Renaming North American birds an inclusivity endeavor
Inclusivity, equality and diversity are not words that are associated with birding — but at the Spring Bird Festival located at the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory this past weekend, those words rang loud and clear at a talk about renaming birds.
In 2023, renaming birds became a high priority for the American Ornithology Society (AOS) that will change the names of 70-80 North American English named birds this year including Cooper’s Hawk, Wilson’s Sniper and Lincoln’s Sparrow, all living in Ontario and beyond. In the past, birds have been named after people, not discoverers, scientists nor ornithology experts but military high ranking men deemed offensive or exclusionary by today’s standards. The AOS will rename birds with consideration to their appearance, habitat, behavior and song.
The festival included discussions about bird naming, plus numerous interactive activities to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the demonstrations. There were also guided walks and talks given by ornithology volunteers.
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Bird banding with Mira Furgosh Photo B.Little
