[Tweeters] Please decode your acronyms

[Steve Loitz via Tweeters]

Are you referring to 4-letter Alpha Codes? If so, IME, Alpha Codes can be
part of the fun for a new birder, and for some it may actually enhance
learning. We have a couple new birders in our local chapter who enjoy
calling out "AMKE," "TUVU," "AMGO," etc. on our field trips. I refer them
to this: https://www.birdpop.org/docs/misc/Alpha_codes_eng.pdf

Steve Loitz
Ellensburg



On Fri, Feb 13, 2026 at 2:12 PM Ted Ryan via Tweeters <
tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:


> I think there is a balance here to consider.  On the one hand, we don't

> want to make it overly burdensome for a new birder to participate.  On the

> other hand, I don't think new folks to a hobby should expect no barriers

> with regards to nomenclature.  All hobbies have acronyms and words that we

> have to learn.  That's part of the hobby, that's part of the experience and

> it's inescapable.  I think the OP will find that learning the acronyms will

> aid in your enjoyment.

>

> Besides, If we remove such things than all birds are just LBJ's and where

> does that get us?

>

> Ted Ryan

> South Kitsap, WA

>

>

> As do basically all newer birders. As someone who?s worked with newer

> birders a lot over the years (I ran the Santa Clara County version of

> tweeters for over a decade, among other things) I?ve talked to and worked a

> lot with our less senior partners, and when two senior birders start

> chattering in this shorthand, it tends to make them feel excluded and

> intimidated. It?s not a welcoming thing to birders trying to grow into

> their adult feathers.

>

> Because of that, I stopped using the acronyms in casual communications

> where the new birders will be looking in long ago (or I?m careful  to

> always put the term in context in the note) and I generally discouraged

> random use of them in open forums like this. And I think, if you want new

> birders to feel part of our community and grow up to be more senior birders

> along with us, that we do so as well.

>

> Chuq

>

>

>

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-- 
Steve Loitz
Ellensburg, WA
steveloitz at gmail.com
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