Are bird names supposed to be written in capital letters? (1 Viewer)

[JeffMoh]

By "amateur birding community" I take it you mean competitive listers among whom keeping ticks straight is a high priority? A "little tern" isn't necessarily "countable" after all while a "Little Tern" most certainly is. Bird watchers/lovers in general I should think would have no more interest in capitalization and standardized names than such other large and passionate hobbyist groups as anglers or gardeners. The question then becomes why a comparatively small number of twitchers should have gotten their way to the extent that they have. ??

I think your example of little gull shows why initial capitals are a good idea. In speech we can use word stress and intonation to distinguish between a little gull and a Little Gull or a yellow warbler and a Yellow Warbler. In writing, all we have are caps.
Jeff

 

[Richard Klim]

I think your example of little gull shows why initial capitals are a good idea. In speech we can use word stress and intonation to distinguish between a little gull and a Little Gull or a yellow warbler and a Yellow Warbler. In writing, all we have are caps.

I commented earlier (sorry, rather bluntly)...

Birders frequently trot out examples such as 'little owl' as creating ambiguity, but in practice a reader would usually need to be exceptionally thick to be unable to see from the context whether an author was using a general description or referring to a particular species.

 

[fugl]

I think your example of little gull shows why initial capitals are a good idea. In speech we can use word stress and intonation to distinguish between a little gull and a Little Gull or a yellow warbler and a Yellow Warbler. In writing, all we have are caps.
Jeff

I didn't say, of course, that they're not a good idea but was just speculating on why leading capitals are commoner in bird names than in those of other taxa. Personally, I approve of them for birds but not necessarily for plants and other animals but then, like many here, I'm a bird chauvinist and, unlike some, don't make a fetish of logic & consistency in matters of English usage.

It's amazing to me how much interest there is on this subject, this being the second long thread devoted to it in recent weeks.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Andy,
I was referencing the 'Little Tank' of Leutnant Hubert Gruber in 'Allo, 'Allo...
MJB

Sorry Mike,
I don't watch the tv much, only rugby where we don't seem to do that well since it turned professional, and ocasionally other sports and the odd "nature" programme.

 

[Nutcracker]

The common terns on the Farne Islands are Arctic Terns and Sandwich Terns, whereas Common Terns are not common

 

[Barred Wobbler]

The common terns on the Farne Islands are Arctic Terns and Sandwich Terns, whereas Common Terns are not common

And yet without the spurious capitals the syntax would make the meaning clear.

Proper nouns, capitalise.

Common nouns, don't.

 

[jmepler]

And yet without the spurious capitals the syntax would make the meaning clear.

Proper nouns, capitalise.

Common nouns, don't.

I saw a black-headed gull. Which species was it?

 

[Silverwolf]

I saw a black-headed gull. Which species was it?

Even though there could be confusion, and there is a difference between the intention of describing a species group rather than a specific species, I'm not sure this is reason enough to dispute that nouns should always be lowercase except when referring to name or location. Except when capitalized in a heading or start of sentence.

 

[dantheman]

I saw a bar-headed goose ... better that than the liquor store, I guess.

 

[fugl]

I saw a bar-headed goose ... better that than the liquor store, I guess.

Nice one

B

 

[halftwo]

I saw a black-headed gull. Which species was it?

To me this epitomises (do I mean encapsulates?) the whole argument succinctly.

Well said.

 

[Richard Klim]

I saw a black-headed gull. Which species was it?

To me this epitomises (do I mean encapsulates?) the whole argument succinctly.

Well said.

But if it was said, how would anyone know how it was spelled?

 

[chris butterworth]

But if it was said, how would anyone know how it was spelled?

Also, ( and this goes against the grain :C ) it is written "black-headed gull" not "black headed gull".

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Also, ( and this goes against the grain :C ) it is written "black-headed gull" not "black headed gull".

Oh lordy, I can now see this thread going on for another ten pages on the appropriate use of hyphenation in modern English.

*finds the appropriate chapter in 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves', loads the pistols ...

 

[dantheman]

Oh lordy, I can now see this thread going on for another ten pages on the appropriate use of hyphenation in modern English.

*finds the appropriate chapter in 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves', loads the pistols ...

We're not here to panda to the grammar Police.

 

[Jos Stratford]

How many Siberian thrushes have been seen in Britain?

 

[chris butterworth]

How many Siberian thrushes have been seen in Britain?

..... or greenish warblers?

 

[redeyedvideo]

I saw a black-headed gull. Which species was it?

Did you hear it call? Was it laughing?

We're not here to panda to the grammar Police.

Why the capital 'p'?

 

[Nutcracker]

Why the capital 'p'?

To indicate that it is a species (of Louse), Police being the plural of the Polouse

 

[halftwo]

I've seen that car!