The Dictionary of American Bird Names
by Ernest A. Choate
Paperback; 226 pages; Revised edition (April 1985)
Bird Names – A book for the curious
Book
review by Clark & Jean Moore
When writing of a specific species we often go into
detail about the derivation of the bird’s name.
Often this helps gives a different perspective on the
bird’s behavior, color, and physical characteristics.
Although a great deal of bird name information is found
in the natural history portions of field guides and
other specie references, we primarily use The Dictionary
of American Bird Names by Ernest A. Choate.
Dr. Choate was a well known birder and a professor
of English. In addition to being an authoritative volume,
given this unusual combination of skills, his book is
full of humor, myths, history and anecdotes. In other
words, it’s fun to read and use. After the AOU
check list revision, the book was revised by Dr. Paynter
of the AOU.
Nine sections make up the contents of this book, the
first four of which are mis-numbered. Although I did
out-and-out flunk Latin, I did learn Roman Numerals.
No problem, all four are easy to find. Language Abbreviations,
Common Names, Scientific Names, Biographical Appendix,
and English/Latin Glossary are the important chapters.
The scientific name can be what ever the ornithologist
wishes, however, we have always felt common names should
relate to the birds as we see them. That is, color (Cardinal),
field mark (Tufted Titmouse), behavior (oystercatchers),
territory (western), or call/song (pipit). These characteristics
hooked together like; Northern Mockingbird, Black Oystercatcher,
Western Bluebird, Blue-grey Gnatcather make for sensible
names.
With all due respect to the great field ornithologists
(collectors) of the past, with the exception of Captain
William Clark, to us the practice of naming birds after
people just doesn’t fit, nor does the naming of
birds for the location at which they were only first
seen, such as the Connecticut, Kentucky and Tennessee
Warblers.
How about the Magnolia Warbler named by Alexander Wilson
for the species of tree where he first collected (shot)
this species. Prairie Warbler is a misleading name,
the species is not found on the prairies. Rather, it
is a bird of the eastern open woodlands.
Hummingbirds are hummingbirds because of the sound
made by their wings – right on! Anna’s? Anna
was the Duchess Rivoli, wife of a Marshall under Napoleon.
A French naturalist (Lesson) named the bird in her honor
in 1829. Audubon met Anna in Paris in 1828 and was impressed
by her beauty - the Duchess not the bird. Intrigue in
the world of ornithology!
Although the Ring-necked Duck is named for a field
mark, the “field mark” is best seen “in
hand” rather than in the field. This bird not only
belongs to the same genus (Aythya) as Greater and Lesser
Scaups, they look like scaups (check your field guide).
Therefore we continue to lobby for a name change to
Ring-billed Scaup.
We won’t even bring up “goat-suckers”
and “nightjars”! Whatever, if your curious
about bird names, pick-up a copy of this informative,
yet fun, book.
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