Sibley–Monroe checklist

The Sibley–Monroe checklist is a list of bird species based on a study conducted by Charles Sibley and Burt Monroe. It drew on extensive DNA–DNA hybridization studies to reassess the relationships between modern birds. It was considered a landmark in ornithology on its release.^[1] The Sibley–Monroe assignment of individual species to families, and of families to orders remains controversial. Critics^[who?] maintain that while it marks a leap forward so far as the evidence from DNA–DNA hybridization goes, it pays insufficient attention to other forms of evidence, both molecular and on a larger scale. There is no true consensus, but the broad middle-ground position is that the Sibley–Monroe classification, overall, is "about 80% correct".^{[citation needed]} Research and debate concerning bird classification continue. There are 9994 species on the checklist.^[2]

See also

• Sibley–Ahlquist taxonomy of birds