A classification of the bird species of South America
South American Classification Committee
American Ornithologists' Union
HYBRIDS AND DUBIOUS TAXA
This list (incomplete) contains taxa that have been described as species and treated as such at least once in the Cory-Hellmayr series ("Birds of the Americas"), in the Peters Checklist series, or in more recent classifications, but are now known or suspected to be invalid as species, i.e., they are either plumages of other species, variants of some sort, or hybrids. Eventually, some of these will likely be shown to be valid species. Meyer de Schauensee's (1970) comparable list contained five taxa now known to be valid species: Ara caninde (= A. glaucogularis), Picumnus fuscus, Todirostrum senex, Idioptilon inornatum (= H. inornatus), and Nemosia rourei. Those names treated as species in Meyer de Schauensee's (1970) are also mentioned in footnotes in the main list.
SACC is grateful to Mark Brown with help with many of these accounts.
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Literature Cited (click)
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Crypturellus rubripes (Taczanowskii, 1886). "Jelski's Tinamou": described from northwestern Peru; treated as a species by Peters (1931) and Hellmayr & Conover (1942); now known to be the male plumage of C. transfasciatus (Koepcke 1962).
Crax incommoda Sclater, 1875. "Troublesome Curassow": known from a female aviary specimen; now considered to be aberrant female of C. daubentoni (REF, del Hoyo 1994).
Crax annulata Todd, 1915. "Annulated Curassow": described from northern Colombia; treated as a species by Hellmayr & Conover (1942) and Meyer de Schauensee (1966); now considered to be female plumage of barred morph of C. alberti (REF, del Hoyo 1994). Includes also Crax incommoda Sclater, 1879 (not the same as the bird of the same name described by Sclater 1875 – see previous account) and C. pinima Ogilvie-Grant, 1893; see discussion in Todd and Carriker 1922).
Crax viridirostris Sclater, 1875. "Green-billed Curassow": known from the type specimen, an aviary bird of unknown origin; now considered to be aberrant C. alberti or a hybrid (C. alberti X Crax sp.) (Hellmayr & Conover 1942, Teixeira REF, del Hoyo 1994).
Crax carunculata Temminck, 1816. "Carunculated Curassow": described from “Brazil” (uncertain locality); now considered a synonym of C. globulosa (REF, del Hoyo 1994).
Crax yarrellii Anon. {Edward Turner} Bennett, 1831. "Yarrell’s Curassow": known from a specimen described from the Río Marañón, Peru; now considered a synonym of C. globulosa (REF, del Hoyo 1994).
Crax sclateri Gray, 1867. "Sclater’s Curassow": described from specimens from Paraguay and Mato Grosso; now considered a synonym of C. fasciolata (Goeldi <Ibis REF>, del Hoyo 1994).
Crax rubrirostris Spix, 1825. "Spix’s Curassow": described from >; now known to be the male plumage of C. blumenbachii (Sclater & Salvin 1870, del Hoyo 1994).
Crax estudilloi Allen et al., 1977. "Estudillo's Curassow": known from a single aviary specimen from Bolivia; considered probably a hybrid (C. fasciolata and Crax sp.) by Vuilleumier & Mayr (1987). [Leo Joseph paper]
Chondrohierax megarhynchus >. "Large-billed Kite": Large-billed individuals were formerly (e.g., Peters 1931) treated as a separate species from C. uncinatus, but see Hellmayr & Conover (1949) and Amadon (1964).
Accipiter pectoralis (Drapiez, 1838). "Rufous-breasted Hawk": long thought to be a distinct species (e.g., Peters 1931, Pinto 1938, Hellmayr & Conover 1949, Phelps & Phelps 1958a) until Partridge (1961) showed that this is the immature plumage of A. poliogaster.
Accipiter salvini (Ridgway, 1876). "Salvin's Hawk": treated by some as a distinct species (e.g., Friedmann 1950); now considered to be a pale morph of A. striatus ventralis (REF).
