This has been an interesting thread. I have had an interest in the names behind the bird names. I know of two books that might be of interest for anyone.
Who's Bird: Common Bird Names and the People they commemorate by Bob Boelens and Micheal Watkins
This book covers the world and includes names up to the time of publishing, 2004, as we know things have changed since then. It is an encyclopedia so the entries are brief. Also goes over extinct bird names if it honors someone. There is also an explanation for how to name birds.
One more local in interest
Audubon to Xantus: The Lives of those Commemorated in North American Bird Names by Barabara Means
Published in 1992 so some bird names have changed, Xantus Murelet has since been split and is not longer a name for any bird (but Xantus still has a Hummingbird in Baja California) it has longer entries for the people, it however only covers birds north of the border. Their is an appendix that covers birds that are subspecies and birds that were once considered spices but are now subspecies. This author also has Biographies for Birdwatchers, which covers the Western Paleartic and includes overlap from the other book, such as Alexander Wilson, who was from Scotland.
Anyway, I am a librarian so I wanted to offer some books. Both are out of print however but you can get them used or from your library.
Good reading, good birding
Brian Johnson,
Englewood CO
On Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 6:57:16 AM UTC-6 mvjo...@gmail.com wrote:
Really entertaining dialogue on naming birds, often named for the least conspicuous feature. I also love bird names that might be longer than the actual bird...like Northern Beardless Tyrannulet. (Curious....Is there a Tyrannult with a beard?...My mind is picturing this!!) Along with Hugh's disdain for Least (which I agree) would be the boastful and judgement laddened "Greater"....like Greater Yellowlegs.John RawinskiMonte Vista, COOn Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 12:30:12 PM UTC-6 rori...@earthlink.net wrote:Peter the Great,Tsar of all of Russia, invited Georg W. Steller, a German scientist to come to Russia and help explore and catalogue it's natural history. In 1741 Steller joined the Vitus Bering Expedition in sailing east to discover what was out there. After several weeks they bumped into new land now known as Alaska. Steller discovered a jay, now known as Steller's Jay. The expedition sailed west exploring the Aleutians. Out of many of Steller's new discoveries was a new eagle, now known as Steller's Sea Eagle.Doesn't the eponymic name Steller's Jay evoke more romance, interest, and wonder than if it was just called, for convenience, say "Mountain" Jay?Bob RighterDenver, CO
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