MJB
Well-known member
How about Reedlichtieburdy for European Robin? (Sorry, it's an Arbroath joke)
MJB
-
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.
What Bird Names Would You Change? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter bongofury
- Start date
How about Reedlichtieburdy for European Robin? (Sorry, it's an Arbroath joke)
MJB
Richard Klim
-------------------------
I've always rather liked Dutch bird names, many of which could surely be absorbed directly into English usage. 
Some of my favourites...
Some of my favourites...- Topper = Scaup
- Kwak = Night Heron
- Meerkoet = Coot
- Strandloper = Sandpiper
- Watersnip = Snipe
- Wulp = Curlew
- Stern = Tern
- Oehoe = Eagle Owl
- Hop = Hoopoe
- Pimpelmees = Blue Tit
- Koolmees = Great Tit
- Baardman = Bearded Tit
- Grasmus = Sylvia warbler
- Zanger = Warbler
- Tjiftjaf = Chiffchaff
- Snor = Savi's Warbler
- Spotvogel = Hippo warbler
- Pestvogel = Waxwing
- Boomklever = Nuthatch
- Boomkruiper = Treecreeper
- Huismus = House Sparrow
- Kwikstaart = Wagtail
- Vink = Chaffinch
- Putter = Goldfinch
- Appelvink = Hawfinch
Mark Etheridge
Bird Shooter (With A Camera)
A double renaming to save time - both Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff to be renamed WillowChiff, thus reducing posts in the Bird ID Forum by about 50%
maltese falcon
Well-known member
Fan-tailed warbler :C
Zitting Cisticola :C
Fan-tailed Cisticola :t:
just my opinion
Zitting Cisticola :C
Fan-tailed Cisticola :t:
just my opinion
John Cantelo
Well-known member
Since they're not at all closely related to the 'original' Old World vultures and may not even belong with other Falconiformes at all, I'd re-dub all New World Vultures (other than Condors) Turkey-Vultures. This would also have the bonus that we could drop silly qualifiers like 'Cinereous' and 'Monk' for what to me will always be 'Black Vulture.' The American version would thus become 'Black Turkey-Vulture' whilst Turkey Vulture itself could become 'Common' or 'Northern' Turkey-Vulture. Admittedly Lesser/Greater Yellow-headed Turkey-Vulture would be a bit of a mouthful, but we already happily cope with longer names,
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
I believe lesser is sometimes called Savannah Vulture, so you could have Savannah Turkey-Vulture and Yellow-headed Turkey-Vulture.
James
Xenospiza
Distracted
The proposal (not my own!) of renaming the vultures themselves "Condors" as well solves the long name problem.
Xenospiza
Distracted
Ones that I know went down well were Boszanger (it sounds better when pronounced in English than in Dutch!) for (Leaf)-Warbler and Wouw (pronounced Wow!) for Kite.I've always rather liked Dutch bird names, many of which could surely be absorbed directly into English usage.
I was always rather fond of Wespendief for Honey Buzzard (wasp thief). Although Honey Buzzard is a quirkily good name too, even if it's not strictly accurate.
I kind of like quirky names for birds, and the stories behind them e.g. Barnacle Goose. I think it would be rather sad if we lost that link to the past just for the sake of accuracy.
The English names of most South American birds are pretty awful and staggeringly unimaginative. Look at a page of Foliage-gleaners and weep! I also find them remarkably hard to remember (e.g. Was it Chestnut-crowned or Chestnut-capped Foliage-gleaner I saw?). I'm struck by how rare onomatopoeic names are for Neotropical birds, despite the fact that most of the birds are much more readily noticed (and often identified) by their sounds. I suppose that's what comes from birds being named by scientists looking at collections rather than by people who encounter birds in the field.
Richard Klim
-------------------------
Although I particularly like Kwikstaart for Wagtail, perhaps an even better name would be Splitvogel.
Richard Klim
-------------------------
The wife and I just call them Zitters; but all dipper species have long been Zippers (after the calls).
david kelly
Drive-by Birder
I've always rather liked Dutch bird names, many of which could surely be absorbed directly into English usage.
- Wulp = Curlew
The Scots name is Whaup.
David
AlphaCentauri
Well-known member
American Black Duck doesn't look so black to me :S I would change it to "brown".
Like that Seatallen - nice name and for a 'lovely' bird that deserves to be named as such
Regards
Kathy
x
Last edited:
Xenospiza
Distracted
I would like Gorse Warbler (or actually Gorse Sylvia). It (often) lives in gorse and just like gorse it can't survive severe frost.
grebefeet9
elegant tern of phrase
any sensible birder already calls semipalmated plovers semi plovers, and same for the sandpiper. i suppose i would rename the european blackbird the black thrush to clear up the confusion with the icterid blackbirds on this side of the pond. maybe the american robin could be the lawn-thrush, and all the other new world turdus thrushes (clay colored robin, rufous backed robin, etc.) should have name changes as well. suggestions?
grebefeet9
elegant tern of phrase
or the mallard could be called the northern mallard, and the black and mottled ducks could be the "black mallard" and "mottled mallard".
Similar threads