Morphnus taeniatus Gurney, 1879. "Banded Crested Eagle": known from throughout much of range of M. guianensis; treated as a valid species by REFS and Friedmann (1950); now considered to be dark morph of M. guianensis with heavily banded underparts (Lehman 1943, Hellmayr & Conover 1949, Thiollay 1994).
Spizaetus devillei Dubois, 1874. "Deville's Hawk-Eagle ": described from two specimens from Ecuador; treated as a valid species by Conover (1946) and Hellmayr & Conover (1949); now considered to be an immature plumage of Oroaetus isidori (Amadon 1950).
Aramides gutturalis Sharpe, 1894. "Red-throated Wood-Rail": known from a single specimen from Peru; treated as a distinct species by Peters (1934) and Hellmayr & Conover (1942), although Peters (1934) predicted that it would prove to be a subspecies of A. wolfi; now considered to be a badly prepared specimen of A. cajaneus (Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Taylor 1996). However, Thomas Brooks has recently suggested that this taxon needs re-evaluation: http://www.redlist.org.
Geotrygon erythropareia Salvadori, 1893. "Dark Quail-Dove": known from three specimens from Ecuador and one from Bolivia; considered to be a distinct but dubious species by REFS and Meyer de Schauensee (1966). Chapman (1926) and Meyer de Schauensee (1970) considered this to be a dark color phase of G. frenata, and Hellmayr and Conover (1942) considered it a dubious taxon. Sibley & Monroe (1990), however, considered it to be a valid subspecies, from Ecuador, of G. frenata. <trace
Ciccaba minima Carriker, 1935. "> Owl": described from La Paz, Bolivia; now considered a synonym of Megascops ingens ingens (Bond 1951a, Traylor 1952>).
Chaetura nubicola Brodkorb, 1938. "Brodkorb's Swift": described >; treated as a valid species by Peters (1940); known to be a synonym of Streptoprocne rutila (REF, Meyer de Schauensee 1966).
Threnetes cristinae Ruschi, 1975. "Cristina's Barbthroat": known from Espírito Santo, Brazil ; now considered a synonym of T. leucurus loehkeni (Hinklemann 1988a, Schuchmann et al. 1999).
Threnetes grzimeki Ruschi, 1973. "Grzimek's Barbthroat": known from >; now considered an immature plumage of Glaucis hirsutus (Vuilleumier & Mayr 1987, Hinklemann 1988a, Schuchmann et al. 1999).
Threnetes longicauda Cory, 1915. "Long-tailed Barbthroat": known from type specimen from Ceará, Brazil; now considered a synonym of Anopetia gounellei (Peters 1940).
Phaethornis maranhaoensis Grantsau, 1968. "Maranhao Hermit": known from >; treated as a species by Meyer de Schauensee (1970) and Vuilleumier & Mayr (1987); now considered a synonym (adult male plumage) of P. nattereri (Hinklemann 1988a, b, Schuchmann et al. 1999).
Phaethornis nigrirostris Ruschi, 1973. "Black-billed Hermit": known from >; now considered a synonym (aberrant black-billed individuals) of P. eurynome (Hinkelmann 1988a, Schuchmann et al. 1999).
Phaethornis apheles (Heine, 1884). "Heini's Hermit": known from "northern Peru"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); considered a probable synonym of P. zonura by Peters (1945), the latter now considered a subspecies of P. griseogularis (Meyer de Schauensee 1970, Schuchmann 1999).
Phaethornis fumosus Schlüter, 1901. "Schluter's Hermit": known from "Colombia"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); treated as a synonym of P. guy apicalis by Peters (1945); now considered to be melanistic individuals of P. augusti (Schuchmann et al. 1999).
Phaethornis fuliginosus Simon, 1901. "Sooty Hermit": known from type specimen from "Bogotá"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and as a subspecies of P. anthophilus by Peters (1945); now considered to be a melanistic individual of an uncertain species of Phaethornis (Hinkelmann 1999).
Colibri buckleyi (Boucard, 1893). "Buckley’s Violet-ear": known only from type specimen from Misqui, Bolivia; treated as a synonym of Chrysuronia oenone josephinae by Peters (1945); now considered to represent an aberrant C. coruscans (Cory 1918, Schuchmann et al. 1999).
