Re: Re: [Birding-Aus] One arm point and beyond(dampier peninsula, near Broome

["Greg & Val Clancy" <>]

Well my comments certainly have sparked up some discussion - great!!

I have received a number of responses to my post re. the name Satin Stork, 
some direct to my personal email address so I will address the main issues 
raised one by one.
One person asked 'how was the name arrived at?' - I made up the name in an 
attempt to have a name that was truly appropriate for our bird and one which 
would, hopefully, win over the die-hard 'Jabiru' people.  It seems that I 
have lost out with Tony!!  The reference to Satin is because the bird has a 
beautiful satin-like sheen over its head and neck and on the black 
feathering of the wings and tail.  Including 'stork' in the name provides 
some information on what type of bird it really is.  "Jabiru' could be a 
plant, a lizard, a mammal etc.  As the Australian and New Guinean race was 
going to be split from the Asian race as separate species a common name was 
needed.  I recommended 'Satin Stork' to the Birds Australia Common Names 
Committee and it was accepted.  Some concern about its acceptance was 
expressed by members of the Research and Scientific Committee however, not 
based on the suitability of the name, but on concerns that the 'Jabiru' 
brigade would not accept it.  It was also stated that if it gained popular 
acceptance then it would be fully supported.  The predicted split did not 
happen in the 2008 edition of Christidis and Boles as they wanted more 
genetic evidence but it is very likely to happen in the future.
"Why not Satin-necked Stork?"  - because one of the main arguments of the 
'Jabiru' people is that "Black-necked Stork' is too long and clumsy. 
Satin-necked Stork would not address this criticism.  In addition it is not 
only the neck that is 'satin'.
"Why not an indigenous name?".  I am very keen on indigenous name for places 
as they usually only have one name.  Uluru and Wollumbin are great because 
they refer to only one place each.  There are many indigenous names for the 
Stork  so how would the most appropriate one be selected?  It is far better 
to document the indigenous names separately from the common name.  In that 
way all local names are given equal prominence.  It would be different if in 
the early European history of this continent an indigenous name was applied 
and it became commonly used, such as with the Galah.  Instead early settlers 
applied a South American indigenous name to our stork.

Greg Clancy