"Wisdom begins with putting the right name on a thing"
(Old Chinese Proverb)

ADVISORS

Per Alström
Mike Blair
Rauri Bowie
Nigel Redman
Jon Fjeldsa
Phil Gregory
Leo Joseph
Peter Kovalik
Adolfo Navarro-Siguenza
David Parkin
Alan Peterson
Douglas Pratt
Pam Rasmussen
Frank Rheindt
Robert Ridgely
Peter Ryan
George Sangster
Dick Schodde
Minturn Wright

Species Status Codes

AL - Accepted Lumps for species that are deemed to be conspecific and are DELETED

AS - Accepted Splits that we deem valid and ADD to Master List

DEL – Deleted from Master List or from active consideration of Proposed Splits

DIS - Changes or corrections of a species Range

ENG – Changes or corrections of English names

EXT--Extinct Taxon

NEW - a newly described taxon as opposed to a revision of prior taxonomy, splits or lumps

PHY – Change that reflects new information on the phylogenetic relationships of the taxon

PL - Proposed Lumps for species that are likely to be treated as conspecific with another taxon and that may be DELETED

PS - Proposed Splits for splits that are being reviewed

TAX - Change of scientific name, including issues of nomenclature (priority, gender etc) and revisions of genera

Master Lists

We Update the IOC list quarterly with advances in taxonomy of world birds. Significant Updates  are noted under “Comments” that include citations to References. See Updates Highlighted in red font in a draft copy of the 7.2 Life List+ spreadsheet.

The web pages of  the Master List are subdivided primarily by Order(s) and by sets of related families for Passeriformes. Please use the the BOW tab to get to the appropriate page, and then use the find tool on your browser to locate a particular species on a page, as needed.

Downloadable files  of the  IOC World Bird List include the following:

FILTERS:  The  Life List+ format includes filters that allow users to exclude subspecies, or extinct taxa, and various combinations of these contents, if so desired.  Thanks to Peter Kovalik for creating this package. To vary the taxonomic ranks displayed, click on the black button in cell B1 (Rank).  To exclude subspecies, for example, scroll down the lower list and click “ssp”.  Press “ok” if needed. The check mark will disappear and the spreadsheet will recompose without subspecies. To return to the full spreadsheet, click  “clear filter” at the bottom right of the filter display. To exclude extinct taxa, click on the black button in cell C1, and then on the little cross (†) in the lower list.   To display only extinct taxa, click  instead on “blank”.