As far as I know common names aren't bound by rules like scientific names,
so...can there be official names? It seems like the sweeping changes made to
names since the 1970s, though in general well thought out, are arbitrary.
Cas
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Greg
Sent: Friday, 6 April 2007 4:54 PM
To: Tim Murphy; John Leonard; Birding-aus
Subject: Thickknees/UQ
'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
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