mmslouisuac13

13  A Synopsis of the Recent Diurnal Raptors.

This post in the series The Unknown Andean Condor will take into account the diurnal raptors in general as well as the genus and species which is the focus of my study.  After giving it much thought, I decided that this endeavor would be of worthwhile relevance to the subject of the condor.  It follows from my previous post on the Andean Condor's decline to examine the whole of the taxa of diurnal raptors and their conservation status designations.  It is important to also understand the history in the literature of the various names given not to the valid species themselves but, also, the many attempts, from the period of Linnaeus forward, by which authors have tried to correctly label or name a given taxon.  

The synopsis nicely supplements my study on the Andean Condor.  In regards to the many and various aspects of these posts, including reports deemed to fall under a cryptozoological heading, I want to take into account the whole breadth of the raptors, as numerous species of them have been and can continue to be considered candidates for the subjects of the respective accounts or reports themselves.  When writing in forthcoming posts, I will thus be able to generally allude to the list.  This synopsis further augments the interdisciplinary scope of my project.

TAXONOMIC SUMMARY OF THE ARRANGEMENT

Order Cathartiformes:  5 genera, 7 species  (sequentially follows Pelecaniformes)

    Family Cathartidae:  5 genera, 7 species, 6 additional subspecies  [13 taxa]  

Order Accipitriformes:  74 genera, 258 species     (sequentially follows Cathartiformes)

    Family Sagittariidae:  1 genus, 1 species  [1 taxon]

    Family Pandionidae:  1 genus, 2 species, 2 additional subspecies  [4 taxa]

    Family Accipitridae:  72 genera, 255 species, 298 additional subspecies  [553 taxa]

        1)  Subfamily Elaninae:  3 genera, 6 species, 5 additional subspecies

        2)  Subfamily Gypaetinae:  4 genera, 5 species, 4 additional subspecies

        3)  Subfamily Perninae:  9 genera, 19 species, 32 additional subspecies

        4)  Subfamily Circaetinae:  5 genera, 15 species, 22 additional subspecies

        5)  Subfamily Aegypiinae:  6 genera, 13 species, 5 additional subspecies

        6)  Subfamily Harpiinae:  4 genera, 4 species, 2 additional subspecies

       7)  Subfamily Aquilinae:  10 genera (Spizastur, Oroaetus excluded (=Spizaetus)), 38 species, 20 additional subspecies 

        8)  Subfamily Lophospizinae:  1 genus, 1 species, 10 additional subspecies

       9)  Subfamily Harpaginae:  2 genera, 3 species, 2 additional subspecies  (**see also note below on Accipiter superciliosus and Accipiter collaris)

        10)  Subfamily Melieraxinae:  3 genera, 5 species, 7 additional subspecies

        11)  Subfamily Accipitrinae:  3 genera, 51 species, 100 additional subspecies

       Incertae sedis ("Microspizias" excluded)  2 other species (and 1 other, additional subspecies) tentatively placed in Accipiter  (**see also note below on Accipiter superciliosus and Accipiter collaris)

        12)  Subfamily Circinae:  1 genus, 15 species, 2 additional subspecies

        13)  Subfamily Buteoninae:  21 genera (Heterospizias (=Buteogallus); {Asturina (=Buteo)} excluded), 78 species, 86 additional subspecies

Order Falconiformes:  12 genera, 65 species    (sequentially follows Piciformes)

    Family Falconidae:  12 genera, 65 species, 97 additional subspecies  [162 taxa]

        1)  Subfamily Polyborinae:  6 genera, 11 species, 5 additional subspecies  

        2)  Subfamily Herpetotherinae:  2 genera, 8 species, 9 additional subspecies

        3)  Subfamily Falconinae:  4 genera, 46 species, 83 additional subspecies

Together, the three orders as a group comprise 91 genera, 330 species, and 403 additional subspecies; there are 733 taxa.  This summary includes one recently extinct species and one recently extinct subspecies, and see below for the question of the inclusion of chronological parameters, by what has been or has not been included.

For comparison, I will include the same information from the list of Brown & Amadon (1968).  Their treatment recognized 81 genera, 287 species, and 401 additional subspecies (688 taxa).

Family Cathartidae:  5 genera, 7 species, 5 additional subspecies  [12 taxa] 

Family Pandionidae:  1 genus, 1 species, 4 additional subspecies  [5 taxa]

Family Accipitridae:  64 genera, 217 species, 301 additional subspecies  [518 taxa]

Family Sagittariidae:  1 genus, 1 species  [1 taxon]

Family Falconidae:  10 genera, 61 species, 91 additional subspecies  [152 taxa]

This synopsis of the recent diurnal raptors is arranged on three different webpages.

