I’m in the woods. I figured that’s where the wildest birds are. But, then I see American Robins. A White-breasted Nuthatch. More Robins. Some Kinglets. Same birds I see in my backyard. Except one.
The Hermit Thrush.
This shy bird with the rusty tail, eye rings and speckled breast likes deep woods. He’s private. I only see him when I go far from human habitat. A hermit. His name fits.
Bob Grump would approve of this name. But he’d like to change a bunch of others. Grump’s a guy who wrote a guest essay here August 24, “Let’s Change Stupid Bird Names.” Grump’s own name is dubious, but his ideas are okay. And they’ve stirred people up.
We’ve received several Grump-inspired suggestions for re-naming certain birds. Some appeared in the “comments” section under his essay. But others have quietly accumulated around here in an unpublished file.
If we get a few more, maybe we could print all of them for everyone to see. Readers could shoot down the bad ideas, cheer on the good ones. Have some fun. Send your name ideas in, if you got ‘em.
I’ll start things off: I think the “American Robin” is a wrong name. It’s based on a mistake. English settlers thought this new-world thrush was a Robin because it looked like the small European Robins in the old country.
We should call our Robins something really American instead. How about the “Yank?” Think about it. Yank means American. Also, this bird is often seen yanking worms out your lawn.
A flock of Yanks. Yank’s-egg blue. Works for me.
But then, there could be a slang meaning for this word that’s kind of raunchy. Maybe it won’t fly. Although the woods are full of Titmice and Woodcocks. In any case, we don’t have to use it. It’s just a suggestion to get the ball rolling. To start the conversation.
If enough people send in name changes, we’ll set up a page for them. We could pick the best one and award a prize. Maybe call it the “Grump Challenge.” If Bob Grump doesn’t like it, he can lump it. But I think he’d be on board.
Now it’s up to you.
Bald Eagle, which is not bald, would be a good place to start. Or, going along with the Titmouse and Woodcocks theme The Balled Eagle? Naw, they would not look as mean if that were the case. Sorry.
Have y ou heard him sing? Magic.
Check out the book, “The Whys of Bird Names” by Eleanor H. Stickney. She provides some great insight into the rationale, or lack thereof, for different birds’ names. It can be hard to find, but I found some copies available online.