The ABA /Checklist/ has also been updated according to taxonomic, naming, and linear sequence changes by the American Ornithological Society as reported in their 66th Supplement, published earlier this summer. Details here <https://www.aba.org/check-list-redux-2025/> >>
*Note that where discrepancies in names occur between Clements/eBird and the AOS, both are listed, that of AOS in parentheses. Note four-letter Alpha codes follow the English Names of the AOS. (December 2022)
Kent Fiala
On 10/13/2026 3:32 PM, Harry LeGrand wrote: > FYI -- I just double-checked the 2026 ABA Checklist, and here it is: > > https://www.aba.org/pdfviewer/aba-checklist/ > > On Page 5, it has this line: > > Gray-headed (Purple) Swamphen/Porphyriopoliocephalus(porphyrio)/ > / > / > So, that is why I used the name of Gray-headed Swamphen in my message > to carolinabirds earlier today. > > However, Kent is correct if we go by the *AOS Checklist* -- which IS > the Checklist that ABA follows. I queried "swamphen" on that website: > > https://checklist.americanornithology.org/ > > and it lists THIS: species: /Porphyrio porphyrio > <https://checklist.americanornithology.org/taxa/12021>/ (Purple > Swamphen, Talève sultane) > > So, to be exact, then,_if CBC uses Purple Swamphen, then it is > following the AOS Checklist,_ as opposed to the ABA Checklist, which > lists it as Gray-headed (Purple) Swamphen. > > Again, as the ABA Checklist revises its checklist annually right AFTER > the AOS published theirs for the year, we should really abide by the > names in the AOS Checklist. The ABA Checklist is best used for "rules > for counting" etc, as it is the AOS committee members who are the > taxonomists (mostly professionals), whereas the ABA committee is > mainly expert/experienced birders. > > The real deal now is to determine, if possible at all, its provenance. > _Is there evidence that it escaped a local waterfowl or bird dealer or > other captive situation here in NC, for example?_. We did have very > strong storms on Sunday, with scattered tornadoes, which could have > caused bird facilities to fail and allow birds to escape. Of course, > strong winds on Saturday and Sunday -- from the remnants of Hurricane > Isaias -- could have brought the bird from Florida to NC. We might > never know, but keep this on the table in upcoming discussions. > > Harry LeGrand > > On Tue, Oct 13, 2026 at 1:56 PM Kent Fiala <carolinabirds...> wrote: > > If you upload photos of the Gray-headed Swamphen to the Carolina Bird > Club photo gallery, please identify it as Purple Swamphen, not > Gray-headed. > > Since the 1880s the American Ornithologists' Union (now > reconstituted as > American Ornithological Society) has been the authority for > taxonomy of > North American birds. From the early days of Carolina Bird Club up > into > the early years of this century, everyone in North America accepted > their taxonomy. In this century, eBird has emerged using the Clements > taxonomy, which is worldwide rather than just for North America. Many > people use eBird so they are more familiar with Clements/eBird > taxonomy > than with AOS. This is one of a few unfortunate cases where > Clements/eBird uses a different name than AOS uses. > > I have asked the chairs of both the NC and SC Bird Records > Committees to > make a formal decision on whether we continue the long tradition of > using the AOS taxonomy, or to switch to Clements. Neither > committee has > responded to me, so on the CBC website I continued using AOS as > always > rather than make a big change on my own, and I've suggested to > Jeff that > he do so as well. Thus, on the CBC website this species is known > by its > AOS name, Purple Swamphen, and not the Clements name Gray-headed > Swamphen. By the way, the reason for the difference is that > worldwide, > Clements splits the former Purple Swamphen into multiple species, > while > AOS retains them all as one species. > > I believe that the annual taxonomic update from AOS is expected this > month, so it will be interesting to see if they make any further move > toward unification. > > -- > Kent Fiala >
