The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of The World: vol.2: passerines

This volume completes the latest completely revised edition of the widely used Howard & Moore checklist, covering the passerines.  (Volume 1 of non-passerines was published in 2013.)  So three of the four major world checklists are now complete and as up to date as they can be.  The passerines are split into 134 families, 1357 genera and 6063 species.  From the preview seen all the details of what is considered a species and what is not cannot be determined, but it appears that it is certainly rather more conservative than at least the IOC list – IOC v.4.4 has around 300 more ‘species’.  Whether this is a good or bad thing will depend on one’s viewpoint.

As in volume 1 the big advantage of this list compared to others is that it is very much more fully referenced (full bibliography is on the accompanying CD).  Hence one can always follow up the taxonomic decisions made.  In addition useful new features for this volume include information on type species of each genus and notes where gender changes may be necessary if a species changes genus.
In addition to the list itself there is a chapter by Joel Cracraft on higher level relationships, various appendices including a gazetteer, and the accompanying CD has a full treatment of extinct birds along with some Errata and Corrigenda.

Although this has been published in print form and there will continue to be periodic versions in print, readers are assured there will be approximately annual updates published as an online journal to keep the overall up to date with current thinking.

Book reviewed by Peter Lack

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