[Tweeters] Inclusion in Birding

[Benjamin Menzies via Tweeters]

Hi All,
With apologies to those who are ready to get back to strictly birds, I wanted to note that I did appreciate those who took the time to write thoughtful responses to the issues raised by the AOS and by the petition against bid name changes. This prompted me to read and think further past the headlines than I had. I would love to see an essay-length version of the post on the naming of dragonflies published. It shed some light on scientific communities' culture and practice, balancing out the more pop cultural portrayal of ornithologists in what I believe was the Seattle Times Op-Ed. As this is the only Bird-related list/forum in my life, I'm glad a little bit of discussion is possible.

I also thought I would note that in my corner of the Birding world, the bigger debate on Attracting Newbies to Birding by modifying bird names is whether a.) to expunge, or b.) to increase the use of words like bush, tit, rump, etc. in birds' names. On one hand, it's awkward to emerge from the shrubbery at the park with a big honking pair of porro-prism 10X50s in hand and have to tell a warily-inquiring jogger that you were just checking out a beautiful pair of Yellow Rumps. On the other hand, children, youths, and many adults too are captivated by each and every apparent reference to Avian Unmentionables made by the serious birder. For me personally, it is this latter argument that carries the day --at a minimum for the positive impacts it will have on folks' Birding Trip Slideshows, and maximally because Children Are Our Future, and in the Anthropocene that means birds' futures too.

So when the dusty names of Rudyard Sapsucker and Donnie Ruddyduck are struck from the rolls, my strong suggestion is to replace them with sophomoric argot from a diversity of cultures that will delight the children in all of us. This form of humor is universal across cultures, and I'm positive Jack Swainson himself would doff his pith helmet, throw an arm around his heavily-burdened and malarial graduate assistant, hoist a Gordon's high, and join in the call to "Make Birding More Ribald!"

Happy Birding,
Ben





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