Galliformes Taxonomy

The World Group of Avian Checklist Researchers (WGAC), now formally known as the AviList Committee of the International Ornithologists' Union, is advancing a comprehensive strategy to develop and maintain a unified global list of bird species. Scheduled for initial release in early 2025, this authoritative list will serve as a critical taxonomic reference for downstream users, including the Species Survival Commission (SSC) Red List Authority.

The AviList Committee recognizes the dynamic nature of avian taxonomy and maintains a flexible approach to taxonomic modifications, regularly entertaining and implementing changes based on emerging scientific evidence. Recent and forthcoming taxonomic developments illustrate this adaptive approach, with notable examples including the splitting of the crested bobwhite into two distinct species, the imminent separation of the red grouse from the willow ptarmigan, potential complex taxonomic revisions in African francolins and spurfowl, and an ambitious proposal to divide the helmeted guineafowl into four separate species.

These taxonomic splits are particularly significant because conservation assessment and Red List status are determined at the species level, meaning that newly recognized species may require individual evaluation for their conservation needs and potential threatened status.