LINKS TO THE SYNOPSIS

Cathartidae    https://sites.google.com/view/mmslouisgcsn/avescathartiformes 

Sagittariidae    https://sites.google.com/view/mmslouisgcsn/avescathartiformes 

Pandionidae    https://sites.google.com/view/mmslouisgcsn/avescathartiformes 

Accipitridae    https://sites.google.com/view/mmslouisgcsn/avesaccipitriformes 

Falconidae    https://sites.google.com/view/mmslouisgcsn/avesfalconiformes 

THE TRADITIONAL FALCONIFORMES

I refer to the "traditional" Falconiformes as being those families and genera as assigned by Brown & Amadon (Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World).  These are the diurnal raptors, groups which until recently have been treated as one order, the Falconiformes, and in 1968 with the publication of Brown & Amadon, five families.  My synopsis as a list does not actually depart from recognizing these very same five families, however the sequence and assignment to the rank of order has changed remarkably.

The arrangement is now as follows:  Cathartiformes (Cathartidae), Accipitriformes (Sagittariidae, Pandionidae, Accipitridae), and Falconiformes (Falconidae).  In invoking the term arrangement I do not refer to sequence, which is a separate and intriguing matter.  As respects the list of recent avian orders and families, the Cathartiformes and its sole, extant family immediately precede the Accipitriformes, but the Sagittariidae is placed before the Pandionidae and Accipitridae.

The Cathartiformes have also been treated as a family within the Ciconiiformes but are here a separate order.  In sequence the Cathartiformes and the Accipitriformes follow the Pelecaniformes, the latter of which include the "Suliformes" as recognized by some recent authors (and which I treat here).

The remaining family, Falconidae, represents the true Falconiformes, based on recent molecular and genetic studies of birds.  In a surprising turn, it is not to be found immediately with the first two orders, neither following the Sagittariidae nor the Accipitridae.  Among the list of orders of birds, the Falconiformes follow the Piciformes and precede the Psittaciformes and Passeriformes; thus, they are towards the end of the avian ordinal sequence.

From the checklists of Howard and Moore (1980; 1994), among many others, the traditional Falconiformes, as one order, had long followed the Anseriformes (Anatidae) in sequence, and they preceded the Galliformes (Megapodiidae). 

The owls (Strigiformes) are chiefly nocturnal birds of prey and are not included in the synopsis.  However, the owls are birds which are also relevant to the case studies I have examined of reports of giant avian entities in North America, that the subjects of each of these cases in question have often been attributed to mistaken observations of owls themselves.

Cariamidae

The seriemas of the family Cariamidae were considered as part of the Accipitres in Richard Bowdler Sharpe's treatment of the birds of prey in the first volume of the Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum.  The genus Cariama then included both extant species (C. cristata and C. [Chunga] burmeisteri) and were placed as the third listing of the Falconidae, subfamily Polyborinae.  This family is now treated as a separate order, Cariamiformes, and is not included in the synopsis.  It has been stressed that its sequence should now place it towards the end of the list, preceding the Falconiformes in the clade called Australaves; however, I have used the sequence of The Complete Birds of the World (Arlott & van Perlo) to assess the arrangements of higher-level taxa and have placed it before the Gruiformes.  The two extant representatives of the Cariamidae are the remainder of a great ancient lineage which includes many fossil taxa.

There is some irony.  In Sharpe (1874), three genera (Baza (=Aviceda), Harpagus, and Ictinia) were placed in the Falconinae of a much more unwieldy Falconidae, which comprised the true falcons as well as much of the Accipitridae.  He did not formally designate a family for Pandion and Polioaetus (=Ichthyophaga), but instead incorporated them together in the "Suborder Pandiones."  Likewise, Peters (1931) placed Gampsonyx in the Falconidae itself, also.  Now that studies from the present century show that the falcons and caracaras are not at all like the other types of raptors in their phylogenetic history, I find it interesting that the earlier literature shows some lack of consistency in assignment of the genera to the respective families.  The "Vulturidae" as an earlier concept included what is now the Cathartidae and several subfamilies of the Accipitridae.  The genus Vultur did not actually apply to the Andean Condor but to the European Black (Cinereous) Vulture, Aegypius, with Sarcorhamphus [sic] employed as the genus name of the former and Cathartes as the name of the King Vulture.  The name Oenops was given for the forms of smaller American vultures now familiarly assigned to Cathartes in the present, strict sense.

Lists of Sibley & Monroe and of Ferguson-Lees & Christie

Two works highlight the degree of taxonomic change to which the classification of the birds of prey have been subject.

