Changes

==Taxonomy controversy==

==Taxonomy controversy==

The New World Vultures were initially assigned to the birds of prey (Falconiformes) in the traditional sense, even though Thomas Huxley remarked in 1876 that they were different from all other birds of prey. For more than a hundred years it was known that they share some characteristics with the storks (Ciconiidae); these include in particular the bone structure, the skull anatomy and the arrangement of some muscles.  Like storks, they provide cooling by moistening the legs with excretions. In the late twentieth century, molecular biology methods finally opened new possibilities for investigating relationships. Following their new bird system based on DNA hybridization, Charles Gald Sibley and Jon Edward Ahlquist arranged the New World vultures to a subfamily within Ciconiiformes, the family containing storks<ref>Charles Sibley, Jon Ahlquist (1990): Phylogeny and classification of birds. Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut</ref>. However, the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy did not find any general recognition, and the New World vultures were left as an independent family within the Ciconiiformes.

The New World Vultures were initially assigned to the birds of prey (Falconiformes) in the traditional sense, even though Thomas Huxley remarked in 1876 that they were different from all other birds of prey. For more than a hundred years it was known that they share some characteristics with the storks (Ciconiidae); these include in particular the bone structure, the skull anatomy and the arrangement of some muscles.  Like storks, they provide cooling by moistening the legs with excretions. In the late twentieth century, molecular biology methods finally opened new possibilities for investigating relationships. Following their new bird system based on DNA hybridization, Charles Gald Sibley and Jon Edward Ahlquist arranged the New World vultures to a subfamily within Ciconiiformes, the family containing storks.<ref>Charles Sibley, Jon Ahlquist (1990): Phylogeny and classification of birds. Yale University Press, New Haven, Connecticut</ref> However, the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy did not find any general recognition, and the New World vultures were left as an independent family within the Ciconiiformes.

In the 1990s, DNA hybridization was replaced by DNA sequencing, which allows the direct comparison of DNA from the nucleus (ncDNA) or the mitochondria (mtDNA).  Corresponding investigations first showed that the New World vultures were not related to the storks<ref>G. P. Ericson, Cajsa L. Anderson, Tom Britton, Andrzej Elzanowski, Ulf S. Johansson, Mari Källersjö, Jan I. Ohlson, Thomas J. Parsons, Dario Zuccon, Gerald Mayr: Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils. Biology Letters, Bd. 2, Nr. 4, 2006, S. 543–547</ref>. The South American Classification Committee (SACC) of the American Ornithologists' Union divided the New World Vultures from the storks<ref>Proposal (#241) to South American Classification Committee Remove Cathartidae from the Ciconiiformes, August 2006</ref>. A subsequent analysis revealed a position of the New World Vulture as the base taxon of a clade that contains all groups traditionally considered as birds of prey, with the exception of falcons<ref>S.J. Hackett, R.T. Kimball, S. Reddy, R.C.K. Bowie, E.L. Braun, M.J. Braun, J.L. Chojnowski, W.A. Cox, K.-L. Han, J. Harshman, C. Huddleston, B.D. Marks, K.J. Miglia, W.S. Moore, F.H. Sheldon, D.W. Steadman, C.C. Witt and T. Yuri: A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History. Science. Bd. 320 (Nr. 5884), 2008, S. 1763–1768</ref>. The SACC then introduced the New World vultures into their own monotypical order - Cathartiformes - due to its relatively uncertain sister-group relationship with the other predatory birds<ref>Proposal (#361) to South American Classification Committee Place Cathartidae in their own order, Juni 2008</ref>.

In the 1990s, DNA hybridization was replaced by DNA sequencing, which allows the direct comparison of DNA from the nucleus (ncDNA) or the mitochondria (mtDNA).  Corresponding investigations first showed that the New World vultures were not related to the storks.<ref>G. P. Ericson, Cajsa L. Anderson, Tom Britton, Andrzej Elzanowski, Ulf S. Johansson, Mari Källersjö, Jan I. Ohlson, Thomas J. Parsons, Dario Zuccon, Gerald Mayr: Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils. Biology Letters, Bd. 2, Nr. 4, 2006, S. 543–547</ref>  The South American Classification Committee (SACC) of the American Ornithologists' Union divided the New World Vultures from the storks.<ref>Proposal (#241) to South American Classification Committee Remove Cathartidae from the Ciconiiformes, August 2006</ref> A subsequent analysis revealed a position of the New World Vulture as the base taxon of a clade that contains all groups traditionally considered as birds of prey, with the exception of falcons.<ref>S.J. Hackett, R.T. Kimball, S. Reddy, R.C.K. Bowie, E.L. Braun, M.J. Braun, J.L. Chojnowski, W.A. Cox, K.-L. Han, J. Harshman, C. Huddleston, B.D. Marks, K.J. Miglia, W.S. Moore, F.H. Sheldon, D.W. Steadman, C.C. Witt and T. Yuri: A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History. Science. Bd. 320 (Nr. 5884), 2008, S. 1763–1768</ref> The SACC then introduced the New World vultures into their own monotypical order - Cathartiformes - due to its relatively uncertain sister-group relationship with the other predatory birds.<ref>Proposal (#361) to South American Classification Committee Place Cathartidae in their own order, Juni 2008</ref>

According to the latest results, the International Ornithological Congress (IOC), however, once again grouped the new-world vultures with most groups traditionally classified as birds of prey; Falconidae are no longer included.  Since the taxon, which has the scientific name "Falconiformes", has to include its type Falco (falcons), this newly defined group of carnivorous birds has received the name Accipitriformes<ref>Frank Gill and Minturn Wright: BIRDS OF THE WORLD Recommended English Names. Princeton University Press, 2006</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20131205171210/http://www.worldbirdnames.org/n-raptors.html</ref>.

According to the latest results, the International Ornithological Congress (IOC), however, once again grouped the new-world vultures with most groups traditionally classified as birds of prey; Falconidae are no longer included.  Since the taxon, which has the scientific name "Falconiformes", has to include its type Falco (falcons), this newly defined group of carnivorous birds has received the name Accipitriformes.<ref>Frank Gill and Minturn Wright: BIRDS OF THE WORLD Recommended English Names. Princeton University Press, 2006</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20131205171210/http://www.worldbirdnames.org/n-raptors.html</ref>  

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Birds of Prey]][[Category:Vultures]]

[[Category:Birds of Prey]][[Category:Vultures]]