[TN-Bird] Scientific names
- From: "David Aborn" <David-Aborn@xxxxxxx>
- To: "TN-Bird" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 12:19:58 -0400
As a scientist, I just want to play Devil's advocate for a moment. While =
I
agree that common names are more familiar to most, some birds have =
several
common names (i.e. the cardinal is sometimes called redbird, kestrel is
sometimes called sparrowhawk), or species with the same common name in
different parts of the world are unrelated (the European Blackbird is
actually a thrush, American Robins are thrushes, but the European Robin =
is
related to chickadees and titmice). The whole idea behind the scientific
naming method is that those names are unique to those species. No other
organism on the planet is Turdus migratorius, but there are a number of
robin species. By using scientific names, EVERYONE can know EXACTLY =
which
species is being referred to. One reason we (North Americans) are so
attached to common names is that is what we learn. In Latin America, =
they
learn primarily the scientific names. When I was doing my doctoral =
research,
2 Costa Rican and one Venezuelan ornithologist came to visit our study =
site.
Two of them (1 of the Costa Ricans and the Venezuelan) were unfamiliar =
with
our common names. When we said Hooded Warbler, they had no idea what we =
were
talking about until the third person said Wilsonia citrina. Again, I am =
not
suggesting we all start learning scientific names, but now some of you =
may
know the reasoning behind, and the advantages of, knowing that system.
David Aborn
Chattanooga, TN
-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---
Isn't it a bit pretentious to be using bird names that only scientists =
can=20
understand? I see an important part of birdwatching as getting as many
people as possible involved in bird awareness and conservation, not form =
a
clique of stuck-up, snobby, exclusive, elitists. Is it easier to say
American Robin, and instantly be on familiar ground with the non-birders =
we
are trying to reach, or call it Turdus Migratorius and instantly =
alienate
people? I think it is Very important to know scientific names but it is
even more important to use terms that non-birders, especially children, =
can
be comfortable with. By doing this we can expand the ranks of birders =
and
help to protect and increase the numbers of endangered birds and other
species. Any little thing we can do to win people to our cause must not =
be
wasted.
Nat Winston III
Hermitage, Tn.
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.
Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
========================================================
Other related posts:
