birding-aus

Re: Blacknecked Jabiru

To: "'Greg Clancy'" <>, <>
Subject: Re: Blacknecked Jabiru
From: "Tony Russell" <>
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2005 09:45:45 +0930

I really can’t work up too much enthusiasm about all this bird name debate. As long as we understand which bird we are referring to with our abbreviations and local names  (and during discussion if this is in doubt don’t we always ask ?), then who gives a monkey’s.

Any academic paper usually refers to a bird’s Latin, or New Latin, or Greek name, or whatever scientific nomenclature is appropriate, thus keeping the purists happy, so what’s the big deal?  Getting to actually see them is the challenge.

 

Tony Russell

 

-----Original Message-----
From: [ On Behalf Of Greg Clancy
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2005 11:12 PM
To:
Cc: Birding-aus
Subject: [BIRDING-AUS] Re: Blacknecked Jabiru

 

Hi Michael,

 

I will attempt to answer your question as to why 'Australian Jabiru' should be less acceptable than 'Australian Raven'.  Australia owns the Australian Raven, however we share ownership of the Black-necked Stork with India, South-east Asia and Papua New Guinea.  So it is not just 'Australian'.  The Black-necked Stork was originally described in 1770 by Latham from the asian race.  The species has been known as Black-necked Stork throughout its range, with the exception of Australia, for many years. The name was not concocted by Birds Australia to upset local birdos.  It is the accepted common name of the species throughout most of its range. The South American Jabiru is in its own genus Jabiru, so both its common and scientific names include the word Jabiru.  The Black-necked Stork has only superficial resemblance to the Jabiru being far more similar to the African Saddle-billed Stork, with which it has been grouped in the genus Ephippiorhynchus.  If it is considered acceptable to call our stork the 'Australian Jabiru' and to drop the 'Australian' for everyday use then it should be acceptable to call it 'Black-necked Stork' and to refer to it as 'stork' in everday usage.

 

I know I won't convince the die-hards out there but I have changed my stand on this issue from being totally against 'Black-necked Stork' to understanding why it has been applied and now I actually like the name.  We are never too old to change!

 

Greg

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