The list of Sibley & Monroe (1990) was a major departure from the standard treatment as given by Brown & Amadon and by the checklists of Howard & Moore (1980; 1991).  They presented the Ciconiiformes as a much larger order, of 30 families, which included all of the traditional Falconiformes.  The Pandionidae was subsumed within the Accipitridae, which was followed by the Sagittariidae and Falconidae.  The Cathartidae was removed from this sequence and was given subfamily status in the Ciconiidae.  The link below conveys a general summary of their arrangement of recent birds as a whole.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibley%E2%80%93Ahlquist_taxonomy_of_birds

The monograph and field guide Raptors of the World also deserves notice because the treatment of the authors, James Ferguson-Lees and David Christie, heavily favored the splitting of taxa, in particular, that of the once-uniform family Falconidae.  The Cathartidae were assigned as part of the Ciconiiformes, and the Sagittariidae was afforded its own separate order, the Sagittariiformes.  (----The image below, at the conclusion of this article, is the cover of their work.)

They did not formally establish subfamilies for either the unwieldy Accipitridae or the Falconidae, but assigned letters as subdivisions or "artificial groupings" for them.  The Old World vultures were not one single group but three, which I found interesting.  I will list these subdivisions here. 

        ORDER ACCIPITRIFORMES; FAMILY ACCIPTRIDAE

subdivision a:  Aviceda, Leptodon, Chondrohierax, Henicopernis, Pernis, Elanoides

subdivision b:  Macheiramphus

subdivision c:  Gampsonyx, Elanus, Chelictinia

subdivision d:  Rostrhamus, Harpagus, Ictinia, Lophoictinia, Hamirostra, Milvus, Haliastur

subdivision e:  Haliaeetus, Ichthyophaga

subdivision f:  Gypohierax

subdivision g:  Gypaetus

subdivision h:  Neophron, Necrosyrtes, Gyps, Aegypius [including Torgos, Trigonoceps, and Sarcogyps]

subdivision i:  Circaetus, Terathopius, Spilornis, Dryotriorchis, Eutriorchis

subdivision j:  Polyboroides

subdivision k:  Circus

subdivision l:  Melierax

subdivision m:  Micronisus

subdivision n:  Accipiter

subdivision o:  Erythrotriochis, Megatriorchis, Urotriorchis, Butastur, Kaupifalco, Geranospiza

subdivision p:  Leucopternis, Buteogallus [including Heterospizias], Parabuteo, Busarellus, Geranoaetus, Harpyhaliaetus, Buteo {(including Asturina)}

subdivision q:  Morphnus, Harpia, Harpyopsis, Pithecophaga

subdivision r:  Ictinaetus

subdivision s:  Aquila

subdivision t:  Hieraaetus, Spizastur, Lophaetus, Stephanoaetus, Oroaetus, Polemaetus

        ORDER FALCONIFORMES; FAMILY DAPTRIIDAE:  Daptrius, Phalcoboenus, Caracara [=Polyborus], Milvago

        ORDER FALCONIFORMES; FAMILY HERPETOTHERIDAE

subdivision a:  Spiziapteryx

subdivision b:  Herpetotheres

subdivision c:  Micrastur

        ORDER FALCONIFORMES; FAMILY FALCONIDAE

subdivision a:  Polihierax, Microhierax

subdivision b:  Falco

KEY

The link below is a summary of a general sequential treatment of the Class Aves in general and indicates the placement of the three orders in question which now comprise the traditional, diurnal birds of prey.

https://sites.google.com/view/mmslouisgcsn/avesmain

Additionally, I will address the matter of attribution of dates.  Some of them may be in error, and I have sought to attain accuracy based on recent arguments established for several of these.  The primary purpose of the synopsis is to gather all of the nominal epithets associated with the recent members of this group, and an additional purpose is to provide an authority and year with the original description name.  They are there as labels for the names themselves and to avoid ambiguity.

The names are presented with the original description names in smaller type.  If the valid name of a taxon does not differ from what was published originally, then there are no further names given for said taxon.  Further, I have tried to consider with caution the use of certain misspellings in the original document which conflict with the spelling of the epithet as it now appears.

Sherborn (1902; 1922), Index Animalium

These works (the list of eighteenth-century names and the list of early nineteenth-century names) have been consulted.  I have also come across an obscure name and nomen novum for the Andean Condor itself, Vultur gryphus chilensis Suckow, 1800.  I did not see this name catalogued in Sherborn (1902).

Genera

The genus name is given in bold and is underlined, with the designation of type species.  These designations allow for the type species listed to supersede any or all previously-named types for that genus.  I give the type species designations in brackets {} and have denoted each with "t."

