The Stilt Issue

[John Harris <>]

I think in the end you have to stick with the old name with Australian in front of it. If you can give it a better descriptive name, no doubt someone will have pinched it already and you would still have to put 'Australian' in front of it as we do with dozens of birds already. There seems little point in a less descriptive name. We only need the Australian part in technical situations such as technical writing or reporting on eBird and they give you the name automatically. In normal situations we mostly drop the Australian anyway and are happy with magpie or spotted crake or wood duck or painted snipe or whatever. Or at least I am but perhaps I am not representative

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From: ken black <>
Sent: Friday, 19 August 2016 7:50:14 PM
To: 'David McDonald (personal)';
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] The Stilt Issue

 

Thanks David, should have checked that (and looking at its photos definitely suits).

Doesn't seem to be a Black-naped Stilt? Even though is broader than the nape.

 

From: David McDonald (personal) [
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2016 6:40 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] The Stilt Issue

 

Yes Ken, but there is already a Black-necked Stilt in the Americas - David

On 19/08/2016 5:44 PM, ken black wrote:

Hi Geoffrey, almost anything other than White-headed Stilt given the white head of the Banded Stilt. Would like Black-necked Stilt to fit observation of the birds.

 

From: Geoffrey Dabb
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2016 5:01 PM
To:
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] The Stilt Issue

 

Thanks to all who responded to the below.  I have 15 replies.  Anyone else like to offer a view?  Reasons are of interest, but not necessary.  I’ll circulate a summary of the result.  g

 

From: Geoffrey Dabb
Sent: Thursday, 18 August 2016 9:55 AM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] The Stilt Issue

 

One of our local bird species, the Black-winged Stilt, has recently undergone a change of status in the Australian list, reverting to Himantopus leucocephalus (the original Gould name).   There are various possibilities for an English name:

 

Australian Black-winged Stilt

Pied Stilt

White-headed Stilt

Yapping Stilt (to overcome confusing plumage-based names)

 

I’d be interested in the result of an informal vote by chatline members on these possibilities.  Could I ask each of you to let me know your preference?

 

gd

 

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