-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Took from Los Angeles Botanical Garden (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Cassy
- Start date
DarkFireFalcon
Well-known member
In the US, they are now officially known as Scaly-breasted Munia. Just to make things more confusing.
Microtus
Maryland USA (he/him)
The name change is not a matter of selling more field guides.
From the ABA blog--
"Nutmeg Mannikin was added to the ABA Checklist in 2013 on the basis of established populations in southern California. The species has had many names in the ornithological literature and the pet trade, including Spice Finch, Spotted Munia, and Scaly-breasted Munia. The proposal to change the name is based on the fact that most Lonchura species are referred to as Munia in their native ranges, and it also saves the North American birding community from the embarrassment of regular misspelling when thinking of the unrelated neotropical family Pipridae, known as manakins.".
Sigh. . ..
Personally, I'm sticking to Nutmeg Mannikin.
"Nutmeg Mannikin was added to the ABA Checklist in 2013 on the basis of established populations in southern California. The species has had many names in the ornithological literature and the pet trade, including Spice Finch, Spotted Munia, and Scaly-breasted Munia. The proposal to change the name is based on the fact that most Lonchura species are referred to as Munia in their native ranges, and it also saves the North American birding community from the embarrassment of regular misspelling when thinking of the unrelated neotropical family Pipridae, known as manakins.".
Sigh. . ..
Personally, I'm sticking to Nutmeg Mannikin.
DarkFireFalcon
Well-known member
If Bronze Manniken is added to the ABA list, they'll probably adpot the name Bronze Munia too, to be consistent. Right now it's not considered established, so the ABA doesn't have an official name for it.
I must say I find the notion of "Big Field Guide" with that kind of lobbying muscle hard to take seriously.
. With respect to the Mannikin name change, the AOU has a long history of tomfoolery regarding common names and there's no reason to suspect that there's anything more to it than that.
Last edited:
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
It does, but this isn't one of them, it's a very sensible decision to use the same name that everyone else has used for ages.
Jeff Hopkins
Just another...observer
I must say I find the notion of "Big Field Guide" with that kind of lobbying muscle hard to take seriously.
Amazon, however, does have that kind of muscle and may very well have strong-armed the committee into this decision :smoke:
I must say I find the notion of "Big Field Guide" with that kind of lobbying muscle hard to take seriously.
With respect to the Mannikin name change, the AOU has a long history of tomfoolery regarding common names and there's no reason to suspect that there's anything more to it than that.
Apart from anything, its easy to change the name in a fieldguide
chowchilla
Well-known member
I've seen all three names used here in Cairns where they're a common feral (gradually driving out our native finches...) I tend to call them Spice Finches as the Aussie Estrildids are usually referred to as Finches as well.
Not so. From my point of view it's just rest-of-the-world imperialism (to use one of your favorite words).
Besides, see post #13.