Chrysolampis chlorolaemus Elliot, 1870. "Elliot's Topaz": known from the type specimen from "New Grenada", later thought to be "Bahia"; treated as a valid species and in the monotypic genus Crinis by Cory (1918) and Pinto (1937); now considered a hybrid (Anthracothorax nigricollis X Chrysolampis mosquitus) (Peters 1945).
Heliangelus dubius Hartert, 1897. "Hartert's Sunangel": known from two "Bogotá" specimens; treated provisionally as a valid species by Cory (1918); possibly a melanistic Heliangelus amethysticollis (Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990, Schuchmann 1999).
Heliangelus claudia Hartert, 1895. "Claudia's Sunangel": known from "Bogotá" specimens; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); considered an aberrant Heliangelus amethysticollis clarisse (Peters 1945, Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990).
Heliangelus violicollis Salvin, 1891. "Sarayacu Sunangel": known from two specimens from uncertain localities in Ecuador; treated provisionally as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Chapman (1926); possibly an aberrant Heliangelus strophianus (Peters 1945, Zimmer 1951b, Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990, Schuchmann 1999), but that would suggest that its type locality is incorrect (Zimmer 1951b). Graves (2001) concluded that it was a color variant of H. strophianus.
Heliangelus squamigularis Gould, 1871. "Olive-throated Sunangel": known only from "Bogotá" and "Antioquia," Colombia; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918), but as "H. barrali" (squamigularis has priority), Hartert (1922), and Peters (1945); status considered uncertain by Meyer de Schauensee (1966) and Schuchmann (1999); Hilty & Brown (1986) considered it to represent a hybrid. Graves (1990) determined that this is a hybrid, Heliangelus amethysticollis X Eriocnemis cupreoventris.
Heliangelus speciosa (Salvin, 1891). "Green-throated Sunangel": known only from "Bogotá" specimens; treated provisionally as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Peters (1945), the latter of whom suggested that it might be conspecific with "H. squamigularis"; Meyer de Schauensee (1966) considered it a probable hybrid (Heliangelus sp. X Eriocnemis sp. or Ramphomicron microrhynchum); Graves (1990) determined that this is a hybrid, most likely Heliangelus amethysticollis X Eriocnemis cupreoventris.
Heliangelus rothschildi Boucard, 1892. "Rothschild's Sunangel": known only from "Bogotá" specimens; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Peters (1945); probably a hybrid (Heliangelus sp. X Eriocnemis sp. or Ramphomicron microrhynchum) (Meyer de Schauensee 1966).
Heliangelus luminosus (Elliot, 1878). "Glistening Sunangel": known only from "Colombia"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1919), but as Ionolaima luminosa, in same genus as Heliodoxa schreibersii, and by Peters (1945); probably a hybrid (Heliangelus sp. X Eriocnemis sp. or Ramphomicron microrhynchum) (Meyer de Schauensee 1966).
Heliangelus simoni (Boucard, 1892). "Simon’s Sunangel": known from "Colombia"; treated as a synonym of "Heliangelus speciosus" by Cory (1918); status uncertain (Schuchmann et al. 1999).
Heliangelus prosantis (Oberholser, 1905). "Oberholser’s Sunangel": known from "Bogotá"; treated as a synonym of "Heliangelus rothschildi" (Simon and Hellmayr 1908, Cory 1918; cf. Walters 1980); status uncertain (Schuchmann et al. 1999).
Lophornis insignibarbis Simon, 1890. "Bearded Coquette": known from one specimen from "Bogotá"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and as a questionable taxon by Peters (1945) and Meyer de Schauensee (1966); possibly a hybrid (L. stictolophus X L. chalybeus) (Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Schuchmann 1999).
Lophornis regulus (Gould, 1846). "Great-crested Coquette": known from Peru and Bolivia; treated as a separate species from L. delattrei by Cory (1918); now treated as a synonym of the latter (Peters 1945, Zimmer 1950c).
Lophornis melaniae Floericke, 1920. "Dusky Coquette": known from one specimen from "Colombia" (Meyer de Schauensee 1970); treated as a questionable species by Peters (1945) and Meyer de Schauensee (1966); probably an aberrant individual or faded skin of L. delattrei (Schuchmann 1999).
Lesbia ortoni Lawrence, 1870; "Orton's Comet": known from "Quito Valley," Ecuador; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Chapman (1926); treated as a synonym of Zodalia glyceria by Peters (1945). Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990) suspected that it was a hybrid (Aglaiocercus kingi X Lesbia victoriae). Graves (1997) showed that this is probably a hybrid (Lesbia victoriae X Ramphomicron microrhynchum).
Lesbia eucharis (Bourcier & Mulsant, 1848). "Bourcier's Trainbearer": known from two males from Colombia; treated as a species by Cory (1918), as a subspecies of L. victoriae by Peters (1948), and as a Peruvian subspecies of L. nuna by Zimmer (1951) and Schuchmann (1999); now considered a hybrid of Colombian origin, L. nuna X L. victoriae (Weller & Schuchmann 2004).
Zodalia glyceria (Gould, 1858). "Purple-tailed Comet": known from Popayán, Colombia; treated as a valid species (and genus) by Cory (1918) and Peters (1945); previously considered a hybrid (Lesbia victoriae X Ramphomicron microrhynchum) by Meyer de Schauensee (19660 and Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990); Graves (1999b) demonstrated that it was a hybrid, but Lesbia victoriae X Chalcostigma herrani.
Zodalia thaumasta Oberholser, 1902. "Chillo Valley Comet": known from one specimen from Illalo, Ecuador; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Chapman (1926); currently treated as a synonym of Chalcostigma purpureicauda (see below), i.e., probably a hybrid (Aglaiocercus kingi X Lesbia victoriae) (Berlioz REF, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Schuchmann 1999).
Chalcostigma purpureicauda Hartert, 1898. "Purple-tailed Thornbill": known only from the type specimen from "Bogotá"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); treated as a valid species in the genus Metallura by Peters (1945); probably a hybrid (Aglaiocercus kingi X Lesbia victoriae) (Berlioz REF, Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Fjeldså & Krabbe 1990, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Schuchmann 1999).
Neolesbia nehrkorni (Berlepsch, 1887). "Nehrkorn's Sylph": known from two "Bogotá" specimens; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918) and Peters (1945); probably a hybrid (Aglaiocercus kingi X Ramphomicron microrhynchum, or A. kingi X Thalurania sp.) (Meyer de Schauensee 1966, Sibley & Monroe 1990, > Hinkelmann et al. 1991, Schuchmann 1999).
Metallura rubriginosa (Cory, 1913). "Balsas Metaltail": known only from the type specimen from northern Peru; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); treated without comment as a synonym of Metallura theresiae by Peters (1945).
Eriocnemis ventralis Salvin, 1891. "Amethyst-vented Puffleg": known from the type specimen from "Bogotá"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); Peters (1945) considered it an aberrant specimen of Eriocnemis vestita vestita, and Schuchmann et al. (2000) considered a probably hybrid between E. vestita and E. cupreoventris.
Eriocnemis berlepschi Hartert, 1897. "Berlepsch's Puffleg": known from the type specimen from "Bogotá"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); Peters (1945) considered it a synonym of E. v. vestita.
Eriocnemis soederstroemi <soderstromi?> Butler, 1926. "Soderstrom's Puffleg": known from one specimen from western Ecuador; Meyer de Schauensee (1966) treated it as a species but suspected that it was possibly an aberrant E. godini, but the validity of that species has also been questioned. Fjeldså & Krabbe (1990) suggested that it might be a hybrid. Graves (1996) showed that it was a hybrid (E. nigrivestis X E. luciani).
Eriocnemis chrysorama Elliot, 1874. "Blue-vented Puffleg": known from the type specimen from "Colombia"; treated as a valid species by Cory (1918); Peters (1945) considered it a melanistic specimen of Eriocnemis cupreoventris.