Gender of genera

These are given for valid genera as noted in the series, but I did not provide them for genus names which are treated as synonyms.  In text which is maroon red, "f." denotes a feminine name (16 genera), and "m." denotes a masculine name (75 genera).

Species and Subspecies.

As with the genera, the species and subspecies names are given in bold, and the names which follow are the synonyms.  Valid species names are preceded by the symbol ○.  Valid subspecies names are preceded by the symbol ●.  The establishment of the latter largely follows Clements (2007).

In a polytypic species, the nominate subspecies is given first.  There is no separate reference to the redundant trinomial of the nominate taxon.  The names ascribed to the nominate subspecies are for that respective taxon, alone.  I understand that the sequence of placement of a nominate subspecies as the first-named may invite confusion, in particular, if the subspecies are meant to be 'grouped' according to affinities of character or by relatedness of distribution.  I have sought to remedy this by including an asterisk (*) next to the subspecific name of a species which would denote the preceding name (where the nominate--in that respective circumstance--should be placed).  

I have placed the synonyms, which are in smaller characters, in a chronological sequence for each taxon (either a species or subspecies).  Where more than two authors of a scientific name were used, I reference this by listing only the first two authors of the original reference, followed by a diaeresis ".." to denote the fact that more authors were involved in the writing.  The designation et al. has not been used.

The designation, in brackets, of "nv" is for a nomen novum, a substitute name for the same nominal concept and type.  A nomen novum may also indicate, hererin, that the name was originally presented as a synonym of another name.  In general, placement of such a name is given to correspond to the name which directly precedes it, in the synonymy, as being that which is substituted and which is not a nomen novum.  

The designation "nn" is for a nomen nudum.  The designation "ind." is an abbreviation for a scientific name of indeterminate position, of which there are many; these names are not designated as synonyms of any taxon but are instead noted in the synonymy to where they might be ascribed in the far left margin of the list.  In addition, there may be a few names which I have determined to be nomina dubia as well as indeterminate, and I have noted them accordingly.

The term "type" refers to a particular name having the same type specimen as that of the same name which directly precedes it.  The term "type none" refers to a name which is based solely on an illustration or the author's own narrative description (lacking a specimen at the time of publication).

Vernacular names

These are not given in the synopsis, but knowing that authors have worked to formally stabilize them in various publications and in various ways, the following pair of links (Wikipedia) will serve as a convenient reference.

1)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Accipitriformes_species

2)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Falconidae 

Also see Gill & Wright (2006).

IUCN STATUS DESIGNATIONS OF THREATENED RAPTORS

Where applicable, a valid species which is not Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is denoted in red with its respective, current status. 

Near Threatened (NT):  37 species

Vulnerable (VU):  30 species

Endangered (EN):  22 species

Critically Endangered (CR):  14 species

Extinct (EX):  1 species, see section below

There are seven species listed which are DATA DEFICIENT, and these are also indicated in red characters.  I list them below.

Nisaetus kelaarti  (Legge, 1876)

Erythrotriochis buergersi  (Reichenow, 1914)  

Accipiter chionogaster  (Kaup, 1852)

Accipiter ventralis  P. L. Sclater, 1866

Accipiter erythronemius  (Kaup, 1850)

Accipiter chilensis  Philippi & Landbeck, 1864

Buteo bannermani  Swann, 1919

Near Threatened subspecies:  Buteogallus anthracinus gundlachii

Endangered subspecies:  Accipiter fasciatus natalis

Critically endangered subspecies:  Spilornis cheela baweanus, Gyps rueppelli erlangeri, Melierax metabates theresae, Accipiter francesiae pusillus

Data Deficient subspecies:  Gyps fulvus fulvescens

I have further ascribed the respective status treatments of subspecies based on the overall categorization of the IUCN.  Thus, all subspecies might be considered to have the same status as for the respective nominate subspecies or species concept, unless otherwise noted.

See also Ferguson-Lees & Christie (2001:  p. 26, etc.) for estimates of populations sizes at the turn of the century; their numeric categories should not imply a direct correlation to the respective status designations, then or now.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY ON VARIOUS TAXA

The synopsis of the recent diurnal raptors also includes some recently described species and subspecies (since 1968), in addition to various species splits.  Three additional, recent scientific names (not including one additional genus name) which are not valid are given inclusion in the next section.

