What's in a name???? (1 Viewer)

Kalamazoo Ken · Jun 12, 2004

Here's a different kind of quiz. One odd aspect of it is that I don't know the answers! :brains:
I have been doing a bit of personal research into bird names, trying to discover the derivation of some of the more unusual ones. Below is a list of some that I need help on. If anyone can give me information on the words in bold face I will really appreciate it. Some, I suspect, are geographical references, others may be indigenous names. Where the bird in question is more commonly known by another name, I have included that name as an "a.k.a."

1. Chotoy Spinetail (Schoeniophylax phryganophila)
2. Colma Antthrush [a.k.a. Rufous-capped Antthrush] (Formicarius colma)
3. Correndera Pipit (Anthus correndera)
4. Gabar Goshawk (Melierax gabar)
5. Guira Tanager (Hemithraupis guira) and/or Cuckoo (Guira guira)
6. Impeyan Pheasant [a.k.a. Himalayan Monal] (Lophophorus impejanus)
7. Jambandu Indigobird (Vidua raricola)
8. Jandaya [or, Janday, Jenday] Parakeey, or Conure (Aratinga jandaya)
9. Koforea [a.k.a. Black-banded] Barbet (Megalaima javensis)
10. Lepe Cisticola (Cisticola lepe)
11. Maquis Canastero [or, Iquico Canastero, a.k.a. Iquico] (Asthenes heterura)
12. Mugimaki Flycatcher (Ficedula mugimaki)
13. Nanday Conure, or Parakeet (Nandayus nenday)
14. Nduk Eagle-Owl (Bubo vosseleri)
15. Nkulenga (or, Nkulengu) Rail (Himantornis haematopus)
16. Picazuro Pigeon (Columba picazuro)
17. Raytal Lark [a.k.a. Indian Short-tailed Lark] (Calandrella raytal)
18. Sabota Lark (Mirafra sabota)
19. Sagon Lark [a.k.a. Friedmann's Lark] (Mirafra pulpa)
20. Suiriri [Flycatcher] (Suiriri suiriri)
21. Tabity Newtonia [a.k.a. Archbold's Newtonia] (Newtonia archboldi)
22. Tovi Parakeet [a.k.a. Orange-chinned Parakeet] (Brotogeris jugularis)
23. Trocaz Pigeon (Columba trocaz)
24. Tui Parakeet (Brotogeris sanctithomae)
25. Tyrian Metaltail (Metallura tyrianthina)
26. Urraca (or, Urucca) Jay [a.k.a. Plush-crested Jay] (Cyanocorax chrysops)
27. Vega Gull (Larus Vegae)
28. Villaviscensio Sabrewing [a.k.a. Napo Sabrewing] (Campylopterus villaviscensio)
29. Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)

Thanks for any help any of you can give on this. And if someone thinks there's a better place on the Forum to post this list, let me know.

Rasmus Boegh · Jun 12, 2004

Oops! Deleted my original post! Here's new one that should state more or less the same:

Colma Antthrush, Correndera Pipit, Gabar Goshawk, Lepe Cisticola, Iquico Canastero, Nduk Eagle-Owl & Villaviscensio Sabrewing are all references to localities.

Impeyan Pheasant: It was named in honor of a Lady Impey, supposedly the first to keep it in captivity.

Sabota Lark, Picazuro Pigeon & Trocaz Pigeon are all named after persons (the two last being Spanish/Portuguese conquistadors).

Tanager is an English variation of what was originally an local Indian name used by a tribe in Brazil. Tui (Parakeet) is also originally an Indian name, perhaps referring to the voice.

Chotoy Spinetail is a rather poor onomatopoeic; i.e. a "copy" of the voice.

Nkulenga (or, Nkulengu) Rail. I am not completely sure of this one, but think I read somewhere that it is either due to voice or a local name.

Motmot · Jun 12, 2004

Urraca is the spanish name for Magpie, also used by the spaniards for any neotropical Jay. So translation is Jay Jay (?)

Rasmus Boegh · Jun 13, 2004

Another one; expected it to be colour, but didn't know for sure:

Tyrian Metaltail - tyrian being a variation of purple (found it in a dictionary).

I also feel fairly confident in saying that Jandaya [or, Janday, Jenday] Parakeet, Nanday Parakeet & Suiriri [Flycatcher] are onomatopoeic; i.e. voice. However, these last ones are not certain.

Neither am I certain about the two Guira [Tanager and Cuckoo], but guira is a type of music from the West Indies, now widespread in Brazil aswell. Guira is also a fairly common surname in this region. Finally, there are several towns having the same name (i.e. at least one in Venezuela, and another in Burkino Faso).

