How did American ornithology wind up with a committee that has the oxymoronic task of giving birds "official" common names, anyway? Everything biological already has a "universal" scientific name. Charlie Paterson Colorado Springs
On Fri, Nov 3, 2023 at 11:11 AM Susan Rosine <[email protected]> wrote: > WELL PUT! BRAVO!!!!!! > > Susan > > On Fri, Nov 3, 2023, 11:07 AM Mark Minner-lee <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> It’s been forever since I’ve seen such a passionate conversation about a >> birding topic so I’ll throw my two cents in. >> >> 1. Call the birds whatever you want, my priority in life is to enjoy >> them and advocate for their continued existence. The name in my humble >> opinion the name has only been a marker of distinction not of importance. >> >> 2. If people are truly not interested in helping with >> conservation/protection over the name of a bird then they are already not >> focused on helping birds anyway. Changing the name isn’t going to make a >> difference in driving their ultimate support. >> >> 3. Let’s stop stepping over hundred dollar bills to pick up pennies - >> there are a multitude of issues with more significance and impact that we >> can devote our energy to if it is the welfare or birds that we are truly >> interested in. Let’s make the changes and move on to bigger and better >> things! >> >> In other words at the end of the day just go out and keep enjoying birds >> while they are still here - the names do not matter. >> >> Regards, >> >> Mark Minner-Lee >> Erie, CO >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Nov 3, 2023, at 9:19 AM, Susan Rosine <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> I would vote for Marsh Hawk, Sunrise Phoebe and Stellar Jay! I would also >> like Rufous-sided Towhee back. The ones in the Pacific Northwest aren't >> very spotted, and have more rufous than ones in Colorado. >> Susan Rosine >> Brighton >> >> On Fri, Nov 3, 2023, 9:10 AM Peter Ruprecht <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Megan's suggestion for a wonderfully lyrical new name for our "dryland >>> phoebe" delights me. A descriptive name is an improvement over an eponym, >>> but a descriptive name that poetically celebrates the essence of the bird >>> is even better. "Thick-billed" certainly beats "McCown's", but does it >>> really do justice to a bird whose buoyant song-flight over an open prairie >>> at dawn is a true wonder of nature? Perhaps we can follow the example of >>> the odonates community who standardized the common names for dragonflies >>> with creative and mellifluous ones like "boghaunter" and "sundragon". >>> >>> If we think about naming a species for its habitat, let's keep in mind >>> that its breeding habitat or the area that we most associate with it might >>> not be where it lives for most of the year. In Colorado, Lincoln's Sparrow >>> could accurately be called Willow Sparrow, but that might be confusing to >>> people who see it in its nonbreeding range (where it spends the majority of >>> its time). Similarly with Baird's -> Tundra Sandpiper. >>> >>> We may also want to consider the current preferred names for parts of a >>> bird, particularly the upper front of the torso. These days, something like >>> "Crescent-chested" sounds better to a lot of people than "Buff-breasted". >>> >>> Finally, while we're at it, could we please consider reverting Northern >>> Harrier to Marsh Hawk? :) >>> >>> Peter Ruprecht >>> Superior >>> >>> On Thu, Nov 2, 2023 at 11:04 PM Megan Miller < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> I am a freshly minted 31 year old and I have been part of Colorados >>>> birding community for around 20 years. I grew up here, found my passion for >>>> birds and wildlife here, and built a career out of it. It was very >>>> difficult and now that I am here the path forward doesn’t feel any easier. >>>> We still have great challenges to overcome to create a better planet for >>>> birds and people. >>>> >>>> A few years ago when discussion about changing bird names moved >>>> through twitter and instagram I was also initially hesitant. I love >>>> Wilson’s Warblers with all of my heart. But the more I learned about some >>>> (but not all) of the men that described these species the more it seemed >>>> that they were murderers first and avian hobbyists on the side. I think >>>> there are plenty of platforms to remember the people who described and >>>> categorized all these birds and it’s time to move on to new naming >>>> conventions. >>>> >>>> I know for a lot of younger birders this feels important because we >>>> feel we have so little power the change our world for the better. It feels >>>> like a tiny step to building a community fitting to our and future >>>> generations. I do think it’s inevitable and it is only a small change >>>> considering the changes that could face us in the coming years. >>>> >>>> I think Says Phoebe should be called Sunrise Phoebe. >>>> >>>> Megan Miller >>>> Pueblo, Co >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >>> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >>> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >>> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAHPXVBaiHYV2b%3D-b0WsrPMpQdUh_ZZUrhHYEwtqaHAAHhwn%2BrQ%40mail.gmail.com >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAHPXVBaiHYV2b%3D-b0WsrPMpQdUh_ZZUrhHYEwtqaHAAHhwn%2BrQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CACPnx8UFT48d62ju6zQjxPNNVPTvEK7-uCOXPBjUvyNYV1t%2B5A%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CACPnx8UFT48d62ju6zQjxPNNVPTvEK7-uCOXPBjUvyNYV1t%2B5A%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en > * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include > bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate > * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CACPnx8VMgR76ax9mwCj3p4-RXCNXm772W70w%3DwC%2B-maBRvXTiQ%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CACPnx8VMgR76ax9mwCj3p4-RXCNXm772W70w%3DwC%2B-maBRvXTiQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAKNJKZY_obzOHGdW1%2B%2Busg0J42anQcTjPrd8oqGHGRcYwKPeKw%40mail.gmail.com.