Nisaetus pinskeri  (Preleuthner & Gamauf, 1998)

Buteo socotraensis  Porter & Kirwan, 2010

Micrastur mintoni  Whittaker, 2003

Neophron percnopterus majorensis  Donázar & Negro.., 2002

Aviceda leuphotes andamanica  Abdulali & Grubh, 1970

Torgos tracheliotos negevensis  Bruun & Mendelssohn.., 1981

Pernis steerei winkleri  Gamauf & Preleuthner, 1998

Micronisus gabar aequatorius  Clancey, 1987

Accipiter tachiro pembaensis  Benson & H.F.I. Elliott, 1983

Accipiter tachiro croizati  Desfayes, 1974

Accipter virgatus fuscipectus  Mees, 1970

Accipiter virgatus quinquefasciatus  Mees, 1984

Accipiter virgatus abdulalii  Mees, 1981

Accipiter virgatus quagga  Parkes, 1973

Accipiter gundlachi wileyi  Wotzkow, 1991

Geranoaetus polyosoma fjeldsai  (Cabot-Nieves & de Vries, 2009)

Buteo jamaicensis suttoni  Dickerman, 1993

Buteo buteo oshiroi  N[agahisa] Kuroda, 1971

Falco peregrinus tundrius  C.M.N. White, 1968

GENERA AND SPECIES SPLITS; NOTES ON SPELLINGS

The genera Icthyophaga, Lophaetus, and Macheiramphus were spelled differently in Brown & Amadon.  For the purposes of this list, I have decided to use Sarcoramphus in place of Sarcorhamphus and despite my prior usage of the latter in previous posts in this series.  The species Ictinia mississippiensis and Accipiter cirrocephalus, among others, were also spelled differently therein.

The list below includes a review of the key differences between that of Brown & Amadon and myself in the present synopsis.  It is not a comprehensive listing, nor do I make reference to recent changes of gender in certain names.  Also, Stresemann & Amadon (1979) is a reference when checking the original document spellings for many of the taxa. 

(In regards to the usage of the author name John Henry Gurney, I have simply used "[II]" to distinguish the junior author from the senior.  Certain errors of attribution of mine may have been perpetuated regarding the usage of those names as well as usage of the author name Brehm (Christian Ludwig or Alfred Edmund); caution is advised when considering them, particularly for any scientific names which either had published in the year 1855.  The same may also apply for the author names Salomon Müller and Johann Wilhelm von Müller.)

Cathartes burrovianus urubitinga----subspecies

Pandion [haliaetus] cristatus----species

Elanus notatus=E. axillaris in list

Leptodon forbesi, resuscitated species concept

Chondrohierax [uncinatus] wilsonii----species

Pernis [apivorus] ptilorynchus----species

Pernis [celebensis] steerei----species

Spilornis [cheela] kinabaluensis----species

Spilornis bassus tonkinensis  Stepanyan, 1992:  synonym of S. cheela ricketti

Circaetus [gallicus] beaudouini----species

Circaetus [gallicus] pectoralis----species

Gyps tenuirostris, resuscitated species concept; name has priority over and supersedes Gyps indicus nudiceps  [nv]

Nisaetus, split from Spizaetus

Nisaetus [cirrhatus] floris----species; Nisaetus [cirrhatus] kelaarti----species

Spizastur, Oroaetus=Spizaetus

Lophotriorchis, split from Hieraaetus

Clanga hastata, C. pomarina, C. clanga----split from Aquila

Clanga [pomarina] hastata----species

Hieraaetus weiskei, split; H. ayresii=H. dubius

Hieraaetus pennatus minusculus  Yosef & Verdoorn.., 2000:  synonym of H. pennatus

Aquila adalberti, Aquila spilogaster.  Some names in both Aquila and Hieraaetus have been reassigned to the other genus.

Lophospiza, split from Accipiter

Micronisus, split from Melierax

Melierax [canorus] poliopterus----species

[Accipiter superciliosus, Accipiter collaris----see note below on assignment to genus-group Microspizias, which was proposed in 2021]

Erythrotriorchis buergersi, formerly in Accipiter

Urotriorchis macrourus----new name Accipiter amadoni Wolters, 1978 a synonym [nv]

Accipiter:  toussenelii [from tachiro]; hiogaster [from novaehollandiae]; chionogaster [from striatus]; ventralis [from striatus]; erythronemius [from striatus]; chilensis [from bicolor]

Accipiter francesiae, cirrocephalus----were spelled differently

Accipiter minullus infrequens  Clancey, 1982 is a synonym of the nominate subspecies

Circus:  C. spilonotus, spilothorax, approximans, maillardi, macrosceles were all treated as subspecies in Brown & Amadon but are now species

Milvus [migrans] aegyptius----species

Milvus [migrans] affinis----species

Milvus [migrans] govinda----species

Milvus migrans fasciicauda----species in Ferguson-Lees & Christie

Ichthyophaga humilis, was I. nana (synonym)

Haliaaetus leucocephalus washingtoniensis, was H. l. alascanus ["alascensis"]

Some species from Haliaetus have been assigned to Ichthyophaga, or, the latter genus name has been entirely subsumed within Haliaetus

Helicolestes, split from Rostrhamus

Cryptoleucopteryx Amaral & Sheldon.., 2009----split from Leucopternis

Amadonastur  Amaral & Sheldon.., 2009:  synonym of Leucopternis

Heterospizias=Buteogallus

Buteogallus [anthracinus] subtilis----species

Morphnarchus, split from Leucopternis

Rupornis, split from Buteo

Geranoaetus, includes two species (G. polyosoma, G. albicaudatus) from Buteo

Buteo rufescens  Brown & Amadon, 1968 is a nomen novum and possible lapsus of Geranoaetus melanoleucus.  (See Brown & Amadon (1968), 2:567).)

Pseudastur, split from Leucopternis

Percnohierax, split from Buteo

{Asturina----not used in Brown and Amadon but has elsewhere been treated as a separate genus from Buteo and had included nitidus and plagiatus}

Buteo [nitidus] plagiatus----species

Buteo [brachyurus] albigula----species

Buteo refectus, resuscitated species concept

Buteo [buteo] bannermani----species

Buteo [oreophilus] trizonatus----species

Buteo [rufofuscus] augur----species

Micrastur ruficollis gilvicollis

Ibycter (from Daptrius)

Neohierax (from Polihierax)

Polyborus=Caracara

Falco [tinnunculus] rupicolus----species

Falco [vespertinus] amurensis----species

Falco [peregrinus] pelegrinoides----species

Some names which were recognized as full species(*) or subspecies in Brown & Amadon have since been subsumed into other names.  These represent 17 taxa not included in the present list (see above, Taxonomic Summary of the Arrangement).

Pandion haliaetus melvillensis=Pandion [haliaetus] cristatus

Elanus caeruleus sumatranus=Elanus caeruleus hypoleucus

Aviceda subcristata robusta=Aviceda subcristata gurneyi

Aviceda subcristata proxima=Aviceda subcristata gurneyi

Aviceda leuphotes burmana=Aviceda leuophotes (nominate)

Gypaetus barbatus aureus=Gypaetus barbatus (nominate)

Hieraaetus pennatus harterti=Hieraaetus pennatus (nominate)

Accipiter cirr[h]ocephalus quaesitandus=Accipiter cirrocephalus (nominate)  

*Accipiter griseogularis=subspecies of A. [novaehollandiae] hiogaster; species in Ferguson-Lees & Christie

Circus aeruginosus gouldi=Circus [aeruginosus] approximans

Leucopternis princeps zimmeri=Morphnarchus princeps

Parabuteo unicinctus superior=Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi

*Buteo poecilochrous=subspecies of Geranoaetus polyosoma; species in Ferguson-Lees & Christie

Micrastur ruficollis pelzelni=Micrastur [ruficollis] gilvicollis

Falco moluccensis bernsteini=Falco moluccensis (nominate)

Falco moluccensis renschii=Falco moluccensis (nominate)

Falco cherrug cyanopus=Falco cherrug (nominate)

Falco cherrug altaicus=Falco cherrug (nominate)

*Falco kreyenborgi=synonym of F. peregrinus cassini

RECENT TAXONOMIC PROPOSALS NOT ESTABLISHED IN THE SYNOPSIS

----splitting of Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi

----Spilornis spp., many splits from S. cheela:  minimus, abbotti, asturinus, sipora, natunensis, baweanus, perplexus  (see Ferguson-Lees & Christie)

----splitting of Circus cyaneus hudsonius  (see Ferguson-Lees & Christie)

----splitting of Accipiter gentilis atricapillus

----splitting of Buteo lineatus elegans

-------->genus name for Accipiter superciliosus, Accipiter collaris  (see below)

----genus name Amadonastur Amaral & Sheldon.., 2009 for Leucopternis lacernulatus

----placement of two Leucopternis species (L. schistaceus, L. lacernulatus) in Buteogallus

----splitting of Buteogallus anthracinus gundlachii

----placement of Percnohierax in Parabuteo

----splitting of Geranoaetus polyosoma exsul, see Ferguson-Lees & Christie

----splitting of Buteo augur archeri, separate species

----splitting of Caracara plancus

----species recognition of Falco altaicus (synonym of F. cherrug); species in Ferguson-Lees & Christie

ENTRIES IN MY SYNOPSIS WHICH CONFLICT WITH RECENT TAXONOMIC PROPOSALS

----retention of Sarcogyps, Trigonoceps, and Torgos (not subsumed in Aegypius); retention of Torgos tracheliotos negevensis as a subspecies (not a species)