Kalamazoo Ken · Jun 13, 2004

Wow, this is a great start. Thanks a bunch. Now I've got a few more questions:
Can you )or anyone) tell me where Colma, Correndera, etc. (all the locations) actually are? I know there is a city called Colma just south of San Francisco, CA (Colma is noted, by the way, for its cemetaries!), but I doubt that that's the namesake of the Antthrush!
Any confirmations on the onomatopeic names? (and thanks for showing me how it's spelled!)
Again, thanks much!

Rasmus Boegh · Jun 13, 2004

Most of the following are due to the locality from where they were described (type specimen). Often it isn't known exactly where this locality (often just a village) is today; except the country.

Colma (Antthrush): A locality in Guyanne.
Correndera (Pipit): A region in Argentina.
Gabar (Goshawk): Type specimen originally believed to be from Arabia, a region often referred to as "Gabar" at that time (after a minority of people that still survives in Iran).
Lepe (Cisticola): Locality in Angola.
Nduk (Eagle-Owl): An old reference to the local name for the type locality in Tanzania.
Iquico (Canastero): A locality fairly close to La Paz, Bolivia.
Villaviscensio (Sabrewing): A village in Napo region, Ecuador.

Michael Frankis · Jun 13, 2004

Rasmus Boegh said:
Gabar (Goshawk): Type specimen originally believed to be from Arabia, a region often referred to as "Gabar" at that time (after a minority that still survives in Iran).

Hi Rasmus,

According to my atlas, Gabar, now Givar, is in northern Iran at 36°N 56°E. But Micronisus gabar was first described from Cape Province, South Africa, according to Lynx HBW (and no mention of any population of Micronisus in Iran! - is this a recent discovery?).

Michael

Rasmus Boegh · Jun 14, 2004

Michael Frankis said:
According to my atlas, Gabar, now Givar, is in northern Iran at 36°N 56°E. But Micronisus gabar was first described from Cape Province, South Africa, according to Lynx HBW (and no mention of any population of Micronisus in Iran! - is this a recent discovery?).

Hi Michael,

You are correct. That is what I ment by: "Type specimen originally believed to be from Arabia" - i.e. now known to be erroneous. Today it is wellknown that the type specimen was from near Zwart River, South Africa...

Similar to many (but of course not all) of the various australis, africanus etc. One of the rather obvious examples being Sakesphorus canadensis (Black-crested Antshrike) from South America.

Michael Frankis · Jun 14, 2004

Hi Rasmus,

It was more your comment that a tiny population of Gabar Gos survives in Iran, that's new to me :eek!: - I'm used to badly-named taxa (plenty in plants too, like European Scilla peruviana . . .)

Michael

Rasmus Boegh · Jun 14, 2004

Michael Frankis said:
It was more your comment that a tiny population of Gabar Gos survives in Iran, that's new to me :eek!:

Hi Michael,

It was a mistake if I left the impression that the Gabar Goshawk is found in Iran. I feel fairly confident in saying that no Gabar Goshawks lives (or lived) in Iran. - But of course, if there should be any doubts: I'm not going there to check! Me being as blond as blond gets, walking around with a pair of binoculars on the outskirts of Tehran, "just" looking for a bird. That would be a pretty (but probably not long-lasting) sight

.

Perhaps it was the "minority talk" that confused. I ment a minority of people (nothing to do with Goshawks): Members of the Zoroastrian minority in Iran, them being formerly known as "Gabar" - they are the reason for that name also being applied to the region. In any case, I've just added a "people" after minority in post #6, just to make sure it isn't misunderstood.

Motmot · Jun 14, 2004

Rasmus Boegh said:
Hi Michael,

You are correct. That is what I ment by: "Type specimen originally believed to be from Arabia" - i.e. now known to be erroneous. Today it is wellknown that the type specimen was from near Zwart River, South Africa...

Similar to many (but of course not all) of the various australis, africanus etc. One of the rather obvious examples being Sakesphorus canadensis (Black-crested Antshrike) from South America.

Does anyone know the origin of the genus Balearica for Crowned Cranes? I can't imagine the relation with the Balearics.

Rasmus Boegh · Jun 14, 2004

Motmot said:
Does anyone know the origin of the genus Balearica for Crowned Cranes? I can't imagine the relation with the Balearics.

I don't know, but could imagine it's another mistake. B. pavonina was descibed as early as 1758 by Linnaeus. It wouldn't be inconceivable that he got something wrong back then (especially as he didn't collect most of the type-specimens himself), though I know the type specimen was from Senegal. B. regulorum was described some 80 years later.

Kalamazoo Ken · Jun 19, 2004

Hi there, folks --
I really appreciate all the info that's come by so far. Still hoping for more from anyone with a signficant insight.
By the way, in my research I had read that the name "Gabar" was was given to the hawk by Francis LaVaillant, and that the word is of Hottentot origin. Apparently he called the bird simply "Le Gabar." I had found references to the Iranian tribe, but question whether the similarity is more than coincidental. I am pursuing some confirmation or clarification on this. In the end, of course, it's not a big deal, but it's fun to know the stories behind the names.
Again, thanks to all, and especially you, Rasmus, for all your input. May I ask what sources you have used to gain this knowledge? I went as far as I could on the Web, but clearly there's more info out there than I was able to find.

Michael Frankis · Jun 19, 2004

Originally Posted by MotmotDoes anyone know the origin of the genus Balearica for Crowned Cranes? I can't imagine the relation with the Balearics.

Rasmus Boegh said:
I don't know, but could imagine it's another mistake. B. pavonina was descibed as early as 1758 by Linnaeus. It wouldn't be inconceivable that he got something wrong back then (especially as he didn't collect most of the type-specimens himself), though I know the type specimen was from Senegal. B. regulorum was described some 80 years later.

Linnaeus described it as Ardea pavonina, the specimen from Cape Verde, Senegal (from Lynx HBW). It was transferred to the new genus Balearica by Brisson in 1760. So we'd need to see what Brisson says, if anything (I don't have a copy, of course). Unfortunately, these early authors rarely gave any details about why they chose the names they did!

Michael

Kalamazoo Ken · Jun 19, 2004

As far as the Balearica for the Crowned Crane, what does the word mean in Latin? Perhaps that would be a clue. I have tried to search this out myself, and only found that the Balearics are called Islas Baleares in Spanish, and that Balearas (note the penultimate "a" -- I only found this out through a misspelling!) translates into English as "shot." So here is a long, long, stretch: I know enough of Spanish to jknow that the "bal- has to do with throwing (the root of English "ball," which of course could be another word for "shot" in one sense). I know some cranes (certainly not sure about the Crowned Crane) are known for tossing twigs, etc. as part of their mating dance rituals. As I say, this is a "shot in the dark" so to speak, but maybe someone can either confirm or refute it with further research into the origin of the word.

Rasmus Boegh · Jun 20, 2004

Kalamazoo Ken said:
By the way, in my research I had read that the name "Gabar" was was given to the hawk by Francis LaVaillant, and that the word is of Hottentot origin. Apparently he called the bird simply "Le Gabar." I had found references to the Iranian tribe, but question whether the similarity is more than coincidental. I am pursuing some confirmation or clarification on this.

Could be I'm wrong. The previous reason I gave in regards of the Gabar, was what I was told when asking the same question a few years ago when I was birding in South Africa. Haven't looked any more into it, as the info came from one of the best birders in South Africa (author of several of the guides to the country), so I just assumed he was right...

Motmot · Jun 20, 2004

Michael Frankis said:
Originally Posted by MotmotDoes anyone know the origin of the genus Balearica for Crowned Cranes? I can't imagine the relation with the Balearics.

Linnaeus described it as Ardea pavonina, the specimen from Cape Verde, Senegal (from Lynx HBW). It was transferred to the new genus Balearica by Brisson in 1760. So we'd need to see what Brisson says, if anything (I don't have a copy, of course). Unfortunately, these early authors rarely gave any details about why they chose the names they did!

Michael

Hi, I asked some of the experts here. The birds were originally from Africa but the ship made a stop at the Balearics. When Brisson received the birds in England he thought the origin was the islands, that´s why he chosed Balearica as a genus.
I´m not sure if this is right but seems plausible.

Kalamazoo Ken · Jun 28, 2004

Hi again. folks. Here's a letter I received from a fellow down in South Africa who seems to have the true scoop on the Gabar Goshawk. I quote him:

Dear Ken,
Your enquiry has been passed on to me, as I also have an interest in bird names and have gathered quite a bit of relevant info over the years. I am at work and do not have my notes with me, but I can vouch for the following, since I read the original description when researching my Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names.
The tribe in the Middle East is a red herring. "Gabar" was coined by Levaillant, who, like the Comte de Buffon of "coraya" and "bambla" fame, revelled in creating non-scientific names. Most of his names are derived from native onomatopoeia or versions of made up French names. "Gabar" is a short-hand sonal version of "garde barre" - the barred watchman or guard, references to the hawk's habits and plumage.
Regards
James Jobling

Fascinating, eh?

Xabi · Aug 20, 2004

Quite late, but here it is my guess:

23. Trocaz Pigeon (Columba trocaz)
In spanish, Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) is called Paloma torcaz, note the different position of the "r". Maybe is related in some way...

Hope this helps... :scribe:

Talons · Aug 20, 2004

Kalamazoo Ken said:
11. Maquis Canastero

Maquis is dense, scrubby vegetation found around the Med. Hope that helps you.

What's in a name???? (1 Viewer)

Well-known member

BF member

Eduardo Amengual

BF member

Well-known member

BF member

conehead

BF member

conehead

BF member

Eduardo Amengual

BF member

Well-known member

conehead

Well-known member

BF member

Eduardo Amengual

Well-known member

Well-known member

London Birder

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread