Common Gallinules

A pair of Common Gallinules paddling through the water lilies in a Florida pond.

Nice pic bsharf! :)

Very nice pic b!

Those are Common Moorhens. Think you got tounge tied there Bshar (Common Moorhen/Purple Gallinule)

Moorhen used to be called Common Gallinule in older books

Resin

Donna, your comment illustrates the problem with common names. My 1960 Peterson calls it a Florida Gallinule, my 1980 Peterson calls it a Common Gallinule, my 1983 Golden Guide calls it a Moorhen. Another good example is the Tri-colored Heron, I still use the older name-the Lousiana Heron. I call an Osprey by the older name- a Fish Hawk. I've been a bird watcher for 50 years, these are the names on my "Lifelist". I certainly am not confusing the birds in the photo with Purple Gallinules which lack the white on the wing. This is exactly why people use latin names, so everybody is in agreement, saves a lot of energy on sematics. But I appreciate your and Resin's comments: I think that this is an interesting topic for DG, how common names of birds have changed over the years.

Here's a challenge for DG members: Can you give me another bird, whose common name has changed?



This message was edited Jul 15, 2007 6:15 AM

Around here I've seen Myrtle Warblers, American Egrets, Baldpates and lots of Florida Gallinules.

We also get wintering Duck/Pigeon/Sparrow Hawks.

OldNed

...and before the Tricolored Heron was the Louisiana Heron, it was the Tricolored Heron

RealOldNed

So right Old Ned: Guess us old birders have to get a swift kick into the 21st century. A Sparrow Hawk is now a Kestral, a Pigeon Hawk is now a Merlin, a Duck Hawk is now a Peregrine Falcon, an American Egret is now the Great Egret, the Myrtle Warbler is now a Yellow-Rump Warbler, a Water Pipet is now an American Pipet.

So how about some more birds, whose names have changed.

We're beginning to get nesting Linnets in Central Florida and lots of Marsh Hawks spend the winter with us.

have a friend that calls the kestrels a Keelie Hawk. He is my age but guess he got that name from his dad while growing up.

I thought you just hick-up'd when you were typing lol

Only a birder for 12 years here. Thanks for the history lesson. That is good info to know.

Usually spelled Killy Hawk...named for the sound of their call....

killy-killy-killy....

bsharf, I have a hard time getting used to saying 'Northern Oriole' instead of 'Baltimore Oriole'.
Rufous-sided Towhee... there's probaly more

typo

This message was edited Jul 18, 2007 12:08 AM