Dozens of famous bird species will lose their familiar names in the coming months and years as part of a national effort to eliminate nicknames “tainted by racism” and diversify birdwatching.
The American Ornithological Society, responsible for standardizing English bird names across the Americas, announced plans Wednesday to get rid of any classification of birds derived from a person’s name, identifying them instead by their physical traits or their habitats.
Although not all birds named after people are linked to unpleasant stories, the initiative primarily aims to purge names linked to racism, misogyny and genocide, the AOS said.
Birds with names “considered offensive and exclusive” will also be renamed.
“As scientists, we work to eliminate bias in science. But there has been a historical bias in how birds are named and who might have a bird named in their honor,” AOS Executive Director and CEO Judith Scarl, Ph.D., said in a statement.
“The exclusionary naming conventions developed in the 19th century, marred by racism and misogyny, do not work for us today, and the time has come to transform this process and redirect attention to the birds, where it belongs.”
The name purge will likely affect up to 80 different species in the United States and Canada, although the process is only in the early stages.
The American Ornithological Society announced it plans to rename bird species honored after people.AOS
The AOS decision comes after years of growing pressure from the birding community to revoke recognition of racist historical figures whose names were given to birds.
That means the Cory’s shearwater, a seabird native to the southeastern United States, will no longer be linked to John James Audubon, the founder of the bird-watching community of the same name in New York City and a slave owner who opposed abolition.
Audubon’s own organization voted in March to remove the name of its troubled founder, citing his legacy of white supremacy.
The Thick-billed Longspur was once named after a Confederate soldier known for his racist legacy. Getty Images
The organization’s Golden State branch followed suit just a month later.
The Cory’s shearwater’s new name will likely reflect its coastal habitat or its identifiable rounded wings, similar to the name of the blue-footed booby for its iconic and unique teal fins.
Some birds have already undergone the change.
The thick-billed longspur, a small ground-feeding bird native to North America, was renamed in 2020 after nearly three centuries of being named after Captain John P. McCown, a Confederate soldier who “is today perceived by many as a symbol of slavery.” and racism,” the AOS said.
The Cory’s Shearwater is named after John James Audubon, a famous birdwatcher with a legacy of white supremacy. fake images
The renaming pilot project will begin in 2024, with the reclassification of an initial group of between 70 and 80 birds in the US and Canada.
The initiative will continue for “months and years,” the AOS said, and up to 260 birds will be reviewed across the Americas and associated islands.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn