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Richard C. Banks

Publications and source records attributed to Richard C. Banks.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The identity of Pennant's 'Wapacuthu owl' and the subspecific name for the population of Bubo virginianus from the western Hudson Bay

The name Strix wapacuthu Gmelin, often used for the subspecies of Bubo virginianus west of Hudson Bay, cannot be associated with certainty with either B. virginianus or Nyctea scandiaca. The subspecific name of the population of B. virginianus from Mackenzie to central-eastern British Columbia and northern Ontario should be B. v. subarcticus Hoy.

Journal of Raptor Research

On forming an Ornithological Council

It has begun to bother me that the ornithological societies seem to be playing an extremely minor role in anything to do with conserving, preserving, or salvaging the environment. We realize-or we tell each other that we do-that birds are an important part of the world's ecosystems, that they can often serve as indicator species of environmental problems, that what affects bird populations can and will eventually affect the human population. But as organizations, we lack a mechanism to tell anyone other than ourselves about our concerns or how the knowledge our study produces can be used to help efforts to protect either the birds themselves or the environment of which they and we are parts. We can, and some do, share our concerns and knowledge individually, but we have no effective way to say that 5,000 ornithologists think that "Plan A is a good idea" or "Plan B could lead to declines in bird populations" or even that "Plan C would have a very bad (or good) effect on the scientific study of birds that is needed to know whether Plans A and B are good." Our current mechanism for action is pretty much restricted to adopting resolutions saying, in effect, "We think you shouldn't have done that" or "We wish you would do something." Even the timing of this mechanism leaves much to be desired if we really intend to have any effect.

The Auk

[Book review] The known birds of North and Middle America: Distribution and variation, migrations, changes, hybrids, etc, Part I, Hirundinidae to Mimidae, Certhiidae

"Known Birds" is the culmination of Allan Phillips' long and productive career in elucidating the taxonomy and relationships of North American, particularly Mexican, birds. It reflects many years of largely independent work in the field, museum, and library. Although Part I includes contributions by Robert W. Dickerman, Amadeo M. Rea, and J. Dan Webster, the series (Part II will be available by the time this long-overdue review of Part I appears) reflects Phillips' views of avian systematics and his idiosyncratic scientific philosophy.

The Auk

Taxonomic status of the rufous-bellied chachalaca (Ortalis wagleri)

The Rufous-bellied Chachalaca, Ortalis wagleri, of northwestern Mexico was merged with the morphologically different West Mexican Chachalaca, Ortalis poliocephala, on the basis of hybrids taken in the vicinity of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco (Moore and Medina 1957). Eight specimens from that vicinity vary in appearance chronologically, from an individual similar to wagleri in 1892 through skins appearing to be F1 hybrids in 1955 to birds nearly indistinguishable from poliocephala in 1961. There is no other evidence of contact between the two forms. This is deemed insufficient evidence for considering the forms conspecific, and I recommend that Ortalis wagleri be restored to the status of species.

Condor

Taxonomic status of the coquette hummingbird of Guerrero, Mexico

An isolated population of small hummingbirds in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, was originally named as a subspecies ( brachylopha ) of the much more southerly Lophornis delattrei , the Rufous-crested Coquette (Moore 1949). The form was not reported again until rediscovered by Ornelas (1987) and remains known by only three male and two female specimens. Examination of two of the males indicates that the population deserves specific status as Lophornis brachylopha Moore, for which I propose the English name Shortcrested Coquette.

