Birds in the United States and Canada that are directly named for people, such as the Cooper’s hawk and Lincoln’s sparrow, will be getting new names in a decision made by the American Ornithological Society, which governs such matters.
A reason for the name changes, says the AOS, is because some birds are named after people who were connected with social injustices in the past. John James Audubon, for instance, was a slave owner and an unrepentant supporter of slavery.
But rather than pick and choose which names should be changed, the AOS has decided to change all bird names that bear a human moniker — regardless of the person’s history.
So, sometime next year, the organization will choose new names that are more descriptive of the birds. Examples of descriptive names are redheaded woodpecker and Eastern bluebird.
Steve Phenicie and Dottie Head of Georgia Audubon have compiled a list of some 20 birds that occur — at least occasionally — in Georgia whose names will be changed. Georgia Audubon itself is concerned about its own moniker and is renaming itself by removing Audubon’s name. The organization’s new name will be Birds Georgia.
Georgia birds whose name will be changed include:
• Wilson’s snipe, Wilson’s storm-petrel, Wilson’s plover, Wilson’s phalarope, Wilson’s warbler, all named for famed ornithologist Alexander Wilson (1766-1813).
• Swainson’s thrush, Swainson’s warbler, for British nature artist William Swainson (1789-1855).
• Franklin’s gull, for Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin (1786-1847).
• Forster’s tern, for German pastor and naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster (1729-1798).
• Cory’s shearwater, for American ornithologist Charles B. Cory (1857-1921).
• Ross’s goose, for Irish naturalist Bernard R. Ross (1827-1874).
• Baird’s sandpiper, for Smithsonian Institution curator Spencer Baird (1823-1887).
• Cooper’s hawk, for American naturalist William Cooper (1798-1864).
• Kirtland’s warbler, for American politician and naturalist Jared P. Kirtland (1793-1877).
• Blackburnian warbler, for British naturalist Anna Blackburne (1726-1793).
• Brewer’s blackbird, for Audubon’s friend Thomas Mayo Brewer (1814-1880).
• Lincoln’s sparrow, for Audubon’s assistant Thomas J. Lincoln (1812-1883). No relation to the president.
• Henslow’s sparrow, for British priest and botanist John Stevens Henslow (1796-1861).
• Bachman’s sparrow, for the Rev. John Bachman (1790-1874) of Charleston, South Carolina, who was Audubon’s friend.
• LeConte’s sparrow, for American entomologist Dr. John Lawrence LeConte (1825-1883).
• Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow, for American naturalist Edward William Nelson (1855-1934).
IN THE SKY: From David Dundee, Tellus Science Museum astronomer: The moon will be last quarter on Monday. Mercury is low in the west just after sunset. Venus rises in the east a few hours before sunrise. Jupiter is high in the east at sunset. Saturn is in the southwest just after dark.
Charles Seabrook can be reached at charles.seabrook@yahoo.com.
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