Recently, while leading a birdwatching tour, I casually mentioned to my tour group that I was a fan of birds with one-word names. We had reached a point in the tour where we were becoming familiar and comfortable with one another (and we’d been talking about Dovekie for some reason), so I thought nothing of…Continue readingThe Morepork (and Four Other Ridiculous Birds Named After Sounds)
Tag: names
I recently saw an Instagram post about the Powerful Woodpecker and – as happens every time I hear that spectacular name – a little tingle went down my spine. If you love a good bird name like I do, you simply must agree that this one really has it all. It’s simple, truthful, and evocative.…Continue readingPowerful Woodpecker, and the Other Best Bird Names in the World
I’ve been on a bit of a rant recently. First I ranted about how people behave around owls, then about people who don’t like seeing dead birds (or something to that effect). I’ve got more rants pre-loaded into the chute, too. There’s a never-ending supply, if we’re honest. But as much as everyone loves a…Continue readingA Stubborn Survivor – the Dovekie
As you might surmise, this post follows a Part 1 and a Part 2. It might be worth popping back and giving those a quick skim if you want to place the rest of this nonsense in context. Way back in Part 2 I discussed some of the proposed bird name changes in Wildlife Observer…Continue readingThe Names of Birds Named After People – Part 3
This post references two recent blog posts that are well worth reading, and they are: Renaming the Birds of North America – 2020-06-15 – Wildlife Observer Network Rename All Birds Named After White People – 2019-06-23 – 10,000 Birds In The Names of Birds Named After People – Part 1 we took a look at…Continue readingThe Names of Birds Named After People – Part 2
This post references two recent blog posts that are well worth reading, and they are: Renaming the Birds of North America – 2020-06-15 – Wildlife Observer Network Rename All Birds Named After White People – 2019-06-23 – 10,000 Birds As long as there have been English names for birds (presumably), there have been ongoing debates…Continue readingThe Names of Birds Named After People – Part 1