The Auk

Thirty-seventh supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American birds

This third supplement subsequent to the 6th edition (1983) of the A.O.U. "Check-list of North American Birds" consists of changes adopted by the Committee on Classification and Nomenclature as of 1 March 1989. The changes fall into nine categories: (1) six species are added to the main list ( Pterodroma longirostris, Larus crassirostris, Streptopelia decaocto, Cocccyzus julieni, Chrysolampis mosquitus, Emberiza aureola ) because of new distributional information; (2) five species ( Ara cubensis, Chlorostilbon bracei, Empidonax occidentalis, Polioptila californica, Pipilo crissalis ) are added to the main list because of the splitting of species already on the list; (3) one name ( Anthus rubescens ) is changed because of the splitting of a species from outside the Checklist area; (4) two names ( Morus bassanus, Nyctanassa violacea ) is removed from the main list to Appendix B because of re-evaluation of Northern Hemisphere records; (6) three species ( Pterodrama rostrata, P. alba, P. solandri ) are moved from Appendix A to Appendix B, and one ( P. defilippiana ) is added to Appendix B because of questionable sight records; (7)A.O.U. numbers are added to three species ( Ciccaba virgata, Myiopagis viridicata, Molothrus bonariensis ) on the basis on new distributional records or supporting data; (8) several corrections in spelling or citations are made; and (9) English names are changed for twelve species to accommodate worldwide usage of these names. No new distributional information is included except as indicated above (i.e. minor changes of distribution are not noted). These actions bring the number of species recognized as occurring in North America (main list) to 1,945.

The Auk

Geographic variation in the yellow-billed cuckoo

Populations of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Coocyzus americanus, west of the Rocky Mountains have average wing lengths slightly greater than those of eastern North America, but the difference is not sufficient for taxonomic recognition. There is no geographically oriented variation in bill size or color, and the species is best considered monotypic.

Condor

Checklist of vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. territories, and Canada

On 30 January 1980 the Policy Group of the 1978 Interagency Agreement on Classifications and Inventory established a work group on fish and wildlife species names. The participating agencies were the Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Geological Survey, and Soil Conservation Service. The Fish and Wildlife Service was assigned the role of establishing and leading this work group in developing a national list of standard vertebrate species names that is up-to-date and accurate. The Association of Systematic Collections was contracted to develop the reference list. This publication is a revision of portions of the list (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals), including updating to the end of 1985. The geographic areas encompassed by this list are: the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Navassa Island; the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (the Caroline Islands, Palau Islands, Marshall Islands, and northern Mariana Islands); and the U.S. Territories of American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, the Johnston Islands, Kingman Reef, the Midway Islands, and Wake Islands. Canadian species that do not also occur in the United States have been included. This list includes the names of all Recent species known to occur, or to have occurred, in the geographic areas indicated above. No distinction is made between resident and migratory species or between those that occur regularly and those of casual or accidentally occurrence. The occurrence of all species listed is documented by specimen or photographic evidence. Zoo, aquarium, game park, and hunting preserve populations are not listed, nor are unestablished escapes from such populations. Species that are extinct are marked with a 1 . Species whose only occurrence in an area is the result of introduction by man are marked with a 2 . Species introduced into one area but native to another covered by this checklist do not have a superscript, nor do species for which the documentation of introduction is equivocal. Species listed as Endangered or Threatened (as of January 1987) throughout their ranges are marked with a 3 , whereas species with only selected subspecies or populations so listed are marked with a 4 . Refer to the Code of Federal Regulations (50 CFR) for further details on the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and its requirements. The list includes the scientific names and English names of taxa from order to species. At the level of genus and above, more than one English name may be given; this is to indicate content, not alternative names. English (common or vernacular) names for species vary from region to region and from author to author. The name "gopher", for example, has been applied to kinds of animals as diverse as pocket gophers, ground squirrels, and turtles. Most species have names in other languages as well as English names, and some species lack generally accepted English names. A single English name is given for each species in this list to promote uniformity and to permit more precise communication among users. Accurate communication about species can be assured only by using the scientific names, including their authors and date. We provide an "exploded" illustration (Fig. 1) of a typical portion of the list and identify the elements of each citation.

Resource Publication

A taxonomic reevaluation of the plain pigeon ( Columba inornata )

Three subspecies of the Plain Pigeon ( Columba inornata ) were described in 1915 from very small samples, and the diagnostic color differences among them were rather minor. Examination of the small series (including two types) of the subspecies in the National Museum of Natural History (USNM) revealed that the quality of most of the material available in 1915 was poor and suggested that the supposedly distinctive characters were not consistent.

The Auk