Sangster et al. (2023) erected a new genus (Dicranurania) for the Mexican Woodnymph [Thalurania] ridgwayi (Nelson, 1900), which phylogenetic evidence suggests is the most likely sister group of the genus Eupherusa Gould, 1857, and distantly related to (and polyphyletic with) the other species of Thalurania Gould, 1848. Here, with a representative sample of study skins, I demonstrate that their morphological diagnosis of Dicranurania was based on a broad mischaracterisation of Eupherusa phenotypes, which improperly exaggerated the distinctiveness of [T.] ridgwayi. Therefore, I encourage systematists to classify [T.] ridgwayi as a fifth species of Eupherusa, and relegate Dicranurania to its synonymy.

The Canary Islands endemic Bolle's Laurel Pigeon Columba bollii was described as a species in 1872 by Godman. A specimen of the same species collected more than 75 years earlier, during the 1796–98 expedition commanded by Baudin, was instead believed to be an example of the Jamaican endemic, Ring-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas caribaea (Jacquin, 1784). However, in 1827 its identity had been questioned by Wagler, who believed the specimen represented a separate Caribbean species that he named Columba Lamprauchen. Although Wagler's name is senior to Godman's, we demonstrate that, following the International code of zoological nomenclature, Columba bollii should be used as the correct name for this Canarian species.

A unique reprint of M. A. Carriker's classic article, ‘An annotated list of the birds of Costa Rica including Cocos Island’ (1910), contains handwritten annotations by Robert Ridgway (1850–1929) that pertain to three type localities from his 1905 and 1908 expeditions with José Castulo Zeledón (1846–1923): Bonilla, Coliblanco and Guayábo. Hundreds of specimens in modern collections were taken at these localities, including the types of Zeledón’s Antbird Hafferia zeledoni (Ridgway, 1909) and eight other taxa currently treated as subspecies. The annotations also reveal discrepancies between primary and secondary sources, which cast doubt on Francisco Basulto’s role as collector of the holotypes of the northern subspecies of White-ringed Flycatcher Conopias albovittatus distinctus (Ridgway, 1908) and the south-eastern subspecies of Fawn-throated Foliage-gleaner Automolus cervinigularis hypophaeus Ridgway, 1909.

We document the first records in French Guiana of eight Old World taxa during the period 2018–24: Common Swift Apus apus, Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola, Eurasian Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus phaeopus, Audouin's Gull Ichthyaetus audouinii, Purple Heron Ardea purpurea, Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides, Black Kite Milvus migrans and Yellow-billed Kite M. aegyptius. Most of these occur very rarely in South America and sometimes anywhere in the New World. Indeed, the record of Yellow-billed Kite is the first in the Americas. With these discoveries, French Guiana confirms its high potential for Eurasian vagrants and is now the South American country with the second-largest number of records of Old World species. Factors and meteorological events that might have led to these remarkable observations are discussed.

Two competing names exist at species level for the Barbary Dove, Ringed Turtle-Dove or African Collared Dove: Streptopelia risoria Linnaeus, 1758, based on a domestic neotype, and S. roseogrisea Sundevall, 1857, on an ancestral wild African Collared Dove neotype. Van Grouw et al. (2023) confirmed that Barbary Dove is descended from African Collared Dove and that they are conspecifics, albeit rather different genetically; they proposed recognising a monotypic S. risoria for all populations. However, their taxonomy was rooted in the assumption that S. risoria pertains to wild African Collared Doves, domestics being referred to as ‘S. risoria domestica’, a nomen nudum. I argue here that the outcome of ICZN (2008) and van Grouw et al. is instead that the senior name risoria applies at species rank for wild and domestic birds, but as a subspecies name solely to domesticates and introduced populations. It must be considered whether ancestral populations in Africa and the Middle East are sufficiently different from domesticates for subspecies roseogrisea and arabica to be recognised, which is the status quo and has some support in morphological and molecular data. This situation, where a domestic name is senior to one for phenotypically different wild populations is apparently unique in the animal kingdom. In a close vote, ICZN (2008) declined to give priority to the wild name S. roseogrisea, but some Commissioners were open to review the situation. The inconsistency between ICZN (2008) and ICZN (2003) and the disruption that the former implies to the previously uncontested name for wild populations, S. roseogrisea, appears to have led to widespread continuing recognition of S. roseogrisea at species rank and van Grouw et al.’s ‘S. risoria domestica’, neither of which is Code compliant. A new ICZN proposal should therefore be considered.

Noronha Elaenia Elaenia ridleyana is a passerine endemic to Fernando de Noronha, more than 350 km off north-east Brazil. It occurs on only three of the 26 islands in the archipelago. However, a single individual was photographed on 16 June 2021 on Atol das Rocas, 145 km west of Fernando de Noronha. Long-distance movement of Noronha Elaenia raises questions on whether this species could reach the mainland and if it is a valid species.

Xiphorhynchus striatigularis (Richmond, 1900), described based on a single specimen from north-east Mexico, is now universally regarded as a synonym of the Ivory-billed Woodcreeper subspecies X. flavigaster saltuarius Wetmore, 1942. Clearly, the name striatigularis is senior to saltuarius, but its holotype is a highly aberrant individual and would be morphologically far from ideal to serve as the ‘type’ for the taxon currently listed as saltuarius. Also, the hypothesis that striatigularis might be the product of a hybrid pairing cannot yet be rejected, and would, if eventually proven true, render the name unavailable under the ICZN Code (Art. 23.8). Therefore, we believe that the currently favoured reversal of precedence should be conserved. As the conditions of Art. 23.9.1 are clearly not met, we are preparing an application to the ICZN, under Art. 23.9.3, requesting that reversal of precedence be imposed; in the meantime, current usage should be maintained.

White-eyed River Martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae was described in 1968 and there have been no confirmed sightings since the 1970s. It is known only from Bueng Boraphet in central Thailand. Here, we compile the most comprehensive summary of museum specimens, photographic records (including two previously unpublished images) and sightings for this poorly known species. Specimens are held mainly in the Thailand Natural History Museum near Bangkok, with others at the Natural History Museum (Tring), American Museum of Natural History (New York) and National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC). At least three other mounts exist, all in Thailand, some of which may be composites from captive birds collected in the early 1970s. Photographs unearthed at Tring, and in unpublished reports, show birds that differ from the four previously known images and may represent individuals that are now museum specimens. With no confirmed sightings for more than 40 years, despite reasonable search effort (especially increasing citizen science data), it is very likely that White-eyed River Martin is now extinct.

The family-group name based on the genus Leiothrix has been the object of a certain amount of doubt and confusion in recent years, centred around the spelling of the stem of the name. When the name was coined in 1832, it was with the correct stem, ‘Leiotrich-’, and this spelling was almost invariably used over the following c.180 years. An erroneous subsequent spelling of the stem ‘Leiothrich-’ first appeared in 1869 but was largely ignored until the 21st century, when several recent authors have mistakenly adopted it, although the original and correct spelling is also still commonly used. The original spelling of the stem is the only correct form, so a family based on this name must be known as Leiotrichidae.