I just saw the latest version of splits and lumps from BirdLife, see the thread on Birdforum or google BIrdLife 2014 Splits and lumps. Certainly plenty of splits, but a couple of very irritating lumps as well, as according to them Norfolk (Is) Parakeet or Tasman Parakeet and New Caledonian Parakeet are part of Red-crowned Parakeet, seemingly because they don’t fit the Tobias et al criteria of basically looking significantly different. This seems to be a classic case of applying criteria where they don’t really work and ignoring everything else ( genetic evidence such as it is, the evolutionary history of the islands with many other endemic species-level taxa (and more to come, hello Norfolk Is Whistler….) Also, and I know this doesn’t count as reason for splitting or indeed lumping, but I for one am bothered by a potential change in conservation status from CR (if it’s not, why not?) for the Norfolk Is (Tasman) Parakeet to I think Near Threatened if taken as part of the NZ Red-crowned Parakeet. With a national government slashing costs left right and centre and conservation being relegated to the margins this is possibly highly regrettable. My suggestion to BirdLife was basically leave well enough alone, this is all a matter of opinion anyway and can be interpreted either way, but a change that has possible negative conservation impacts ought to be avoided at this time. My thoughts on the Tobias criteria are that they are fine in many cases, but it won’t work for groups that are not well differentiated by plumage e.g. Meliphaga, Collocalia, the dreaded Tapaculos etc, and as ever all factors need to be considered. On a cheerier note (maybe), you do now get 12 for the price of one from the aptly named Variable Dwarf Kingfisher, I just wonder how these actually work if measured using Tobias et al criteria, since many (not all) seem to vary only in shades of body and bill colouration? Ceyx (lepidus) magarethae Dimorphic Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) wallacii Sula Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) cajeli Buru Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) solitarius New Guinea Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) dispar Manus Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) mulcatus New Ireland Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) sacerdotis New Britain Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) meeki North Solomons Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) collectoris New Georgia Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) nigromaxilla Guadalcanal Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ceyx (lepidus) gentianus Makira Dwarf (Variable) Kingfisher Ghana beckons, but if you feel like it do lobby BirdLife about the Tasman Parakeet and its New Caledonian sibling……. Oh, and don’t forget the poor old Manus Masked Owl which is likewise being written out of history despite being basically totally unknown and Data Deficient if not Critically Endangered. Zoogeographic nonsense……… and with that I’m away to Ghana Phil Gregory Website 1: Http://www.sicklebillsafaris.com Website 2: Http://www.cassowary-house.com.au _______________________________________________ Birding-Aus mailing list Birding-Aus@birding-aus.org To change settings or unsubscribe visit: http://birding-aus.org/mailman/listinfo/birding-aus_birding-aus.org