SECTION 1
general information

intermezzo

SECTION 2
references

SECTION 3
the S/M world list

SECTION 4
file distribution

The S/M World List

I have tried to come up with a relatively easy and exchangeable list, but the sheer volume of it has imposed some limits.  There is a ASCII standard file thats is huge, and which should only be downloaded if download attempts of the file in compressed format fail. The list comes in a single file in gzipped format (for UNIX) that one should gunzip, and in pkzipped format (for DOS) that one should pkunzip.  The distribution also contains a list of so-called incipient species.   This list of incipient species is provided in ASCII format only.  Further, there is a list of 78 species considered to be extinct.

When unpacked, the list is just an ASCII file containing as many lines as it includes species.  The format for each line is the same: three positions for the family number, four positions for the species number, max 36 positions for the species' scientific name and max 35 positions for the species' English name.   Together with spaces in between this makes lines of max 81 characters.  The overall length of the ASCII list is roughly 640 Kbytes, depending on operating system.

For those interested in further trivia: The list contains 9702 species in 146 families.  There are three species with incredibly long English names: Southern Blue-eared Glossy-Starling, Prigogine's Double-collared Sunbird and Stuhlmann's Double-collared Sunbird.  There is one species with an incredibly long Latin name: Crowned Slaty Flycatcher aka Griseotyrannus aurantioatrocristatus.   These explain the field widths in the list.  Whereas all effort has been made to ensure correct scientific naming, no effort has been put into obtaining `correct' English names.  Burt Monroe covered this area in a meticulously consistent way and his choices are as good anyone else's.  In only one or two rare cases did I change spelling to improve consistency.

The format of the list of incipient species is different: each line contains a scientific name that includes the subspecies level plus the English name of this incipient species.  Nominate subspecies are included.

IMPORTANT NOTICE.   I DO NOT HOLD THE COPYRIGHT OF THESE LISTS, AND BELIEVE THERE ARE NO COPYRIGHTS INVOLVED, AS THE NAMES OF BIRD SPECIES ARE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.  THIS IS MY JUDGEMENT AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE AUTHORS OR PEOPLE CLOSE TO THEM OF THE BOOKS MENTIONED ABOVE.  HOWEVER, I URGE EVERYONE TO LIVE BY THE FOLLOWING RULES:

1. You may distribute UNCHANGED copies of the file(s).  In all cases of distribution, you should include this notice together with an explicit note that this is the Sibley/Monroe list as of 1990, published by Yale University Press, and including changes from the 1993 Supplement.
2. You may modify a renamed copy of the files for PERSONAL use only.  Refrain from redistributing such files.
3. You are NOT ALLOWED to take money for the distribution or use of the file(s) in changed or unchanged form, except for nominal costs for copying et cetera.
4. You are NOT ALLOWED to distribute printed versions, changed or unchanged, of the file(s).

THIS IS TO PROTECT YOU FROM ILLEGAL ACTION.

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