AOU 2018 Checklist proposals (1 Viewer)

[DMW]

A fair point and a strong reason not to standardize common names but let each reason stick to its own.

Fully agree! I'm a firm believer that common names should be exactly that - names that are in common usage - and when in the US, I'm more than happy to use such abominations as Horned Lark, Black-bellied Plover and Thick-billed Murre

 

[awiner]

Because once you've announced "Great Northern", the milder ring of "Diver" doesn't matter, whereas "Common Loon" should be in an asylum.

Either way it's a corking sound, hugely evocative of wilderness. It's just that mostly in British waters they are silent. First ones I heard were sharing Portland Harbour with a Brunnich's Guillemot, if you know what that is on the West side of the Atlantic.....

John

"Great Northern", ah yes. Considering it's not the largest (Yellow-billed Loon/White-billed Diver is bigger) and that in North America (where 99% of them live) it's effectively the southernmost of the "divers", that's an objectively terrible name.

(There's plenty of terrible names in the US too... but I can't see making "Great Northern Diver" a point of pride.)

 

[Andy Adcock]

Really? And you call yourself a world birder!

Let me know when you find one in Africa, Tropical Asia or the Tropical Americas!

I had my first calling Black-throated on a camping trip to the Arctic just last year.

:t:


A

 

[Swannery Steve]

Note Zimmers comment on C livia, he seems to not understand that the species in the UK at least, has very few 'tickable' populations and none are in cities!

A

I don't understand why self sustaining populations of feral Rock Doves are often considered 'untickeable' but populations of Common Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge that are also topped up by thousands of releases annually are gleefully 'ticked'. What's that about?

Steve.

 

[njlarsen]

"Great Northern", ah yes. Considering it's not the largest (Yellow-billed Loon/White-billed Diver is bigger) and that in North America (where 99% of them live) it's effectively the southernmost of the "divers", that's an objectively terrible name.

(There's plenty of terrible names in the US too... but I can't see making "Great Northern Diver" a point of pride.)

Several years ago a guy told me that the biggest loon/diver ever measured on Heligoland was a black-throated

Niels

 

[Andy Adcock]

I don't understand why self sustaining populations of feral Rock Doves are often considered 'untickeable' but populations of Common Pheasant and Red-legged Partridge that are also topped up by thousands of releases annually are gleefully 'ticked'. What's that about?

Steve.

Which populations, why are they feral?
Are the Bempton birds of captive origin, the ones in the Hebrides aren't are they, I thought they were genuine, remnant populations?

Feral Pigeon is on no list anywhere either AFAIK?


A

 

[Swannery Steve]

Sorry, perhaps I shouldn't have said Feral Rock Doves but just Feral Pigeon. My argument still stands though. If Feral Pigeon populations are self sustaining why are they often deemed untickeable. Just because they're not pure Rock Doves? They're still the same species. Many Common Pheasants aren't pure either but as I already said, they're generally considered tickeable.

 

[James Lowther]

Rock dove is on category C (in addition to category A) of the British list ergo feral pigeons are tickable as far as i’m concerned. Not the most exciting and nicer to see wild type birds in natural habitat but it’s on all my lists nevertheless.
James