I agree with Ronald Orenstein that it's a pity that compilers of
world-check-lists don't pay more attention to the English names established
and used in eg Australia and South Africa.
However surely the latest information on eg species, lumping, splitting and
so forth for eg Australian birds is found in Australian publications, eg
Christides and Boles. If the compilers of world-checklists aren't looking at
these publications then their check-lists must be lacking in information
about the latest research, and if they are looking at them then why don't
they have the courtesy to use the English names estalished there?
A second point, such a guide as 'Where to Watch Birds in Australasia and
Oceania' should use the 'local' English names, because anyone visiting
Australia, especially for only the first or second time is likely to be
using that work in conjunction with a field guide, which will be using local
English names. I imagine that international bird-watchers will be using such
a book in conjucntion with field guides and only consulting world-lists and
so forth on their return. The place for bothering about names and world
check-lists is back at home, the place for botherign about identification is
in the field, with a field guide, and, one would hope, a where to guide that
was consonant with the field guide.
John Leonard
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
John Leonard (Dr),
PO Box 243,
Woden, ACT 2606,
Australia
seen recently on golf-buggy:
'Unregistered Vehicle Permit' :-)
http://www.spirit.net.au/~jleonard
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
To unsubscribe from this list, please send a message to
Include ONLY "unsubscribe birding-aus" in the message body (without the
quotes)
|
