birdingbriefs
http://www.BirdWatchingDaily.com 11The most recent changes to the
American Ornithological Society’s
Check-list of North American Birds,
published in June, include new names for
two hummingbirds and a split of
White-winged Scoter.
The Blue-throated and Amethyst-
throated Hummingbirds were
renamed as Blue-throated and
Amethyst-throated Mountain-
gems, matching the English names
of the five other species in the genus
Lampornis. Blue-throated is
primarily a Mexican species,
ranging from Oaxaca north to
southeastern Arizona, southern
New Mexico, and western Texas.
Amethyst-throated is a resident in
Mexico and Central America.
The scoter was split into three spe-
cies, based largely on the continents
on which they live. The North
American species will retain the
common name White-winged Scoter,
and its new scientific name will be
Melanitta deglandi. Velvet Scoter is
the new name for the European
species, matching the name used by
other taxonomic authorities, and it
retains the scientific name M. fusca.
The Asian species, which is consid-
ered casual in late spring in north-
western Alaska, will be Stejneger’s
Scoter (M. stejnegeri).
The AOS classification commit-
tee also made changes for birds from
south of the U.S.: Vermiculated
Screech-Owl was split into Middle
American and Choco Screech-Owls.
Socorro Parakeet was split from
Green Parakeet. Yucatan Gnat-
catcher was split from White-lored
Gnatcatcher. Blue-vented Hum-
mingbird was split from Steely-
vented Hummingbird. And Orange-
bellied Trogon was lumped with
Collared Trogon.
The committee rejected proposals
to split Northern Fulmar into two
species, to split Harlan’s Hawk from
Red-tailed Hawk, and to change the
common names of Saltmarsh
Sparrow and McCown’s Longspur.
Checklist update
Changes include a new name
for hummingbirds
The 44th annual “Birds in Art”
exhibition opens on Saturday,
September 7, at the Leigh Yawkey
Woodson Art Museum in Wausau,
Wisconsin. British colored-pencil artistAlan Woollett is the museum’s 2019
Master Artist. The exhibition, on view
through December 1, will feature a
selection of Woollett’s artwork along
with more than 100 original paintings,
sculptures, and graphics created within
the last three years by artists from
throughout the world.
Learn more at http://www.lywam.org.Birds in art
British artist headlines
annual exhibition