Posted on Nov 1, 2023
These American birds and dozens more will be renamed, to remove human monikers
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https://www.npr.org/2023/11/01/ [login to see] /these-american-birds-and-dozens-more-will-be-renamed-to-remove-human-monikers
Get ready to say goodbye to a lot of familiar bird names, like Anna's Hummingbird, Gambel's Quail, Lewis's Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Bullock's Oriole, and more.
That's because the American Ornithological Society has vowed to change the English names of all bird species currently named after people, along with any other bird names deemed offensive or exclusionary.
"Names have power and power can be for the good or it can be for the bad," says Colleen Handel, the society's president and a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska. "We want these names to be powerful in a really good way."
Get ready to say goodbye to a lot of familiar bird names, like Anna's Hummingbird, Gambel's Quail, Lewis's Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Bullock's Oriole, and more.
That's because the American Ornithological Society has vowed to change the English names of all bird species currently named after people, along with any other bird names deemed offensive or exclusionary.
"Names have power and power can be for the good or it can be for the bad," says Colleen Handel, the society's president and a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska. "We want these names to be powerful in a really good way."
These American birds and dozens more will be renamed, to remove human monikers
Posted from npr.org
Birding
Racism
Native Americans
American History
Civil War
Posted 7 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
...""Names have power and power can be for the good or it can be for the bad," says Colleen Handel, the society's president and a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska. "We want these names to be powerful in a really good way."
The move comes as part of a broader effort to diversify birding and make it more welcoming to people of all races and backgrounds.
"We've come to understand that there are certain names that have offensive or derogatory connotations that cause pain to people, and that it is important to change those, to remove those as barriers to their participation in the world of birds," she says.
The project will begin next year and initially focus on 70 to 80 bird species that occur primarily in the United States and Canada. That's about 6 or 7 percent of the total species in this geographic region.
The society has promised to engage the public, and says that birds' scientific names won't be changed as part of this initiative.
The effort represents a huge change for the birding community, and those involved expect a certain amount of opposition from long-time birders.
"I've been seeing some of these birds and using these names every year for the last 60 years," says Kenn Kaufman, a prominent author of field guides. He says he initially opposed the idea of changing so many names, but has come around."...
...""Names have power and power can be for the good or it can be for the bad," says Colleen Handel, the society's president and a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska. "We want these names to be powerful in a really good way."
The move comes as part of a broader effort to diversify birding and make it more welcoming to people of all races and backgrounds.
"We've come to understand that there are certain names that have offensive or derogatory connotations that cause pain to people, and that it is important to change those, to remove those as barriers to their participation in the world of birds," she says.
The project will begin next year and initially focus on 70 to 80 bird species that occur primarily in the United States and Canada. That's about 6 or 7 percent of the total species in this geographic region.
The society has promised to engage the public, and says that birds' scientific names won't be changed as part of this initiative.
The effort represents a huge change for the birding community, and those involved expect a certain amount of opposition from long-time birders.
"I've been seeing some of these birds and using these names every year for the last 60 years," says Kenn Kaufman, a prominent author of field guides. He says he initially opposed the idea of changing so many names, but has come around."...
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