Thickknees/UQ

["Greg" <>]

'Stone-curlew' is the 'official' common name ending for both species in 
Christidis and Boles 1994.  'Rufous Night Heron is 'officially' Nankeen 
Night Heron.
It is interesting that so many people have picked up on 'Thick-knee' and 
'Rufous Night Heron' as they were only ever proposed official names as far 
as I am aware.  Usually people fight for decades against the new names.
I don't mind 'Rufous Night Heron' as it is more accurate but it was rejected 
as people considered that 'Nankeen' had a more interesting ring to it. 
Nankeen used to refer to a rufous colour but now refers to a yellow colour. 
The Nankeen Kestrel was proposed to be called the Australian Kestrel and 
this has stuck with some people too despite it being retained as Nankeen 
Kestrel. I think that the problem arose because a field guide was published 
at the time that these names were being bandied about.

Anyway that is my understanding of what happened.  Brain's trust please 
correct me if I am wrong?


Greg Clancy