a_j_steele
Well-known member
Its a bit like Dunnock with regionally differences, over here there common garden birds yet in parts of spain there more mountain birds
The name comes from the 'purring' sound they make - which is 'tur - tur', so I don't regard the name as inappropriate.Turtle Doves look nothing like Turtles.
So Stutturing Dove would be better, they don't say Turtle?The name comes from the 'purring' sound they make - which is 'tur - tur', so I don't regard the name as inappropriate.
I knew a bloke at school, his name was Neil, which became Nelly, then Smelly, then Whiffalot and ultimately and forever, Whiff. So from tur, tur to turtle seems entirely reasonable to me!So Stutturing Dove would be better, they don't say Turtle?
I saw my first American Black Duck on ice next to Whooper Swans in flat light and at a distance: Black is accurate enough! Sooty would be even better....Black-capped Chickadee...as opposed to four other chickadee species that breed in North America?
American Black Duck. It's brown.
Ancient Murrelet. It's not that old.
Hairy Woodpecker. They're feathers, not hair.
American Pipit.
In an attempt to steer this thread into a parallel track, The scientific name of of Black-headed Gull is Chroicocephalus ridibundus, which species name could translate as 'Laughing Gull', whose real-life namesake's scientific name is Leucophaeus atricilla, this species name translating as 'dark-hooded'. Re the comment that Black-headed Gull's head is brown, that takes us to Brown-headed Gull C. brunnicephalus, whose species name is the only one in this mish-mash that not a misnomer!It occured to me the other day that many of our feathered friends have either misleading or inaccurate English names. I thought it might be fun to see how many the members can come up with. Please no duplication.
I will start with one highlighted to me by my 8 year old grandson
#1 Black-headed Gull (it's brown)
cheers alan
In an attempt to steer this thread into a parallel track, The scientific name of of Black-headed Gull is Chroicocephalus ridibundus, which species name could translate as 'Laughing Gull', whose real-life namesake's scientific name is Leucophaeus atricilla, this species name translating as 'dark-hooded'. Re the comment that Black-headed Gull's head is brown, that takes us to Brown-headed Gull C. brunnicephalus, whose species name is the only one in this mish-mash that not a misnomer!
MJB
PS I omitted inclusion of Brown-hooded Gull C. maculipennis to avoid making brains hurt too much...
This is why I don't do gulls (or one of the reasons )I think it's time for me to repeat my all-time favorite bird nomenclature anecdote.
Basically, knowing both Czech and English names of gulls will completely mess up with your head.
The Czech name for Lesser Black-Backed Gull translates to "yellow-legged gull",
the Czech name for Yellow-legged Gull translates to "mediterranean gull",
the Czech name for Mediterranean Gull translates to "black-headed gull",
the Czech name for Black-headed Gull translates to "laughing gull".
All the translations are straightforward and literal.
Basically, knowing both Czech and English names of gulls will completely mess up with your head.
The Czech name for Lesser Black-Backed Gull translates to "yellow-legged gull",
the Czech name for Yellow-legged Gull translates to "mediterranean gull",
the Czech name for Mediterranean Gull translates to "black-headed gull",
the Czech name for Black-headed Gull translates to "laughing gull".
I was itching for years, to get that on my list.What's wrong with American Pipit? Sooner or later someone will split japonicus. If you are going to nit-pick to that extent, then American Robin is not a Robin but a bad case of thrush!
John
I know photographers who can see Booted Warblers. Also Booted Eagles, Booted Rock Thrushes, Booted Robins....Otherwise I am still looking for the "buttons" on Buttonquails and the "boots" on Booted Warblers and haven't found them yet.
Such a beautiful birdGrey Wagtail