Jacana
Will Jones

So, we've had several threads on the topic of changing English names. But as the AOS seem to be about to make sweeping changes to remove patronyms from birds in their area, it might be good to have a thread dedicated to the changes. Some of the species will have alternative names which are already in use and the change will be easy. Others will be more challenging to find a suitable replacement.
They're starting with species with ranges "primarily within the USA and Canada". By my reckoning, there are 90-ish species (using IOC taxonomy) which have a patronym and can be found in the US/Canada.
Rather than have another argument about the merits of removing patronyms or not (let's save that for one of the many threads on the topic). Why not let us have some fun and come up with/predict some of the new names that we will have to become familiar with.
Here is a list of the species I've come up with:
Ross's Goose
Steller's Eider
Barrow's Goldeneye
Gambel's Quail
Vaux's Swift
Rivoli's Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Costa's Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
Ridgway's Rail
Clark's Grebe
Wilson's Plover
Baird's Sandpiper
Wilson's Snipe
Wilson's Phalarope
Sabine's Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Ross's Gull
Franklin's Gull
Heermann's Gull
Cabot's Tern
Forster's Tern
Kittlitz's Murrelet
Scripps's Murrelet
Craveri's Murrelet
Cassin's Auklet
Wilson's Storm Petrel
Leach's Storm Petrel
Tristram's Storm Petrel
Murphy's Petrel
Cook's Petrel
Cory's Shearwater
Buller's Shearwater
Newell's Shearwater
Audubon's Shearwater
Brandt's Cormorant
Cooper's Hawk
Harris's Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Lewis's Woodpecker
Williamson's Sapsucker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Say's Phoebe
Hammond's Flycatcher
Couch's Kingbird
Cassin's Kingbird
Hutton's Vireo
Cassin's Vireo
Bell's Vireo
Steller's Jay
Woodhouse's Scrub Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Bewick's Wren
Bendire's Thrasher
LeConte's Thrasher
Townsend's Solitaire
Swainson's Thrush
Bicknell's Thrush
Sprague's Pipit
Cassin's Finch
Lawrence's Goldfinch
Smith's Longspur
McKay's Bunting
Botteri's Sparrow
Cassin's Sparrow
Bachman's Sparrow
Brewer's Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
Bell's Sparrow
LeConte's Sparrow
Nelson's Sparrow
Baird's Sparrow
Henslow's Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Abert's Towhee
Scott's Oriole
Audubon's Oriole
Bullock's Oriole
Brewer's Blackbird
Bachman's Warbler
Swainson's Warbler
Lucy's Warbler
Virginia's Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Kirtland's Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Audubon's Warbler
Grace's Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Morelet's Seedeater
And here is a link to a Google Sheet where I'll keep track of ideas people come up with: AOS renaming
Last edited: