mb1848
Well-known member
As it states on the tin: Bird Etymology, understanding, translating and decrypting scientific and common bird names. I hope this thread is in the right place. On July 16, 2021 in the early view of the Ibis is an article by Robert Driver and Alexander L. Bond entitled Towards redressing inaccurate, offensive and inappropriate common bird names. In this article the authors state “Only one bird in North America retains a standardized common name from presumably a North American Indigenous language, the Sora (Porzana carolina). However, the origin of that name was lost and it is not known from which Indigenous language it derives (Choate 1985).”
I have come to a fork in the road as to what I think is the source of the common name of Sora. One is it derives from the Latinization of the Greek for smut, sorus and then to the French for smut, soot soree. Bird’s name should be smutty rail. Or Catesby wrote Joree on the plate of the Sora. Joree is either the English colonialists or Cherokee’s interpretation of the towhee’s call.I need this forum’s help.
In 1731 Catesby published a drawing of a sora with a Virginian plant. He had spent seven years in Virginia 1712-1719.
Mark Catesby (1682-1749) - The Soree and Gentiana Virginia saponaroe folio, flore coeruleo longiore .
Dr. Mortimer’s comments on this drawing by Catesby says The Soree with an accent on the last e. “This bird is in Virginia as much in request for the delicacy of its flesh as the Ortulan in Europe.”
v.37=no.417-426 (1731-1732) - Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. - Biodiversity Heritage Library .
Please also see page 43 of :
Miscellaneous Circular .
But actually looking at Catesby’s plate all I read is Joree.
Mark Catesby (1682-1749) - The Soree and Gentiana Virginia saponaroe folio, flore coeruleo longiore .
The Joree Bird | Blind Pig and The Acorn .