New results with regard to the Neogene and Quaternary Avifauna of the Carpathian Basin, Part III

Abstract

In recent years the author has studied a number of fossils of the remains of bird bones from palaeontological sites of the
Carpathian Basin. Publication of the results of these studies was planned to be presented in three subsequent papers based
on the taxonomic order. This third part includes details about the remains from Columbiformes through to Passeriformes. In
addition to the detailed description of new taxa, special attention was directed to species that are already extinct.
The following new species are described in this paper: Cuculus pannonicus sp. n.; Glaucidium baranensis sp. n.;
Eurystomus beremendensis sp. n; and Corvus harkanyiensis sp. n.
As a result of work on recently excavated materials, the author was able to revise the details on species that are already
extinct but which earlier had been described in terms of taxonomic positions of a controversial nature. Consequently, the
respective species levels of Tyto campiterrae JÁNOSSY, 1991; Surnia robusta JÁNOSSY, 1977; Strix intermedia JÁNOSSY,
1972; Athene noctua veta JÁNOSSY, 1992; Apus baranensis JÁNOSSY, 1977; Chaetura baconica JÁNOSSY, 1977; Upupa
phoeniculidesJÁNOSSY, 1974; andCorvus hungaricus LAMBRECHT, 1916 have been confirmed. Pica majorJÁNOSSY, 1979
— which had been ranked among the fossil species — is now considered to be a subspecies. Corvus betfianus KRETZOI,
1962 has still not been confirmed. [Earlier it Corvus betfianus KRETZOI, 1962 had been synonymised with Corvus
pliocaenus (PORTIS), 1889].
The published fauna list in this paper includes the following recent taxa: Columba palumbus, Columba livia,
Columba sp., Pteroclidae sp. indet., Cuculidae gen. et sp. indet., Bubo bubo, Strix aluco, Asio otus, Upupa epops, Picus
sp., Dendrocopos sp. 1, 2 and 3 (D. minor-, D. medius- and D. major size), Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, Corvus sp. indet.,
Parussp. 1 and 2, Sitta sp., Sittidae sp. indet., Certhia sp., Turdus iliacus, Turdus merula, Turdus sp., Turdussp. (T. pilaris
size), Luscinia sp., Muscicapidae sp. indet., Sylvia sp., Acrocephalussp., Anthus sp., Motacilla sp., Bombycilla sp. 1 and
2, Troglodytes sp., Cinclus sp., Prunella sp., Lanius excubitor, Lanius sp. 1 and 2, Sturnus sp., Coccothraustes
coccothraustes, Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Pinicola sp., Fringillidae sp. indet., Emberiza calandra, Emberiza sp., Emberizidae
sp. indet., Passeriformes indet., and Aves indet.
The aforementioned, recently identified new fossil species have been described according to the following
characteristics (for the abrevations see the chapter entitled “Rövidítések”):