It's All In The Name

Imagine describing to your co-workers your fruitless search through the lowland jungles of Peru for Festive Coquettes and Green-crowned Woodnymphs. Or, having your boss walk by as you excitedly emphasize how you didn't need binoculars to observe Brown Boobies on the beaches of Cuba.

Who names these creatures, and what is the criteria for coming up with, shall we say, colourful names?

The scientific community has a fairly straightforward process for classifying all living things, and giving them names. It is nothing fancy, and follows a series of guidelines governed by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The "Linnean system," created by Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus more than two hundred years ago, dictates that every plant and animal needs a name that categorizes it into a universally recognizable collection. Hence, as we see in our field guides, each species has a Latin scientific name that doesn't change regardless of translation.

However, the common English names came into being through a less academic approach. Although here in North America, the American Ornithological Union (AOU) prescribes a list of accepted names, it sometimes bases its results on centuries of colloquialisms. Robins are a familiar bird on both sides of the Atlantic. But, the suburban songster from Europe has never made it to this continent on its own power. No doubt, our Robin was given its name centuries ago because of its conspicuous rusty red breast, which is the only character it shares with Europe's Robin. The AOU, in its infinite wisdom, has since given our familiar spring-time friend the more formal name of American Robin.

Many endemic Hawaiian Honeycreepers have strange names, often difficult to pronounce. Try saying "Akiaploa-au, Akohekohe, Apapane" three times real fast. Passed down from the Polynesians, the names are now accepted as their common names. However, the original inhabitants of Hawaii may not have been aware of all the species present on the Islands. The Maui Parrotbill, a very rare Honeycreeper, either never had a Polynesian name, or its name was lost from Missionary archives.

Being called a "Booby" Isn't very flattering. Boobies however, members of the Sulidae (Gannets and Boobies), got their name from the Spanish "Bobo" meaning dunce, a reflection of their demeanor at nesting sites, when they were easy pickings for food.

Unfortunately, my brief research was unable to determine who was behind some of the descriptively appropriate names for many of the neotropical hummingbirds. In an obvious attempt to unleash their creative forces, researchers gave the iridescent birds charming and evocative names like Bronze-tailed Comet, Sapphire-spangled Emerald, Rainbow Starfrontlet, Amethyst-throated Sunangel and Fiery Topaz. Befitting names for living jewels of the forest.

And, all of you editorial purist have to allow my use of capital letters leading common bird names. Although ordinary usage instructs that they have small letters, it is rapidly being accepted in scientific and literary circles that capital letters are more purposeful. The example cited in "A Dictionary of Birds" by Campbell and Lack, compare the difference between writing Little Gull and little gull. With capital letters, we are left with no doubt to the writer's purpose.

Now, excuse me while I go chase that Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler.