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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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Richard Klim

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Ferran Gil, Lynx Edicions, 30 May 2014...
'Key to Scientific Names in Ornithology' by James A. Jobling

What does that mean? It's the question we've all asked ourselves with respect to some (or many!) of the scientific names that ornithologists throughout history have given to bird species within the system devised by Linnaeus. HBW Alive is now pleased to put in the hands of its users the ability to quickly learn the meaning and derivation of the Latin names of each and every one of the world's birds. James A. Jobling, a world authority on the subject since the publication in 1991 of his book A dictionary of scientific bird names, has given us the possibility of incorporating in HBW Alive an enormous amount of interesting information on this subject. Now all we need to do is put the cursor on each of the words that make up a scientific name–genus, species and subspecies–to immediately satisfy our curiosity.

Let's try this, for example, with the scientific name of the Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus. It will definitely be easier to remember this name in the future if we know that Melopsittacus comes from the union of the two Greek words melos (μελος) and psittakos (ψιττακος) meaning, respectively, "song" and "parrot", while undulatus in Latin means "that which is furnished with wave-like markings." Or we can look at Puna Flamingo, Phoenicoparrus jamesi, whose name derives from the Greek phoenix (φοινιξ), "red", and Latin parra, used to designate a type of waterfowl, and where jamesi refers to the British naturalist and businessman Harry B. James, who lived in Chile.

This tool opens up a world of curious facts that will allow us to know even more about the birds of our interest.

This new product, the Key to Scientific Names in Ornithology, has been devised by James A. Jobling exclusively for HBW Alive and it's not intended to be published in paper. Many thanks to James for this important collaboration.
Well done, James. Should be very useful!
 
I wonder if there is any prospect of adoption of the feature by field guide apps? I'd love to see it in the Sibley app, for example, which I consult much more often than I do HPW Alive to which of course the great majority of birders don't subscribe.
 
It will definitely be easier to remember this name in the future if we know that Melopsittacus comes from the union of the two Greek words melos (μελος) and psittakos (ψιττακος) meaning, respectively, "song" and "parrot", while undulatus in Latin means "that which is furnished with wave-like markings."

Whilst very interesting in itself, not sure about the 'it will definitely make it easier to remember' bit. Quite hard enough to remember Latin names to start with, but dissecting and translating is only likely to work for me if dealing with a few names only :)
 
Whilst very interesting in itself, not sure about the 'it will definitely make it easier to remember' bit. Quite hard enough to remember Latin names to start with, but dissecting and translating is only likely to work for me if dealing with a few names only :)

Sure, 10,000++ species but a much much smaller number of Greek/Latin roots which recur in name after name--ptero, melano, dromo, cyano etc etc. It's in expanding my vocabulary of these roots that I expect to derive most benefit from the database. Done me some good already, in fact: never knew phoenix = "red" before and don't know that I ever would have guessed it. But I'm sure I won't forget it.
 
Thanks, I use HBW Alive and find it extremely useful

Can you add a voice pronunciation of the Latin names!!!!! when you click on them

Well done Richard
 
Can you add a voice pronunciation of the Latin names!!!!! when you click on them
That could be controversial! eg, see Latin Pronunciation Demystified. I favour classical pronunciation (mainly because it's what I learnt at school!), but many English-speaking birders use the 'English method' (which I find abhorrent, especially the vowels/diphthongs).
Well done Richard
I'm just the messenger. Thank James Jobling!
 
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Kudos to James for getting this incorporated into HBW Alive. One improvement over the print version of the dictionary is the type species being given for genus-group names. Thanks for this!

Liam
 
Some explanations.
The incorporation of my manuscript Key to Scientific Names in Ornithology into HBWAlive should be regarded as Phase 1 of an ongoing exercise. My Key has been carried wholesale onto that website, including my take on generic and specific boundaries. For example, if you look up the specific name Parula americana you will see a whole raft of specific epithets incorporating americ/americana/americanus, and not just Parula americana.
Phase 2 will follow my absorption of the indexes in HBW Special Volume and, when published, the Illustrated Checklist, after which, with edit permissions, I will be able to adjust and split the various entries, including the nomenclature used therein. At present there is no time-scale for Phase 2.
 
Fantastic, a whole new dimension, great that you were willing to make this treasure trove available, my thanks.
 
Oxford Dictionary of English...
phoenix ...
– ORIGIN from Old French fenix, via Latin from Greek phoinix 'Phoenician, reddish purple, or phoenix'. The relationship between the Greek senses is obscure: it could not be 'the Phoenician bird' because the legend centres on the temple of Heliopolis in Egypt, where the phoenix is said to have burnt itself on the altar. Perhaps the basic sense is 'purple', symbolic of fire and possibly the primary sense of Phoenicia as the purple land (or land of the sunrise).
 
The Greek phoenix = "red". Is this correct?
Among other significations. Liddell & Scott:
B. φοῖνιξ , ι_κος, ὁ, purple or crimson, because the discovery and earliest use of this colour was ascribed to the Phoenicians [...]:—hence,
2. as Adj. (fem. “φοίνισσα” [...]), blood-bay, of a horse [...]; of red cattle, “φοίνισσα ἀγέλα” [...], [...] of the colour of fire, “φοίνισσα φλόξ” [...], etc.​
 
James, what a splendid extension!

Yet another great contribution to the advancement and knowledge (and accesibility!) regarding the Etymology of scientific bird names!

From this time forth I assume the HBW Alive will be a frequent source of reference here on BirdForum!

Cheers!

Björn

PS. And good luck with phase 2.

PPS. How do you like us to cite this new source (not necessarily here, but in a traditional "List of reference")?
 
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James, about the citation ...

How do you like us to cite this new source (not necessarily here, but in a traditional "List of reference")?

Will this do?
Jobling, J. A. (2014). Key to Scientific Names in Ornithology. In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). (2014). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (Retrieved 6 June 2014, online HBW Alive: http://www.hbw.com/node/52409).

Or how would you prefer it?

Why not add a "Recommended citation-box" on (or in connection to) "your" HBW Alive pages as well ... like the ones on every species account?

Cheers!
 
Björn,
What you suggest seems comprehensive enough. However, my only reference is, "Notes for Authors. Preparing References and Bibliographies" issued by OUP in 1989, i.e. before computers and the web were invented, thus identifying me as a dinosaur or fuddy-duddy!! Elsewhere, in respect of another site, I have seen the citation "Available from www.xeno-canto.org (accessed 11 March 2014)". I am waiting to hear from Ferran Gil and Josep del Hoyo as to HBWAlive preference.
James
 
I had assumed that James's new key to scientific names was accessible only to HBW Alive subscribers, but actually there seems to be unrestricted access (anyway, I can access it even when logged out of HBW Alive):
I am astounded that my Key has suddenly reached such a large audience. I hope everybody remembers that it is a work in progress, and, once I get edit permissions, still subject to corrections and changes (some of which have been heralded on BirdForum).
As far as I can see, Lynx has (so far) only publicised the Key to HBW Alive subscribers (via the 'New Features' thread). But, assuming that the current unrestricted access is not just a mistake, it offers all birders/ornithologists immediate access to this fascinating subject (without recourse to specialist literature or speculative web surfing). Hopefully, it will stimulate much wider interest in (and awareness of) scientific names...
 
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