HIGHTLIGHTS OF CHANGES in this 16th edition

There has been a trend towards higher numbers of Families in recent years — welcomed by some, criticized by others — and that has played havoc with longterm travel plans of (some) birders (like me). With recent decisions by the AOU, IOC, Clements, and Winkler et al. (2015), I finally accepted as a fait accompli the acceptance all the New World nine-primaried passerine families first proposed in Barker et al. (2013). This is with some reluctance, as I had hoped ornithologists could reach some reasonable standard by which families could be measured, perhaps something like a divergence date of 18-20 million years ago (mya) or greater for passerine families (and older dates for non-passerines). With these two splits, Puerto Rican Tanager [Nesospingidae], is split from the Spindalises, and Yellow-breasted Chat [Icteriidae], moves from a New World warbler to nearer the Icterids, making it the youngest family of all bird families at only about 11 mya. It also creates a formal family name [Icteriidae] that will be confused with that of the Orioles and allies [Icteridae].

Another new family is derived from Winkler et al. (2015) book on bird families: the Crested Jay Platylophus galericulatus of southeast Asia is remained and elevated to its own family Shrikejay [Platylophidae]. Recent genetic evidence suggested it is related to shrikes, not jays but its true level of divergence from shrikes is not yet clearly understood. Still, despite some uncertainty, Clements and IOC have adopted the split.

The AOU added a family in their July 2018 supplement, the Royal-flycatchers [Onychorhynchidae], following Ohlson et al. (2013). This group of six flycatchers in 3 genera are, along with Sharpbill, a sister taxa to all the rest of the tyrant-flycatchers. The AOU elevates this family now, although a number of world checklists are holding off until the results of a large project currently underway is published. There will probably be other families split off from the current Tyrannidae. I've also used the sequence of families adopted by AOU for the New World suboscines.

The final new family was proposed by Cai et al. (2019), elevating the babbler genus Alcippe from the Ground-Babbler family [Pellorneidae] on new genetic evidence. All the members of the genus are currently called "fulvettas," but there are other fulvettas in two other families, so this will cause confusion. For the moment I'll call them the Alcippe Fulvettas [Alcippeidae] but I hope taxonomists coin a better English names. When the Pnoepygidae was proposed a decade ago for a genus of birds then-called "wren-babblers," several authors (included me) suggested we adopt the name Cupwings (a translations of the generic name) and most world lists (e.g., Clements) do so. I'd like something better than "Alcippe Fulvettas" for these mostly southeast Asian small babblers.

Finally, I've adopted almost entirely the Clements/eBird sequence for the Bird Families of the World, except that I follow the AOU sequence of families in the New World suboscines.

Net result: + 5 families

The newest Bird Families book [Winkler et al. 2015] has 243 families, and I now accept all of those. My list in this edition has 258 families, 15 more than the Bird Families book: Ground-Hornbills [also split by Clements, IOC], Old World Parrots & Lories [Psittaculidae; also split by Clements, IOC, AOU, SACC], Sharpbill [Oxyruncidae; split by SACC, Clements], Royal Flycatchers [split by AOU], Butcherbirds [Cracticidae split from Artamidae Woodswallows, adopted by Clements], Shrike-babblers and Silktails [both splits recommended by Jønsson et al. (2016) on evidence of ancient divergences], Erpornis, Bristle-flycatchers [Erythrocercidae; also split by IOC], Hylias, Wallcreeper [Tichodromidae; also split by Clements, IOC], Parrotbills & allies [Paradoxornithidae; also split by Clements], Cinnamon Ibon, and the Alcippe Fulvettas. In short, this Family list incorporates all of the extant families adopted by Clements, AOU, or IOC [except Bananaquit, which is a tanager; Burns et al. 2014].