I previous mentioned the proposal by means of the American Ornithologist’s Union (AOU) to switch the typical names of birds named after folks. Let me upload a little bit extra right here. Will this result in a metamorphosis in medical names as smartly?
The AOU modified McCown’s Longspur to the Thick-billed Longspur on account of McCown’s make stronger of slavery as a Accomplice common however the medical identify Rhynchophanes mccownii nonetheless contains his identify. Isn’t that also honoring him? There are different American birds that pose this similar factor comparable to. Myadestes townsendii for the Townsend’s Solitaire. There are lots of extra within the U.S. and international. Do you know that the genus Attila used to be named after Attila the Hun? How about Cacicus montezuma, after the Aztec ruler? Or Calamotropha dagamae, named after Vasco de Gama, Portuguese explorer and colonizer? And a in reality peculiar one, the Pygmy batis, Batis perkeo, named after a well-known German dwarf? Are those offensive? If we begin converting commonplace names as a result of they’re offensive or don’t upload to the outline of the chook, the following logical step is to switch medical names as a result of medical names have the similar downside. It makes little sense to use the ones standards to commonplace names and forget about medical names with the similar factor.
Why go away the medical names of Baird’s Sandpiper and Baird’s Sparrow.as Calidris bairdii and Centronyx bairdii if Baird is got rid of from the typical identify? Calidris, from the Greek, refers to a gray-colored waterbird first discussed by means of Aristotle. Centronyx method “spur claw.” The genus names are descriptive, however the species identify isn’t. Will have to bairdii be modified? Will have to we even delete Baird’s identify? Used to be Baird a foul man? Now not that I will be able to inform from his biography on Wikipedia. He used to be in reality a horny spectacular biologist, environmentalist, and, amongst many different accomplishments the primary curator on the Smithsonian Establishment and a founding member of the American Ornithologist’s Union. He appears to be a super instance of any person after whom a chook should be named. Getting rid of his identify can be somewhat insulting, I feel. And what about William Cooper (Cooper’s Hawk, Accipter cooperii) one of the most founders of the American Museum of Herbal Historical past in New York Town and who first described the Night time Grosbeak? And lots of others. I feel it could be a disgrace to rid chook names of people that mirror the historical past of ornithology, despite the fact that their non-public historical past may well be odious by means of these days’s requirements.
Converting medical names, on account of the voluminous regulations established in by means of the 306-page code e-book of Global Fee Zoological Nomenclature (IUCN), can be an important mess. Because the ICZN is utilized by the global medical neighborhood, native adjustments, this is, those who may well be proposed by means of the U.S., might not be known.
The Audubon Society opted to not trade its identify, now not on account of John James Audubon’s historical past however on account of the society’s historical past. The Audubon identify is synonymous with chook coverage; converting it could best weaken that popularity. Converting chook names ignores ornithological historical past. Like the continued controversy surrounding textbooks, if historical past is unsightly, must we forget about it?