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Thursday, September 26th, Andy Kratter will present “Changing Bird Names”. This will be an in-person presentation at Cypress and Grove Brewing from 6:45 pm – 8:15 pm. For 130 years, the American Ornithological Society (AOS) has determined the official names, both scientific and English, for North America’s bird species. The AOS announced this fall that it is embarking on a process to change the common names of birds that are named after people.
Birds with eponymous names can be found in every section of a field guide, from the Bullock’s Oriole to the Ross’s Goose and Wilson’s Plover. Among sparrows alone, 11 different species are named after people.
The AOS changes will encompass approximately 152 North American birds and 111 South American birds.
Dr. Andy Kratter has been Collections Manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville for the past 27 years. For 25 of these years, he has also been a member of the North American Classification Committee, the arm of the AOS that has traditionally determined the taxonomy and nomenclature of North American birds. Andy will give a summary of the controversial proposal to change hundreds of bird names from his perspective on the front row of bird nomenclature.
Andy’s wide experience includes field work in Peru, Trinidad, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Guyana, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Nepal, New Zealand, Italy, Australia, and most of the U.S., particularly Florida, California and Louisiana. Each spring, he watches the loons crossing over Gainesville from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, and overseas the Loon Watch program.
Donations to cover room rental are optional but appreciated. Donate at alachuaaudubon.org/join/ or there will be a donation jar at the event.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Cypress & Grove Brewing Co., 1001 NW 4th St,Gainesville,FL,United States
