The Gray Go-away Bird (1 Viewer)

I'm intrigued.

I just spent the last hour googling this bird but can't seem to find an article on how its name came to be. There are plenty of articles but none (that I read) citing why it was named that. Does anyone know?

It looks like the generic family "Go-Away" is named after its call, then the particular species name modifies it, ie Gray, White-bellied, Bare-faced, etc. I found the below with Google.

From the Honolulu Zoo's page on White-bellied Go-Away bird:

"These birds usually fly very noisily from one tree to another. Their voice consists of one or two syllable barks with some longer wailing notes. Their call consists of a loud and nasal "gwaa." When they are calling, it is almost as if they are saying "go-wayeer" hence the name of the Go-Away bird. They are often seen single, or in pairs. When spotted they are usually perched on a tree branch noisily telling others to "go away." Their call is very helpful to prey animals because they will start calling loudly when a predator such as a leopard enters it's territory."

Thanks very much for that Dave.

You obviously haven't been to the drier parts of Kenya, where the typical "go-away_ is a common sound of the bush. I love 'em anyway))

I saw lots of them in Kruger National Park, South Africa, last month. Here's one. The call never sounded anything like "Go away" to me!

In my two African field guides the name is explained like this:

- "All often sit exposed in the canopy of trees, and some utter loud onomatopoeic calls (hence go-away-bird)" (on Go-away-birds in general, from Stevenson & Fanshawe's 'Field guide to the birds of East Africa').

- "CALL. A harsh, nasal 'waaaay' or 'kay-waaaay', from which it derives its vernacular name of 'Go-away bird'." (taken from the description of the Grey Lourie/Go-away bird in Sinclair & Hockley's 'The larger illustrated guide to birds of Southern Africa').

Best regards,

Iben

Thanks to all that chimed in here.

The name of the bird really surprised me. Just seems so........ I don't know unscientific?