The names of some birds are 'clouded by racism and misogyny' says American Ornithological Society

 

The bird shown is Say's pheobe
(Sayornis saya) named after Thomas Say

NAME changes are in prospect for American birds  that have been named after individuals - often those who discovered them.

The American Ornithological Society will focus on up to 80 species that occur primarily within the U.S. and Canada.

The AOS says a "much more inclusive and engaging scientific process is needed - one that focuses attention on the unique features and beauty of the birds themselves".

It states: "The AOS commits to changing all English-language names of birds within its geographic jurisdiction that are named directly after people."

The name-change initiative  will also embrace other names "deemed offensive and exclusionary".

The statement continues: "The AOS commits to establishing a new committee to oversee the assignment of all English common names for species within the AOS’s jurisdiction.

"This committee will broaden participation by including a diverse representation of individuals with expertise in the social sciences, communications, ornithology and taxonomy."

The committee adds: "The AOS commits to actively involving the public in the process of selecting new English bird names."

There is no indication that the AOS has consulted with any other bird societies either in the U.S. and Canada or in the UK and other parts of the English-speaking world.

At a stroke, it will create muddle. Bird species field guides will become out of date.

One notable  casualty of the shake up will  be the Paisley-born Scot, Alexander Wilson, after whom species such as Wilson's phalarope, Wilson's storm petrel, Wilson's plover, Wilson's snipe and Wilson' warbler are named.

One of the first names likely to be dropped is Audubon's shearwater because members of John James Audubon's family are known to have kept slaves.

Says AOS president Colleen Handel (pictured below): "There is power in a name, and some English bird names have associations with the past that are exclusionary and harmful." 

                                         

Agreement comes from the society's chief executive, Judith Scarl, who says: "There has been historic bias in how birds are named, and who might have a bird named in their honour. 

"Exclusionary naming conventions developed in the 1800s, clouded by racism and misogyny, don’t work for us today, and the time has come for us to transform this process and redirect the focus to the birds where it belongs.

"I am proud to be part of this new vision and am excited to work in partnership with a broad array of experts and bird lovers in creating an inclusive naming structure."

The society has form when it comes to name changes.

In 2020, it chose to change the name of the McCown's longspur to  the thick-billed longspur because John P. McCown was thought to have links with slavery and racism.

Ironically, in a vote earlier this year, the Audubon Society decided not to change its name.

The AOS says that, since 1886, it - and its predecessor, the  American Ornithologists’ Union - has been the arbiter of official English-language names for birds in North America (and more recently, South America). 

It states: "These names are widely used by schools and universities, government agencies, conservation organisations, the news media, artists and writers, birders and photographers, and many other members of the English-speaking public worldwide."

The Wryneck says: This initiative will surely put the cat among the pigeons. In some cases, it will be difficult to come up with suitable replacement names. And who will be entrusted to make the decisions? A name deemed appropriate in the U.S. might be less so in other parts of the English-speaking world. We believe the existing names should be retained - they provide a valuable link with our birding forefathers. Maybe some of these individuals were prejudiced - shamefully so by modern standards - but that does not diminish or devalue their pioneering contributions to ornithology.  And has anyone really been put off birding by the name of a species? Ridiculous even to contemplate. Let the Wilson's phalarope and the Audubon's shearwater live on!