Tracking Subspecies

Today I read an article that the Kentish Plover (Eurasia) and the Snowy Plover (America), which are currently considered to be subspecies, should be split into 2 species. I have seen both and include records of both subspecies on my Life List (FYI - I track but don't count additional subspecies on my Life List). The Plain Titmouse taught me that I should track the different subspecies I've seen. Ever hear of the Plain Titmouse? If you look at a 1990's edition of the Peterson Guide to Western Birds, you will find this bird listed. However, in the new (2008) Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of North America, you will find 2 species and a note that "Juniper and Oak titmice were once combined as a single species, Plain Titmouse." I had seen my first Plain Titmouse back in the mid-nineties while in Colorado. Later when I learned that the Plain Timouse had been split into the Oak and Juniper titmice, it was easy for me to determine that my lifer Plain Titmouse was actually a Juniper Titmouse. However, I didn't have any documentation that I may have seen the Oak Titmouse on a previous trip to the West Coast. (I officially got my lifer Oak Titmouse this past September.) The Plain into Oak & Juniper titmice split was a good was a good lesson that I needed to be aware of subspecies, especially in species like the Willet and Savannah where possible splits are being evaluated. Currently, I have 27 species on my Life List where I list 2 or more subspecies that I've seen. Subspecies in at least 3 of these species are very likely to be split and become full species. therefore , I may have already seen #1000 on my Life List. Unfortunately, I just can not count it yet.


Willet (Western)




Oak Titmouse