Some birds are being renamed, including these 10 from North Carolina. Here’s why
The American Ornithological Society, the worldwide birding organization that standardizes bird names across the Americas, will rename all species of birds that have been named after people, the group announced Wednesday.
This will impact at least 10 species of birds that spend all or part of their year in North Carolina, said AOS spokesperson David Ringer.
“There is power in a name, and some English bird names have associations with the past that continue to be exclusionary and harmful today. We need a much more inclusive and engaging scientific process that focuses attention on the unique features and beauty of the birds themselves,” said AOS president Colleen Handel in the group’s press release.
Which NC birds will have new names?
The following birds — which either spend all or part of the year in North Carolina — will eventually receive new names, Ringer told The News & Observer:
- Wilson’s Plover
- Wilson’s Snipe
Wilson’s Warbler
- Bonaparte’s Gull
- Forster’s Tern
- Cory’s Shearwater
- Cooper’s Hawk
- Bachman’s Sparrow
- Nelson’s Sparrow
- Swainson’s Warbler
“Alexander Wilson was a great ornithologist, but why are we honoring one long-ago white guy with all these bird names?” said Mel Green, member of the Triangle’s birding group New Hope Audubon Society.
“The Wilson’s Warbler is a great candidate for a name change. Wouldn’t you call that a Black-capped Warbler instead? ... This is a great opportunity to name birds more evocatively and to be more open and inclusive.”
Why are birds getting new names?
The American Ornithological Society will be changing all English names of birds within their jurisdiction that were named after people. This decision stemmed from an AOS committee formed in 2021 to determine harmful English bird names and consider how to rename the birds with lasting impact.
AOS highlighted the bird now known as the Thick-billed Longspur, formerly called the McCown’s Longspur. The group changed this bird’s name in 2020. McCown served as a general in the Confederate Army and “is perceived today by many as a symbol of slavery and racism,” AOS wrote.
Birds’ scientific names, which are usually in Latin, are not impacted by this decision.
“If a name is derogatory or conjures ill feelings for people, however, it detracts from the focus, appreciation, or consideration of the birds themselves. The AOS Council is committed to addressing such potential barriers to engaging a wide and diverse set of audiences in our shared enjoyment and study of birds,” AOS wrote in the group’s press release.
How many birds will get new names?
The first focus will be 70 to 80 species in the United States and Canada, according to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
“Further details, including the full list of names to be changed, will be coming in 2024. To get started with the birds in the U.S. and Canada, the AOS will conduct an open, inclusive and scientifically rigorous pilot program in 2024 to develop its new approach to these English bird names,” Ringer said.
This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Some birds are being renamed, including these 10 from North Carolina. Here’s why."
