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What Bird Names Would You Change? (1 Viewer)

Peewit said:
............. Purple Swamphen...
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Am I the only one that tends to read that as Swam-fen? :eek!:

Chris

Oh, and change Chickadee to Tit in line with the rest of the world ( I know those in the colonies consider the word Tit to mean only one thing - or two - but, come on. We are all adults now - aren't we??????? )

C

I'm not including myself in that last statement, by the way ;)

C
 
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csanchez7 said:
Why is using 'American' such a bad descriptor for some of these really 'classic' North American species?
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'cos the majority of the planet ( regretfully ) considers 'American' to be the sole preserve of the USA, so leaving the much larger Canada and a huge chunk of Mexico out in the cold. 'American' is the Nearctic version of that supporating carbuncle on the English language 'Eurasian'. IMO ;)

Chris
 
Peewit said:
After seeing a Purple Swamphen...not really the most fitting name for a bird at all.

Now to me that is a name that is not very flattering at all. How about Greater green backed Moorhen LOL

Never seen a purple bird yet LOL

Regards
Kathy
x
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Gargantuan Moorhen is what I called them when I met them.
 
bongofury said:
First of all, this is meant to be a light-hearted thread:t:
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With this in mind;

Redshank - Orangelegs (c/f Yellowlegs)
Greenshank - Greenishlegs
Redwing - Orange Under-winged Thrush
Red-flanked Bluetail - Orange-sided Chat
Siberian Rubythroat - JFC
Dunnock - Anglesey Catbird :eek!:
 
Richard Klim said:
I'd prefer a return to the evocative eponyms that have been suppressed in several Eastern Palearctic species names...
  • Severtzov's (not Chinese) Grouse
  • Temminck's (not Japanese) Cormorant
  • Hume's Groundpecker (how can such a characterful species be reduced to 'Ground Tit'?!)
  • Severtzov's (not White-browed) Tit-warbler
  • Kozlov's (not Tibetan) Babax
  • Père David's (not Plain!) Laughingthrush
  • Sukatschev's (not Snowy-cheeked) Laughingthrush
  • Biet's (not White-speckled) Laughingthrush
  • Prince Henri's (not Brown-cheeked) Laughingthrush
  • Ludlow's (not Brown-throated) Fulvetta
  • Hodgson's (not White-throated) Bushchat
  • Theresa's (not Afghan) Snowfinch
  • Adams's (not Tibetan) Snowfinch
  • Roborovski's (not Tibetan) Rosefinch
  • Kozlov's (not Tibetan) Bunting
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I use all these anyway Richard. I hate the 'dumbing down' of names....ie White-winged Redstart instead of Guldenstadt's (I mean it's got a white head too! ;)) And long live Gymnogene!! I must also admit to using Ceylon instead of Sri Lanka....just sounds better....
 
Always had a psycological problem with tit family, goes back to when I was young and my boss was often heard saying "What the Hell are you doing now you tit"
 
birdboybowley said:
I use all these anyway Richard. I hate the 'dumbing down' of names....ie White-winged Redstart instead of Guldenstadt's (I mean it's got a white head too! ;)) And long live Gymnogene!! I must also admit to using Ceylon instead of Sri Lanka....just sounds better....
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I love these atmospheric names - conjures up something more meaningful than a descriptive name. I would say its a heck of a lot easier to say some of these names than it is to see the birds! So, maybe we should be able to say them before we are "entitled" to see them?

Two of the worst bird names are Black-winged Kite and Black-shouldered Kite:

They have grey wings (white below) with black wingtips and carpal patches - not black wings and birds don't have shoulders. On top of this they are not even Kites (Milvus spp) nor bear any resemblance to them - although if you want to get fancy: Elanid Kites. The Portuguese name translates to Grey Hoverer, not too inspiring either really but at least not incorrect.

One species I would really love to see change is Spanish Imperial Eagle to Iberian Imperial Eagle - although they became extinct as a breeder in Portugal they have now returned in some strength. It's a pity when Spain overrides Portugal in the naming of life forms from the Iberian peninsula - especially such a classy bird as this.
 
chris butterworth said:
Oh, and change Chickadee to Tit in line with the rest of the world
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No, no, no! I really like Chickadee for those usually less inspiring Poecile species... it is pretty much what all of them call like. Willow Chickadee and Marsh (I agree Wood is better!) Chickadee: fine by me.
And based on the completely non-hilarious Bushtit, surely you can't accuse them of being prudish?
 
birdboybowley said:
I use all these anyway Richard. I hate the 'dumbing down' of names...
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I still use them too. Ben King seems to have taken the lead in such dumbing down. This from his 1997 Checklist of the Birds of Eurasia...
It is vital that all names be easy to pronounce. It is elitist, as some have said, with the advantages of a superior education and broad travel, that people can learn to pronounce those Russian names. The reality is that most English-speaking folks never will. A list with names that most can't pronounce will present problems for many users.
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So, sincere apologies to Severtzov, Roborovski, et al - but you've been declared to be unpronounceable to most North American folks, and therefore consigned to oblivion. ;)
 
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I feel sorry for the neotropic Drab-breasted Bamboo-tyrant, Bran-coloured Flycatcher and Paltry Tyrannulet.

Particularly the latter, paltry being defined in my dictionary as 'too small to be useful/important' or 'unimportant/worthless'


JW
 
Jeff Woad said:
I feel sorry for the neotropic Drab-breasted Bamboo-tyrant, Bran-coloured Flycatcher and Paltry Tyrannulet.

Particularly the latter, paltry being defined in my dictionary as 'too small to be useful/important' or 'unimportant/worthless'


JW
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One of our team on a trip to Panama thought it was Poultry Tyrannulet, seriously.
 
'red-bellied woodpecker' should be renamed 'red-capped' or 'vermillion-capped' woodpecker.

On the lighter side, 'kinglets' should be renamed 'cuties' - e.g. ruby-crowned cutie.

Japanese white-eye should be renamed 'tittering little cowardly bastards'.
 
Why is using 'American' such a bad descriptor for some of these really 'classic' North American species? Should we also change all birds that are named after a continent? 'Australian' or 'Asian' etc.

Carlos
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Because this thread is meant to be light hearted and fun!!!...........but I see now that fugl had beaten me to the punch anyhow so 8-P
 
chris butterworth said:
'cos the majority of the planet ( regretfully ) considers 'American' to be the sole preserve of the USA, so leaving the much larger Canada and a huge chunk of Mexico out in the cold. 'American' is the Nearctic version of that supporating carbuncle on the English language 'Eurasian'. IMO ;) Chris
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Oh dear, Chris, might have gone with you for your first sentence alone, but 'Eurasian' is an incredibly apt portmanteau word... unless you can find a better single-word geographic descriptor that is also nicely vague but leaves no doubt about breeding distributions?:t:
MJB
PS I bet you've already noticed it should be 'suppurating'...:eek!:
 
redeyedvideo said:
With this in mind;

Red-flanked Bluetail - Orange-sided Chat
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Already called Orange-flanked Bush Robin by some (keeping it consistent with other Tarsigers).

And Redstart for Myioborus? Seriously? Surely it has to be Whitestart. I know a lot of folk already use this more sensible name, but it would be good to see Redstart officially consigned to the dustbin for these guys.

James
 
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