Well, my grandmother who I got the name "Happy Families" from was an
avid birdwatcher. We also called them Apostlebirds. Farmers and
pastoralists often have a greater understanding of their land and the
fauna on it than people give them credit for. A few I've met find it
frustrating that they don't know the "proper" name, but they can tell
you where to find the bird once they know which one you mean.
Sorry to sound ranty.
Chris - Brisbane
On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 21:43:38 +1000, Philip A. Veerman
<> wrote:
>
> How many people who use the names Happy Families, Lousy Jacks and 12
> Apostles, realise that babblers, apostlebirds and choughs are different
> things? Just as all raptors are big "chicken hawks" and little "chicken
> hawks". And if they do, do they realise that not all babblers are the one
> species.
>
> I am not knocking the names, I suppose there is nothing more intrinsically
> dopey about the name Happy Families, compared to Willie Wagtail, 12
> Apostles, 28 parrot or Apostlebird, they are just labels. Although it
> stretches the grammar when you report one Happy Families!
>
> Philip
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