Agree with all this, except that I wouldn't want anyone to hold back
from posting for fear of getting a name wrong. I'm also cool with
whatever you want to call things if you explain it as you go.
As well as wanting to be able to understand the postings, I'd like to be
able to search for them in the archives, and having to enter heaps of
alternatives doesn't make that easy sometimes.
Peter Shute
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> On Behalf Of Chris Baxter
> Sent: Tuesday, 22 July 2008 10:10 AM
> To: Birding-Aus
> Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Common Names Discussion
>
>
> Hi All
>
> I have been birdwatching for a long time and have heard and
> know most alternative common names. Over time I have used
> quite a few of them as well. Taxonomic listings do change
> over time as do recommended common names. In hindsight,
> perhaps suggesting we all should try to use consistent common
> names as laid out in Christidis and Boles on the birding-aus
> forum was a bit over the top. I do know all or pretty much
> all of the common names and scientific names as laid out in
> C&B from memory as I refer to it quite often when writing up
> reports etc. I do try to use them in conversation as well in
> order to educate those people around me into using acceptable
> terminology.
>
> However, it is not alays the case for me. For example, I call
> a Boobook Owl just that and not a Southern Boobook as
> suggested by C&B. But if writing a report or scientific paper
> then I adhere strictly to C&B common names. I do realize now
> that I am not altogether opposed to using alternative common
> names and abbreviations if they are sane and sensible
> options. For example, I have no problem with Scrub Turkey or
> Brush Turkey; Fairy Penguin or Little Penguin; Reef Heron or
> Reef Egret; Sacred Ibis or White Ibis; Jabiru or Black-necked
> Stork; Pied Stilt or Black-winged Stilt; Marsh Harrier or
> Swamp Harrier; Feral Pigeon or Rock Dove; Blue-winged
> Shoveler or Australasian Shoveler; Marsh Tern or Whiskered
> Tern; Little Grebe or Australasian Grebe; White-rumped Miner
> or Yellow-throated Miner; Crimson-winged Parrot or red-winged
> Parrot; Ground Thrush or Bassian Thrush. I also do use and
> have no problem with abbreviations such as BIFCUS for
> Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and HE for Honeyeater. These
> abbreviations refer back to an acceptable/accurate common name.
>
> However, I certainly do not agree with using corny names that
> any person with just the smallest amount of effort and
> knowledge would realize are not acceptable, are ambiguous and
> confusing; are only for those people who do not know any
> better. If a person is new to birdwatching then why corrupt
> them with these inaccurate common names from the start. It
> just compounds the problem. For example: Shag for Cormorant
> (we do have a shag-the Imperial Shag-why not confine the name
> to it); Blue Heron for White-faced Heron; Spur-winged Plover
> for Masked Lapwing (there are Lapwing species throughout the
> world and our bird is one of them); Sea Gull for Silver Gull
> (both are easy to say, so why not use the correct one-a
> Pacific Gull is a seagull as well); Greenie for White-plumed
> HE; Whiskies for Whiskered Tern; Wattlejack for Red
> Wattlebird; Chicken Hawks for the Accipiters; Murray
> Magpie/Peewee for Magpie-lark (it is not a magpie-not closely
> related to one and so why call it one); Jay for Currawong;
> robin red breast for Scarlet Robin. I remember using these
> names as a kid when I did not know any better and cringe at
> the thought of using them now.
>
> As for some of the names listed in the email accompanying
> this and others sent in about this discussion, I am somewhat
> horrified to think you would seriously consider using them in
> emails to this forum. Remember, that is what my initial
> posting pertained to - what is acceptable common name usage
> on this forum. If you want to use slang names (such as
> "butter-butts" for Yellow-rumped Thornbill) amongst each
> other in the field then that is up to you. I hope not though!
> However, that is a different topic altogether to what I am on
> about. So, all of those of you that still think that the
> slang names you have mentioned in your emails are still Ok
> for this forum - then please confirm yes or no as it is a
> completely different thing to saying you use them in the
> field as opposed to using them here on this forum. Yes, if
> you are alongside your mate and see a Swamp Harrier and call
> it a Marshie, then good for you. It is obvious what you are
> looking at and what you mean. But if you were to send an
> email to this forum and talked to us about marshies (Marh
> Tern, Marsh Harrier or Marsh Sandpiper??);
> butter-bums(butts)(what-are you serious!!-demeaning to the
> bird and surely we can do better than that); barwits (I know
> immediately what it means but its lazy and should be left in
> the field); wedgies, woodies, reddies, bloods, diamys,
> spagga, spoggies, poms etc. Please! Some of that sounds a lot
> like cage bird industry jargon to me and surely not for here.
>
> Finally, back to the one that got me started on this in the
> first place - Double-bars for Double-banded Plover. This is
> not an accurate or acceptable common name to use on this
> forum as it is exactly what I said it was earlier-inaccurate
> and misleading. Sure, as someone pointed out one can soon
> cotton on to what bird is meant as it was in the context of a
> wader roosting site. However, that is not the point. Why not
> call them what they are and if they were to be shortened they
> would be called Double-bands (perish the thought).
> Double-bars as we all know are the Double-barred Finch and a
> terminology widely used by many. Once again I think it is a
> slang name that should be left in the field (when talking
> amongst mates) and not for here.
>
> Well, I got a topic of conversation going here and that has
> to be good. I disagree with the person who said we should be
> talking about birds and not rules for this forum. This is
> about birds and definitely extends beyond this forum. It is,
> in my humble opinion, something that should be talked about
> and if it brings a little bit more professionalism into the
> Australian birding fold-then good for it.
>
> Cheers
>
> Chris Baxter
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> On Behalf Of Grant Brosie
> Sent: Monday, July 21, 2008 8:59 PM
> To: birding australia
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] My bird name guide.....(don't read if picky)
>
> Everyone,
>
> I've been birding for around 15yrs now but being only 25
> you'd think I'd know better. The following are 'other' names
> and abbreviations I use.
>
> Bush Turkey = Aust. Brush Turkey
>
> Aust. = Australian
>
> Jabiru = Black-necked Stork (sorry Greg, hard habit to kick)
>
> Sacred Ibis = Aust. White Ibis
>
> Marshie = Swamp Harrier
>
> Marshie = Marsh Sandpiper (these two can get very confusing
> on Ash Island)
>
> Ash Island = An island found in the Hunter River Estuary,
> 5-10km west of the Newcastle CBD, 1.5hrs north of Sydney,
> NSW, Australia.
>
> Sea Gull = Silver Gull
>
> Feral = Rock Dove
>
> Crimson-wing = Red-winged Parrot
>
> F-w = Fairy-wren
>
> White-rumped Miner = What a great name for Yellow-throated Miner
>
> GST = Grey Shrike-thrush
>
> BFCS = The famous Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike though I
> pronounce as 'boofcus'
>
> Woodie = Woodswallow
>
> Peewee = We all know that one
>
> Reddie = Red-browed Finch
>
> Bloods = Crimson Finch
>
> Diamys = Not sure of spelling but its what I call Diamond Firetail
>
> Spagga = House Sparrow
>
> These are names I've picked up over the years or names that
> have come from the avicultural side of me. Would love to hear
> some other names, especially local names other birders know of.
>
> Cheers,
> Grant Brosie
> Raworth
>
>
>
>
> Start at the new Yahoo!7 for a better online
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>
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