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Worlds Funniest Bird Name? (1 Viewer)

mandi.c said:
ok guys im pretty new to this birding trying 2 learn stuff here you must b pulling my leg
northern screamer yeh ok but yellow bellied sapsucker ha ha ha thats got 2 b the best.
Click to expand...

LOL - that bought back memories of being in Central Park with my 100-400L series and I saw a weird-looking woodpecker peeking out from a hole in one of the trees and set my camera up to photograph it, only to hear a passer-by say, in a broad nasal-sounding, New York accent to his mate "Wow gee look, she's phodogrriaphin a yiellow-biellied sahpsukkerr". I love New York accents but I burst out laughing much to the surprise of the two men because I had never heard of such a bird anyway, and the name sounded so wonderfully "American" when said in that accent.

I still think that "Dark-eyed Junco" is one of the best, and what about the good old "shag" and "Bustard"?!

Didi
 
Hi all!

I like very much:

* Invisible Rail, for your eyes only!
* Inaccessible Island Rail, maybe my next target bird!
* Satanic Eared-Nightjar: quite dangerous!

:eek!:





Chriswilko said:
Was chatting to a mate in the pub last night and we were trying to come up with the worlds funniest bird name. The best we could do (with our sense of hunour) was Rough Faced Shag.

Are there any better out there?
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The bird with the funniest name that I have seen is Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo. Not sure where it gets its name from but I am sure that its young are not raised by lizards.
 
it seems the more i come back and read this thread the more it makes me laugh, anybody else got any wacky names 4 me 2 learn. i really did think it was a wind up yesturday im must b 2 green 4 this.
 
James Eaton said:
Diabolical Nightjar, brilliant name.... not sure where this name comes from
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I think from the call. Locals believe that the call is made by "sucking out human eyeballs".

Have no idea how it sounds like... must check one day. :D
 
Just seen a photo at the top of the page entitled "Shaft-tailed Whydah".

That's got to be in with a shout.
 
I was writing an article on Funny Bird Names and where they might have originated, when my search found this article, which is hilarious.

The birds that come and scanange our feeders are far less exotic in name than some mentioned here, but Blue Tits are still pretty to watch, nevertheless.

Should anyone fancy taking a peek at my article, Why Do Birds Have Such Strange Names, I would be pleased to see you there.

We only recently became interested in birds, with enjoying the songs of the Mockingbirds in South Florida, and then the Blackbirds and Robins back home in the UK.

My wife is always on the RSPB web site, trying to identify the birds in the garden from their features and song.
 
Paltry Tyrranulet
Plain Xenops
Screaming Piha

And for silly soundng scientific names, how about "Garrulus glandarius" for the Eurasian Jay?
 
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