Re: [cobirds] Re: AOU, Changing bird names

A lot of great opinions have already been expressed, but I have one more point of view to throw in the mix. 

I'm including two quotes below about names, one by Mary Oliver, the other by Robin Wall Kimmerer. 

I think of these words often because the name of a bird can be the least important thing about it, even though it's sometimes the first thing I want to know. What about its song, its body contour, its bill shape, its place in the landscape? Most of our names are arbitrary and unrelated to what makes that bird that bird. 

And yet…I do feel Oliver's same "inexplicable delight" in knowing a bird's name. When I can call a Wilson's Warbler a Wilson's Warbler and not just an amazing little yellow and black bird, I feel that I'm respecting them, as Kimmerer says, and taking the tiniest step towards a more reciprocal relationship. 

But if we call birds by their names as a matter of respect, is calling them by the name of people who enslaved or degraded other people an act of respect? 

"Little Bird in the Pepper Tree"

 

Don't mind my inexplicable delight

to know your name,

Wilson's warbler,

yellow as a lemon, with a black cap.

Just do what you do, dipping branch by branch

down to the fountain

to sip neatly; then fly away.

A name is not a leash.

 

-Mary Oliver

 

 

It's a sign of respect and connection to learn the name of someone else, a sign of disrespect to ignore it. And yet, the average American can name over a hundred corporate logos and ten plants. Is it a surprise that we have accepted a political system that grants personhood to corporations, and no status at all for wild rice and redwoods? Learning the names of plants and animals is a powerful act of support for them. When we learn their names and their gifts, it opens the door to reciprocity.

 

- Robin Wall Kimmerer

Noelle 

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 4, 2023, at 22:13, Stephen H <hendrix@shendrix.com> wrote:

I agree Robert. I don't find the arguments for removing all eponymous bird names here or elsewhere very convincing and believe this to be more about politics & power seeking from the activists involved.

To quote one of the co-founders of "Bird Names for Birds" who was behind the effort, "Smash the patriarchy and celebrate birds?! That's my new motto according to the news today."

On Thursday, November 2, 2023 at 3:28:25 PM UTC-6 Robert Righter wrote:

Hi:

I would hope the American Ornithological Union would pause before changing common names of birds that are named after historic ornithologists as that could be divisive . Currently we are living in a period of time where accusations of racism are rampant and consequently we are currently judging past historic figures based on our current definition of how racist they may have been. This is how history becomes distorted and historic individuals unfortunately become misjudged. Let's wait a decade or so and revisit the topic again when hopefully our lenses are clearer, less tainted. Why are we in such the rush to change the common names of birds that have been established for centuries. We all need to take a deep breath or two and wait to see what transpires.

Bob Righter

Denver, CO

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