Conspectus of the ornithological fauna of the USSR
Encyclopedia
Conspectus of the ornithological fauna of the USSR (ISBN 5-02-005300-7) is a 1991 Russian language
publication by ornithologist L. S. Stepanyan
.
It contains a list of bird species recorded from the former Soviet Union
, together with details of their distribution
, taxonomic relationships
and subspecies
.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
publication by ornithologist L. S. Stepanyan
L. S. Stepanyan
Leo Surenovich Stepanyan was an Armenian ornithologist, best known as the author of the Conspectus of the ornithological fauna of the USSR, a taxonomic work in Russian on birds of the Soviet Union....
.
It contains a list of bird species recorded from the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, together with details of their distribution
Range (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
, taxonomic relationships
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
and subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
.
Taxonomic changes
The following is a list of the species splits & lumps proposed by Stepanyan:- Siberian Herring Gull (Larus heuglini), together with the race vegae to be regarded as a separate species from Herring and Lesser Black-backed GullLesser Black-backed GullThe Lesser Black-backed Gull is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa...
s. - AsianAsian Short-toed LarkThe Asian Short-toed Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family.It is found in China, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, and Turkmenistan....
and Lesser Short-toed LarkLesser Short-toed LarkThe Lesser Short-toed Lark is a small passerine bird. It breeds in Spain, north Africa, also including Turkey eastwards across the semi-deserts of central Asia to Mongolia and China....
s to be regarded as separate species - Yellow-headed (Motacilla lutea), Green-headed (M. taivana) and Black-headed (M. feldegg) Wagtails split from Yellow Wagtail (M. flava)
- Masked (Motacilla personata) and Black-backed (M. lugens) Wagtails split from White WagtailWhite Wagtail"Pied Wagtail" redirects here. For the related African bird, see African Pied Wagtail.The White Wagtail is a small passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws. This species breeds in much of Europe and Asia and parts of north Africa...
(M. alba) - Eastern Great (Parus minor), Turkestan (P. bokharensis), and GreyGrey TitThe Grey Tit is a species of bird in the Paridae family.It is found in Lesotho and South Africa.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation.-References:...
(P. cinereus) Tits split from Great TitGreat TitThe Great Tit is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa in any sort of woodland. It is generally resident, and most Great Tits do not migrate except in extremely...
(P. major) - Ussuri (Oriental, Grey-bellied) (Pyrrhula griseiventris) and Grey (P. cineracea) Bullfinches split from Common Bullfinch (P. pyrrhula)