What Bird Names Would You Change? (2 Viewers)

[birdboybowley]

Mew Gull is N American species, now split from our Common, so in this case not a good illustrative point.

 

[Ben88]

Golden Swamp Warbler is a much better name for Prothonotary Warbler. It describes the bird perfectly, and it's what Audubon called it. The etymology of the current name is confusing: http://birdaz.com/blog/2013/03/07/the-prothonotary-warbler-you-sure-about-that/.

 

[fugl]

Golden Swamp Warbler is a much better name for Prothonotary Warbler. It describes the bird perfectly, and it's what Audubon called it. The etymology of the current name is confusing: http://birdaz.com/blog/2013/03/07/the-prothonotary-warbler-you-sure-about-that/.

Interesting article--thanks for the link. But why on earth anyone would wish to get rid of a name with such a fascinating history escapes me. Who cares if the etymology is "confusing"?

 

[LabradorDuck]

Interesting article--thanks for the link. But why on earth anyone would wish to get rid of a name with such a fascinating history escapes me. Who cares if the etymology is "confusing"?

Agreed. "Golden Swamp Warbler" seems too long for a name, anyway. For some reason, I find two-word names optimal in most cases. One-word names sound like they should either be colloquial terms or broad categories, while three-word names sound clunky and over the top (hyphens help sometimes, but not always). Two-word names are usually just right. Is this leakage from the Latin nomenclature, or is it really just some Goldilocks thing?

 

[fugl]

Agreed. "Golden Swamp Warbler" seems too long for a name, anyway. For some reason, I find two-word names optimal in most cases. One-word names sound like they should either be colloquial terms or broad categories, while three-word names sound clunky and over the top (hyphens help sometimes, but not always). Two-word names are usually just right. Is this leakage from the Latin nomenclature, or is it really just some Goldilocks thing?

Interesting, but is it as matter of how the name sounds or of how it looks on the page? "Pileated Woodpecker" (2 words, 6 syllables) vs "Golden Swamp Warbler" (3 words, 5 syllables)? As for one-word names, some of them are among my favorites: "Sanderling", for example, and "Dunlin", evocative as they are of sandy beaches and muddy foreshores. And then there are "Ruff" and "Smew" and "Goosander", wonderful names all in their different ways.

 

[Robert Wallace]

I can not see the point of ever changing bird names. The whole point of a name is so everyone knows what you are talking about. Once a name is changed then only the select few know what it is. Stick to existing names , we all know what a common gull is and yet some daft bird reports have started to call them mew gulls. It took me some time to know what their propper name was common gull and as yet I have never met anyone in the field talk of mew gulls. A name is a name . Full stop.

The good news is that by and large we ignore change. Who in the UK uses barn swallow, Northern Gannet etc ...? I was amused when Bryan Nelson an ornithologist that I greatly respect and admire, produced after many years a second edition of "The Gannet" and renamed it "Atlantic Gannet" in contrast to "Northern Gannet" the latest name in the field guides.
Me? I still call lapwings, peewits and little grebes, dabchicks! The latter in respect of Enid Blyton.

 

[JeffMoh]

I think Bald Eagle is a demeaning name for such a magnificent bird. Something like Imperial White-crowned Eagle would be more fitting.
Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

[Geoff WORCS]

mippits ! mippits ! what muppet came up with that !

 

[fugl]

I think Bald Eagle is a demeaning name for such a magnificent bird. Something like Imperial White-crowned Eagle would be more fitting.
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

Something with "Imperial" in its name, is just what we don't need as our national symbol at this point in our history. Besides, it would be such a cliche, an "imperial eagle" of one kind or another having been the symbol of half the empires of Europe from Roman times onwards.

 

[Mysticete]

Eh I like Bald Eagle...It has character, and is a relatively short name.

 

[fugl]

Eh I like Bald Eagle...It has character, and is a relatively short name.

I agree. It's a fine name.

 

[Richard Klim]

I think Bald Eagle is a demeaning name for such a magnificent bird. Something like Imperial White-crowned Eagle would be more fitting.

But it's not a 'true' eagle. 'Bald Fish-scavenger' would be more accurate.

Only joking - I don't want to spoil the US-UK special relationship.

 

[Euan Buchan]

I'd call a Great Tit a Green Tit just because its almost a green bird

 

[david kelly]

But it's not a 'true' eagle. 'Bald Fish-scavenger' would be more accurate.

Only joking - I don't want to spoil the US-UK special relationship.

Actually, I think Jefferson shared your disdain and wanted the Wild Turkey as the symbol of the newly fledged United States.

David

 

[fugl]

Actually, I think Jefferson shared your disdain and wanted the Wild Turkey as the symbol of the newly fledged United States

It was Franklin not Jefferson and much as I admire the man I'm not at all unhappy that he lost that one!

 

[chris butterworth]

But it's not a 'true' eagle. 'Bald Fish-scavenger' would be more accurate.

Only joking - I don't want to spoil the US-UK special relationship.

Vulturine Sea-eagle?

Chris

Hang on. It's an American bird so ...... Condoresque Sea-eagle. Descriptive, places it in the correct group of raptors and fulfills the N. American need for newly minted words.

c

Hang on 2. In line with words like 'mollusk' etc it would be 'Condoresk'

c

 

[MJB]

Actually, I think Jefferson shared your disdain and wanted the Wild Turkey as the symbol of the newly fledged United States. David

Perhaps it was no coincidence that in the USA in the 1930s when an aircraft prototype was produced and the test pilot thought it handled badly, he would say "It's a Turkey" (in its flying ability)...?:eek!:
MJB

 

[Richard Klim]

Perhaps it was no coincidence that in the USA in the 1930s when an aircraft prototype was produced and the test pilot thought it handled badly, he would say "It's a Turkey" (in its flying ability)...?

...probably soon followed by "Sorry, crew. I think we're stuffed..."

 

[fugl]

Perhaps it was no coincidence that in the USA in the 1930s when an aircraft prototype was produced and the test pilot thought it handled badly, he would say "It's a Turkey" (in its flying ability)...?:eek!:
MJB

"Turkey" as an all-purpose insult is well established in the States. "How can I soar like an eagle if I work with turkeys" used to be a commonplace here on bumper stickers, office bulletin boards etc.

 

[MJB]

"Turkey" as an all-purpose insult is well established in the States. "How can I soar like an eagle if I work with turkeys" used to be a commonplace here on bumper stickers, office bulletin boards etc.

Yeah, Seen them in several states. it's generous of those with delusions of grandeur or with superiority complexes to identify themselves so publicly - it enables the rest of us to keep well out of their way. I wonder if there is such a thing as a scope sticker with messages like that?:t:
MJB