----spelling of specific epithet for Ictinaetus malayensis Temminck, 1822

----retention of Harpyhaliaetus as a genus (not subsumed in Buteogallus)

----valid treatment of Percnohierax (not in Buteo)

----retention of Buteo jamaicensis kriderii

----recognition of Buteo cirtensis as a species, split from B. rufinus

----retention of Falco pelegrinoides as a species

A recent study with the introductory title "Enigmas no longer" has appeared in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, and the authors, Catanach et al. (2024), have further evaluated the phylogenies of the Acciptriformes, with new insights as to their relationships as an order and as a family.  This is a link to the abstract:  https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae028 

There have been many such studies published within recent years, and the above is just one which underscores the kinds of fluxes to which the "traditional" arrangements have been subject.  Further, my synopsis is a list which is focused on the lower-level hierarchy (genera, species, subspecies, and synonyms) included.  This means that though I have named and given much authoritative information for names among the higher-level hierarchy (orders, families, and subfamilies), I am with deliberation less concerned as to the accuracy of the latter, as that is less pertinent to the scope of this project.  Some very recent changes within the splitting of the genus Accipiter have not been included.

Combinations

My synopsis is not a formally-published record of the scientific names and synonyms of the recent diurnal birds of prey.  It is being presented as a series of webpages, in electronic format, corresponding to this post and any outlying pages where I have made such references.  It is slightly possible that in certain instances I have, inadvertently, introduced what may be new combinations or alternative spellings of valid scientific names, but in relation to principles of naming zoological entities, this would not render myself an authority of any of them, nor have I introduced any new nominal concepts.  The material will be preserved as a print copy, and at present I do not intend for it to be reviewed in the Zoological Record. 

In regards to the Code of the ICZN (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature), I have sought to abide by its precepts, but, at once, I am suppressing the names which appear in my list should any allow for myself as the authority of them.

Here I will invoke the matter of relatively obscure scientific names as suppressed by the ICZN itself.  These names appear in the "Opinions and Declarations Rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature."  I have been able to examine some of the relevant, published materials, but at present any names from this set which pertain to the focus of my list (if there be any) have been, unfortunately, omitted.

Additional Undescribed Subspecies

There is some likelihood that new subspecies of raptors have yet to be described, and I will briefly allude to the single case familiar to me.

Aquila chrysaetos  GOLDEN EAGLE.  A critically endangered population of the Golden Eagle survives in the Balé Mountains in the Oromia Region, Ethiopia.  See Clouet & Barrau in Alauda, 61:200 (1993) and Clouet et al. in Journal of Raptor Research, 33:102 (1999).  The eagles there were unknown to ornithologists until 1988.  They appear to be separate from the closest race, A. c. homeyeri.

EXTINCT HOLOCENE TAXA (RECENT RECORD)

In the recent record for this group as a whole, which I assign to the year 1758 (see below), one species and one subspecies have become extinct.  See also the previous post, UAC12.  These are both included in my synopsis with the dagger symbol (†), and I will also summarily list them.

†Milvus milvus fasciicauda  Hartert, 1914:  EXTINCT circa 2000

†Caracara lutosa  (Ridgway, 1876):  EXTINCT 1900--1903

The nominate race of Accipiter butleri (Vulnerable species) has not been sighted since 1977, on Car Nicobar island, and this record was an unconfirmed observation.  Accipiter francesiae pusillus, from Anjouan in the Comoros islands, was deemed to be extinct, but it has been recently seen, in 2005.  Several other species which are extant today have a history of being written off as having reached extinction.  I, too, once believed that the Madagascar Serpent Eagle (Eutriorchis) had become extinct.  It is Endangered.  Certain groups of raptors, such as vultures, include more taxa which are now close to extinction as compared with other subfamilies or families.  I am motivated to consider the history of the conservation status of the threatened species of diurnal raptors as material as a forthcoming post on this blog.

EXTINCT HOLOCENE TAXA (PRIOR TO 1758)

Many species of raptors have been described based on fossil or subfossil remains from the recent, Holocene era.  I have not included these in the synopsis, but will create a separate arrangement and list for them.  These taxa were extinct, or not extant, by the year 1758.  The threshold of that year denotes Carl Linnaeus' first descriptions of the birds of prey, which appear first in sequence in his descriptions of the Aves.  I believe that that is an appropriate threshold because it makes sense to consider the existence of a species as being recent when it has survived into the period of formal record, the standardization of which is ascribed to Linnaeus and not earlier.

FOSSIL SPECIES

The earlier and ancient fossil species relevant to the traditional Falconiformes are not included in this synopsis, but these will be treated separately in a forthcoming discussion on the scientific names and taxa of the relevant groups. 

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THE SPECIES NAME OF BARTRAM (1791), VULTUR SACRA

See UAC7 for a discussion on this name.  The "Painted Vulture" Vultur sacra of Bartram is here listed as a nomen dubium and cannot be assigned to a species.  For the purpose of being comprehensive, I give it an indeterminate placement, following the entry for Caracara plancus audubonii in the Falconiformes.  As a side note, there once had been some interest in applying to the ICZN formal suppression of the scientific names which Bartram had published in the same work (Travels..) in which this particular name appeared.

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**PLACEMENT OF THE TWO SPECIES ACCIPITER SUPERCILIOSUS (LINNAEUS) AND ACCIPITER COLLARIS P. L. SCLATER

I have begun, as a separate study, an examination of the nomenclature of these two species, which I do not believe should be given the genus name "Microspizias."  This is a separate, forthcoming discussion, and it may not necessarily appear as part of The Unknown Andean Condor.

For the purposes of the synopsis of the recent diurnal raptors, I have decided to place the two species (and one additional subspecies, Accipiter superciliosus fontanieri (Bonaparte)) back within the genus Accipiter and, thus, within the nominate subfamily, Accipitrinae.  This means that I do not dispute nor endorse the recent studies on these taxa in question as being an integral part of the Harpaginae, but that the nomenclatural issues prevent me at this time from treating them as part of the latter subfamily.  In an effort to remedy this difficulty, I have designated a note within the Harpaginae section (ninth subfamily of the Accipitridae) to stress that the two species are both incertae sedis in the nominate subfamily, which appears as the eleventh of the family itself.

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ADDITIONAL REFERENCES TO ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE GROUP

I have also begun a catalogue of references to earlier illustrations of the traditional Falconiformes.  Part of this may serve as a cited reference, in a forthcoming post, on the illustrations of vultures.

SYNOPSIS OF THE BIRDS OF THE NEARCTIC REGION

As with the previous, this is a forthcoming catalogue which I have begun.  It includes species recorded in what I define as the Nearctic region, principally, North America and much of México.  It is important to consider the birds of this region, in particular, the larger species or groups, on account of how the reports which I have examined for The Unknown Andean Condor involve those common to it.

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Bibliography:  REFERENCES CONSULTED

Arlott, N. & van Perlo, B.  The Complete Birds of the World:  Every Species Illustrated.  Princeton University Press.  2021.

Brown, L. & Amadon, D.  Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World.  Volumes 1--2.  McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.  1968.

Clements, J.  The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World.  Sixth Edition.  Cornell University Press; Ithaca, New York.  2007.

Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D.  Raptors of the World.  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.  2001.

Friedmann, H.  The Birds of North and Middle America.  Bulletin 50, Part 11.  United States National Museum, Washington.  1950.

Gill, F. & Wright, M.  Birds of the World:  Recommended English Names.  A&C Black Publishers, London.  2006.

Hartert, E. J. O.  Die Vögel der Paläarktischen Fauna.   R. Friedländer, Berlin.  1912--1922.

Hellmayr, C. & Conover, B.  Catalogue of Birds of the Americas and the Adjacent Islands..  Volume 13, part 1/4.  Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.  1950.

Howard, R. & Moore, A..  The Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World.  Oxford University Press.  1980.

Howard, R. & Moore, A..  The Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World.  Second Edition.  Academic Press {UK}.  1991.

Mathews, G. M.  Systema Avium Australasianarum.  Volume 1.  British Ornithologists' Union, London.  1927.

Peters, J. L.  Check-list of Birds of the World.  Volume 1.  Harvard University Press; Cambridge, Massachusetts.  1931.

Sharpe, R. B.  Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum.  Volume 1.  Trustees of the Museum, London.  1874.

Sherborn, C. D.  Index Animalium.  Section 1, Parts 1--2.  Cambridge University.  1902.

Sherborn, C. D.  Index Animalium.  Section 2, Parts 1--33.  Cambridge University.  1922.

Sibley, C. & Monroe, B.  Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World.  Yale University Press; New Haven, Connecticut.  1990.

Stresemann, E. & Amadon, D.  Falconiformes.  Mayr, E. & Cottrell, G. W.; Check-list of Birds of the World.  Second Edition, Volume 1.  Harvard University Press; Cambridge, Massachusetts.  1979.

Swann, H. K.  A synopsis of the Accipitres (diurnal birds of prey) : comprising species and subspecies described up to 1920, with their characters and distribution.  Second Edition.  London.  1922. 

Mathew Louis

Written December 7, 2024