Formally we do not / should not use lower case for any bird names. In
this case it is potentially confusing though. The question probably
should be why is it Great Crested Grebe rather than Great-crested Grebe?
It is a fair question because so many bird names are written in the
format of Great-crested Grebe. Like Red-rumped Parrot. The difference
is, it is Red-rumped (similarly in so many other examples) because these
two words are related, the red is descriptive of the rump (at least in
males). It is not meaning it is a red parrot with a rump. However for
Great Crested Grebe the great is not descriptive of the crest (although
it could have been). It is a grebe and presumably was described as being
great (big) and with a crest. The name could equally be Crested Great
Grebe.
Philip
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Clayton
Sent: Monday, 14 June 2010 6:36 PM
To: 'Elizabeth Compston'; 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: great crested grebe
Elizabeth,
Regardless of which taxonomic authority you use, ALL common names for
species are capitalised. I don't use Christidis and Boles as it is now
already out of date but they use capitals, the IOC uses capitals,
Clements uses capitals and I am sure there are other lists out there and
they will also use capitals.
Cheers,
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Compston
Sent: Monday, 14 June 2010 6:21 PM
To: Canberra Birds
Subject: great crested grebe
I was at the new lake at Dulop this afternoon. had not realised
what a big lake it was. I was delighted to see a pair of Great
CrestednGrebes, a pair of musk ducks, and a pair of Australasian
Grebes. (Why do we use capital letters for some birds and lower case
for others?)
Also at Googong Dam on Wednesday, I saw a pair of musk ducks.
There is Grasslands Nature Reserve at Dunlop. And it sure is only
grassland, not a tree or shrub to be seen. But it seems to me that
it would be a real fire hazard in windy conditions, even if the
weather was not hot. Anyone know anything about it. The street
beside it is Kerrigan and there are lots of houses around
Elizabeth
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