eBird name changes

Discussion about the evolution, relationships, and naming of New Zealand birds
Richard Schofield
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Location: Balclutha
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eBird name changes

Postby Richard Schofield » Wed Mar 23, 2022 5:14 pm

In August each year, eBird updates its taxonomy, which includes new species, splits,
lumps, and name changes. We have been invited to suggest potential name changes for
NZ birds, to take effect from August 2022, and would like to take this opportunity to
canvass opinion among NZ birders about their suggestions for changing the NZ names
in eBird for something more familiar, or less confusing. Proposals so far include
Southern Black-backed Gull for South Black-backed Gull, Australasian Shoveler instead
of Australian Shoveler, Rock Wren replacing Rockwren, and Silver Gull (Red-billed)
reverting to Red-billed Gull. It should be noted that some or most of the requests so
far will align with those in common usage, and hence with the Checklist of the Birds of
New Zealand, the revised version of which is due out in the next few months. If you
would like to have your say, either get in touch via this forum, or email recorder.ot@birdsnz.org.nz
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Oscar Thomas
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Location: Dunedin
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Re: eBird name changes

Postby Oscar Thomas » Wed Mar 23, 2022 5:46 pm

They might not like the Rock Wren change because of this bird: https://ebird.org/species/rocwre?siteLanguage=en_NZ
But that doesn't make it any more sensical to make the name one word, or South Island Wren as it is on Merlin. Maybe they'd take New Zealand Rock Wren?
If we could get the hypens removed from Fiordland Crested-Penguin and Snares Crested-Penguin that would be great too. They don't show up when you search Penguin, and it clashes with Erect-crested Penguin. Antipodean Albatross instead of New Zealand Wandering Albatross too perhaps?
Ian Southey
Posts: 1100
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 5:45 pm

Re: eBird name changes

Postby Ian Southey » Wed Mar 23, 2022 10:21 pm

Some of the ebird stuff is manufactured in a weird and clunky way. My suggestion would be that they just adopt the checklist names lock, stock and barrel for a New Zealand option and keep some sort of international option for foreigners that prefer it. That would give locals a familiar and more stable set of names that ordinary people might recognise and use with a solid document that would allow clear translation between the options for anyone who needed it.

Ian

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