I couldn't agree with you more, Bob. A "War Over Bird Names"? That looks ridiculous in print. As you note, future generations won't give an owl's hoot over this unserious discussion. It has nothing to do with taxonomy and everything to do with current political grievances. Give it a rest, folks. Time to move on.
Thanks for continuing to share your thoughts on this, Bob.
I understand the argument about not assuming "weakness" on the part of birders—that same argument has compelled me on other topics—but to me, on changing bird names, that's still beside the point. I really think it can be as simple as you laid out: there's no good reason for these names; descriptive names are more fun, anyway.
Of course, the reaction to the change won't ever be so simple, and that's why I really appreciate you continuing to talk about it.
Bob, thanks for this new post giving an update on this discussion and presenting different viewpoints. We all can certainly disagree and discuss with passion, but confrontational animosity is not appropriate for fellow nature and bird lovers.
As a native Marylander, I was not pleased when the Baltimore Oriole was lumped for a time with the Bullock's Oriole and all of the sudden we were supposed to call our beloved state bird the "northern oriole." We did take that change rather personally. But I'm guessing westerners were less upset about the Bullock's thang.
I am that "commenter." The term I used is "Critical Theory." That is not a "buzzword" but a reality that has evolved from Marxism. And those who push Critical Theory, aka the woke, want to control everything, even bird names.
I better stop there before I say something I regret. I tried to engage with you fairly. You apparently do not care to do likewise.
I hope we can agree to disagree politely. I was recently on a field trip as part of a birding festival. When I spotted a Bewick wren I noted that this bird might be renamed for its longer tail which is longer than that of most wrens. I was mentioning this to my daughter who was on her first birding trip/festival. A man turned and hurriedly walked within less than a foot of my face and loudly saying I could depart to places unmentioned…. I stumbled and almost fell….I’m 70 and had flashes of broken hip and head injury in my mind. Not a nice scene. The leader told me to “please do not mention name changes. They told us in orientation not to mention them as people get angry.”
As a mother I wanted to shout back to mind your manners and as an old nurse I wanted to explain the hazards of this behavior in a rocky environment….more ways than one. Let’s be nice to each other —-we do all love birds…right? Descriptive bird names will make birding perhaps a little easier for new birders and hopefully a friendly hobby and invite more people to be concerned for how we can care for birds and their environment.
I couldn't agree with you more, Bob. A "War Over Bird Names"? That looks ridiculous in print. As you note, future generations won't give an owl's hoot over this unserious discussion. It has nothing to do with taxonomy and everything to do with current political grievances. Give it a rest, folks. Time to move on.
Thanks for continuing to share your thoughts on this, Bob.
I understand the argument about not assuming "weakness" on the part of birders—that same argument has compelled me on other topics—but to me, on changing bird names, that's still beside the point. I really think it can be as simple as you laid out: there's no good reason for these names; descriptive names are more fun, anyway.
Of course, the reaction to the change won't ever be so simple, and that's why I really appreciate you continuing to talk about it.
Bob, thanks for this new post giving an update on this discussion and presenting different viewpoints. We all can certainly disagree and discuss with passion, but confrontational animosity is not appropriate for fellow nature and bird lovers.
As a native Marylander, I was not pleased when the Baltimore Oriole was lumped for a time with the Bullock's Oriole and all of the sudden we were supposed to call our beloved state bird the "northern oriole." We did take that change rather personally. But I'm guessing westerners were less upset about the Bullock's thang.
The funny thing is they will probably have the old name in parenthesis 🤷♀️
I am that "commenter." The term I used is "Critical Theory." That is not a "buzzword" but a reality that has evolved from Marxism. And those who push Critical Theory, aka the woke, want to control everything, even bird names.
I better stop there before I say something I regret. I tried to engage with you fairly. You apparently do not care to do likewise.
I hope we can agree to disagree politely. I was recently on a field trip as part of a birding festival. When I spotted a Bewick wren I noted that this bird might be renamed for its longer tail which is longer than that of most wrens. I was mentioning this to my daughter who was on her first birding trip/festival. A man turned and hurriedly walked within less than a foot of my face and loudly saying I could depart to places unmentioned…. I stumbled and almost fell….I’m 70 and had flashes of broken hip and head injury in my mind. Not a nice scene. The leader told me to “please do not mention name changes. They told us in orientation not to mention them as people get angry.”
As a mother I wanted to shout back to mind your manners and as an old nurse I wanted to explain the hazards of this behavior in a rocky environment….more ways than one. Let’s be nice to each other —-we do all love birds…right? Descriptive bird names will make birding perhaps a little easier for new birders and hopefully a friendly hobby and invite more people to be concerned for how we can care for birds and their environment.
I also think it’s virtue signaling where there is none.