1 Topic by Eleanor Knott

  • Eleanor Knott
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  • Registered: 21-01-2009
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Topic: Common names changed AGAIN

What is happening with common names?  I've recently downloaded the latest dictionary updates (we're now on dictionary version 00000028) and have noticed that the common names for birds have changed AGAIN.  Winter wren has gone back to being wren, wood nuthatch is nuthatch again, sky lark is now skylark, many birds that had the prefix common or European (e.g. common linnet, common bullfinch, European goldfinch, Eurasian sparrowhawk) have lost them again.

Is this just a glitch that will be rectified in the next dictionary update or is someone playing silly buggers with the common names?  We export all of our species data to MapInfo, and I have spent a long time trying to make sure that the common names are consistent.  I'll have to do it all again if they have reverted to the older names.

We use recording cards for data entry, and these also have to be updated if names change.  Is it possible to make names in the recording cards update themselves when the species dictionaries update?  That would mean that we are always using the correct names

Cheers
Ellie

Eleanor Knott
Devon Biodiversity Records Centre

2 Reply by LBacon

  • LBacon
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Re: Common names changed AGAIN

HI Eleanor

About 2 years ago, the British Ornithologists Union (BOU) decided that the long names we had just grudgingly got used to were the official global names, but that they were indeed long-winded.  Hence for use purely in a UK context where there was no confusion, a lot of reverting to the original names has taken place, so many of the Common, Eurasian, European etc. prefixes have gone, unless you are operating in a global context!

The new taxonomic order, with Falcons moved away from the rest of raptors and teamed up with their genetic siblings, the parakeets, at the end of non-passerines is causing a lot of mayhem, too.

Names are unlikely to change much in the near future, but who knows when the next taxonomic order review is due -probably not for a long time!

Louise, CPERC

3 Reply by Eleanor Knott

  • Eleanor Knott
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Re: Common names changed AGAIN

Thanks!
Ellie

Eleanor Knott
Devon Biodiversity Records Centre

4 Reply by ChrisR

  • ChrisR
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  • Registered: 27-08-2011
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Re: Common names changed AGAIN

Thanks Louise - well explained. Yes, you are now seeing the effects of what I spent my Christmas & New Year working on, with Andy Musgrove of the BTO. Changing 120~ common name preferences both in the checklist AND in the Nameserver was fiddly but I much prefer the traditional English common names and I think it will have the support of most birders. The changes to the other taxonomic groups were quite painstaking but I got a chuckle at the splitting of Carduelis into about 5 different genera - one of which is Linaria (now both Linnets and Toadflaxes)! ;)  The split is all backed up by a very well researched paper where the authors analysed the DNA of finches all across their range.

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)