Bird Names

[jay1964]

Here is a list of bird names that are no longer commonly used. How many of these birds can you identify? Some are easy and they are all on the British list.

1. Wood Pie
2. Curre Pie
3. Goatsucker
4. Land Rail
5. Sea Swallow
6. Windhover
7. Stone Falcon
8. Sea Pie
9. Summer Snipe
10. Sea Snipe
11. White Nun
12. Ember Goose
13. Sea Pheasant
14. Green Plover

[Tannin]

1.

Do I win a prize?

[John N]

4=Corncrake
5== Arctic tern
6==Kestrel
14 Lapwing.
I think!!! B (: B (: Cheers John

[jay1964]

John N
Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes

[seb_seb]

goatsucker = nightjar?

[Surreybirder]

Sea pie = oystercatcher?
white nun = male smew
wood pie might be pied flycatcher?????

[jay1964]

Correct anwsers so far

3. Goatsucker = Nightjar
4. Land Rail = Corncrake
5. Sea Swallow = Arctic Tern
6. Windhover = Kestrel
8. Sea Pie = Oystercatcher
11. White Nun = Smew
14. Green Plover = Lapwing

The following still to be identified

1. Wood Pie
2. Curre Pie
7. Stone Falcon
9. Summer Snipe
10. Sea Snipe
12. Ember Goose
13. Sea Pheasant

[Michael Frankis]

1. (Eurasian) Jay
9. Common Sandpiper
12. Great Northern Diver

Some more . . .
15. Skemmie
16. Cuddy Duck
17. Cushat
18. Erne

Michael

[Surreybirder]

I believe that Erne is sea (white-tailed) eagle.
cuddy duck might be eider?

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Surreybirder,
Yes, yes.

Erne, from old Norse Ørn, an eagle (originally any species, but fixed on White-tailed in Britain)

Cuddy Duck, from the familiar name for St. Cuthbert, who gave special protection to the Eiders on the Farne Islands in 676 AD

Michael

[Surreybirder]

What a mine of information you are, Michael!

"stone falcon" and "summer snipe" are both easily found using Google... but I wouldn't want to spoil anyone's fun!!

[jay1964]

Micheal
Your right with these
9. Summer Snipe = Common Sandpiper
12. Ember Goose = Great Northern Diver

The remainder are as follows

1. Wood Pie = Greater Spotted Woodpecker
2. Curre Pie = Razorbill
7. Stone Falcon = Merlin
10. Sea Snipe = Dunlin
13. Sea Pheasant = Pintail

[Michael Frankis]

Any takers for Skemmie and Cushat?

Michael

[Sonia]

Cushat - wood-pigeon?
Sonia

[Michael Frankis]

Yep, Wood Pigeon. An old northern England & Scotland name.

There's a Cushat Law (= 'Wood Pigeon Hill') in the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland.

Michael

[Sonia]

Found it in a 1955 book "The Birds of the British Isles - Migration and Habits" by TA Coward. - Thought it might be in there, the spin-off from this is that I am going to read this book. From just glancing at it, it seems beautifully written, with hand-coloured plates and black and white photos of things like the 'eggs of flamingo, Carargue'. Shame I don't know more about the state of play re: bird habits and migration these days as I'm sure there will be lots of differences.

Thanks for the quiz.
Sonia

[Surreybirder]

Presumably 'sea pheasant' was so named because it was good to hunt (and eat)?

[Michael Frankis]

No takers for Skemmie?

Maybe should be spelled Skemmy, I've never seen it written, only heard it talked about.

Clue: it is a somewhat contemptuous term for a common bird, and is a north-east England regional term.

Michael

[Michael Frankis]

Originally posted by Surreybirder
Presumably 'sea pheasant' [Pintail] was so named because it was good to hunt (and eat)?

More likely the long tail!

Michael

[Michael Frankis]

No takers, I guess!

Skemmy, skemmie = street pigeon (feral Rock Dove)

Michael

PS away for a couple of days from now

[CJW]

It'll be peaceful on here then...... ;)