BirdLife Suomi updates Finnish bird nomenclature

BirdLife Suomi has updated the Finnish nomenclature for global bird species to align with the new international AviList registry. This update introduces over 1,400 new Finnish names, including 1,231 species names, as well as new names for genera, families, and orders.

The revision was driven by advancements in DNA research, which have reshaped the understanding of avian evolutionary relationships and species classifications. Some previous names were found to be inaccurate; for example, a species formerly named after Bolivia was renamed the Rusty Finch to better reflect its appearance, as it does not inhabit Bolivia.

A six-member committee, largely composed of volunteers, spent over a year selecting names based on physical appearance, sound, behavior, habitat, and scientific nomenclature. While names for birds commonly observed in Finland remain unchanged, the new list now covers 11,131 species, 1,486 genera, 252 families, and 46 orders.