the Old World Flycatcher family Muscicapidae, a new family for the Carolinas. Coincidentally, this has no effect on the position of Northern Wheatear in the list of Carolina birds, because Muscicapidae precedes Turdidae, and Northern Wheatear is already listed first in Turdidae.
- There are major changes within the Parulidae, consisting of many reassignments of genus
and a new linear sequence of genera and species.
- Genera Parula, Dendroica, and Wilsonia are deleted by being lumped with other genera. Parula and Dendroica are lumped into Setophaga. One species of Wilsonia (Hooded Warbler) is also lumped into Setophaga, and the other two species (Wilson's and Canada) are lumped into Cardellina (the genus of Red-faced Warbler).
- Kentucky, Mourning, and MacGillivray's Warblers are moved to genus Geothlypis (same as Common Yellowthroat) leaving only Connecticut in Oporornis.
- Although the genus Parula no longer exists, a provision of the Code of Zoological Nomenclature allows the family name to remain Parulidae.
- The new sequence of species, with new generic names, is:
sequence new scientific name common name former scientific name former sequence 1 Seiurus aurocapilla Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla 31 2 Helmitheros vermivorum Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum 29 3 Parkesia motacilla Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla 33 4 Parkesia noveboracensis Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis 32 5 Vermivora bachmanii Bachman's Warbler Vermivora bachmanii 1 6 Vermivora chrysoptera Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera 3 7 Vermivora cyanoptera Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera 2 8 Mniotilta varia Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 26 9 Protonotaria citrea Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea 28 10 Limnothlypis swainsonii Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii 30 11 Oreothlypis peregrina Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina 4 12 Oreothlypis celata Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata 5 13 Oreothlypis ruficapilla Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla 6 14 Oporornis agilis Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis 35 15 Geothlypis tolmiei MacGillivray's Warbler Oporornis tolmiei 37 16 Geothlypis philadelphia Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia 36 17 Geothlypis formosa Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus 34 18 Geothlypis trichas Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 38 19 Setophaga citrina Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina 39 20 Setophaga ruticilla American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla 27 21 Setophaga kirtlandii Kirtland's Warbler Dendroica kirtlandii 20 22 Setophaga tigrina Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina 11 23 Setophaga cerulea Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea 25 24 Setophaga americana Northern Parula Parula americana 7 25 Setophaga magnolia Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia 10 26 Setophaga castanea Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea 23 27 Setophaga fusca Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca 17 28 Setophaga petechia Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia 8 29 Setophaga pensylvanica Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica 9 30 Setophaga striata Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata 24 31 Setophaga caerulescens Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens 12 32 Setophaga palmarum Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum 22 33 Setophaga pinus Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus 19 34 Setophaga coronata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata 13 35 Setophaga dominica Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica 18 36 Setophaga discolor Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor 21 37 Setophaga nigrescens Black-throated Gray Warbler Dendroica nigrescens 14 38 Setophaga townsendi Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi 16 39 Setophaga virens Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens 15 40 Cardellina canadensis Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis 41 41 Cardellina pusilla Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla 40 42 Icteria virens Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 42
- 53rd Supplement, July 2012
- Move the Falconiformes (American Kestrel, Merlin, Gyrfalcon, and Peregrine Falcon) to a position between the woodpeckers and flycatchers.
- Change the scientific name of Purple Gallinule from Porphyrio martinica to Porphyrio martinicus for linguistic reasons.
- Move the Psittaciformes (Carolina Parakeet) to a position between the Falconiformes and flycatchers.
- Change the genus of Chuck-will's-widow and Eastern Whip-poor-will from Caprimulgus to Antrostomus because of a split from Old World species.
- Move Broad-billed Hummingbird and Buff-bellied Hummingbird to the end of the list of hummingbirds, as part of a major reordering of hummingbird genera.
- Change the genus of Calliope Hummingbird from Stellula to Selasphorus, as the genera have been lumped.
- Move Carolina Wren and Bewick's Wren to the end of the list of wren species as part of a major reorganization of wrens.
- Change the genus of Purple Finch and House Finch from Carpodacus to Haemorhous, because of a split from Old World species.