I recall about twenty five years ago, a committee of almost all
foreign Ornithologists decided to change a large number names commonly used
by Australian birdwatchers to names that they felt were more appropriate,
including those of Jabiru and Torres Strait Imperial Pigeon. The original
names had always been used by white Australians, not necessarily
birdwatchers, and although some , like Crested Pigeon, applied to different
birds in different areas, on the whole the original names were appropriate,
often deacriptive, with geographic and probably historic significance.
The sterile new list met with considerable opposition from the troops
on the ground, but the RAOU was as I recall , controlled by aliens who would
not brook interference by Australian born igroramuses, and, up until now ,
no effective opposition to those names ever emerged.
After a quarter century, perhaps a review of "common names" is in
order.
Cheers
Micxhael
Michael Hunter
Mulgoa Valley
50km west of Sydney Harbour Bridge
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