Hi Everyone, I think it would be a good idea..

if we all start putting the full names of the birds in our pics as opposed to initials or no name at all.

We have new people in here all the time and it would help them out alot.

I'm just as guilty as anyone so I'm off to edit some replys. :-)

Thanks, Pelle

Speaking as one of said newbies, I appreciate that Pelle. I've figured out GF (Goldfinch), WBN (White Breasted Nuthatch), RBN (Red Breasted Nuthatch), TT (Tufted Titmouse), and MB (Mockingbird).

One that I've wondered about is RBW or RBWP. I would think it was Red Breasted Woodpecker, but in the pics I've seen, it was referring to a woodpecker with a red head, not breast.

Alternatively, if frequent posters would rather be able to do the abbreviations so as not to have to type so much, you could make a sticky post with all the commonly used abbreviations.

Hi Peeper- Both those last 2 are Red-bellied Woodpecker but it should really

only be RBW since woodpecker is one word.

Thanks for the sticky suggestion! I still think everyone should put full names down as some people might not want to search through a list of names/abbreviations.

I'll see what I can put together. :-)

Yes that is a good idea. I will use the full name from now on! :) GM

I believe many bird watchers have trouble with learning the official abreviations (i.e. the American Ornithological Union) and several birding software companies even came up with their own abreviations that are not in sync with the various official birding organizations--

For reference, here is an article listing many of them--- http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa011601a.htm

That IS Confusing!!!

LOL yes, I don't know why they insist on a 4 letter code... the birders in the bird clubs (from what I can tell reading birding lists) seem to use the abbreviations quite often though...

Oh well. I think it would be in the best interest of new people to just post the full name of the bird here and maybe I'll figure out something if we do a Sticky.

Old habits are hard to break,lol.

I can definitely see how some would need 4 letters though.

Good idea!

It can get even more confusing when a second continent enters the fray . . . to me, Goldfinch is the bird below; yours are officially (American Ornithologists Union name) American Goldfinch

Resin

Beautiful photo Resin!

So would ours be AGF, Resin? :o)

Resin, your Goldfinch is a cutie. I wish we had them...or do we?

Peeper, From looking at the list of 4 letter abreviations on the link listed above it looks like American Gold Finch would be 'AMGO'.

Yep AMGO. Goldfinch is one word, otherwise it would be AMGF.

This is from a discussion on the bird ID thread (great thread idea) about a Kinglet:

By the way, I agree...full common are best here

The four letter code is flawed of course as in....

BTGW would be correct for both Black-throated Green Warbler and Black-throated Gray Warbler

BAOW might be Barn Owl or Barred Owl


The 6-letter code used by ornithologists for Genus and species is better.

Examples for some Whistling Ducks:

White-faced Whistling-Duck WFWD Dendrocygna viduata DENVID
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck BBWD Dendrocygna autumnalis DENAUT
West Indian Whistling-Duck WIWD Dendrocygna arborea DENARB

We've got 2-letter (or for a few, one letter plus a fullstop) computer codes for the commoner birds here, but they're not used a lot except for computer input.

Some of them are fairly obvious:
J. = Jay
BO = Barn Owl
BT = Blue Tit
GT = Great Tit
B. = Blackbird
FF = FieldFare

But as you'd expect, the obvious letter codes get used up fairly quickly, so others get less obvious:
SG = StarlinG (S. being used for Skylark, and ST for Song Thrush)
WO = WOod warbler (WW being used for Willow Warbler)

And some (mainly rarer species!) get downright weird!:
OL = gOLden oriole
ED = rED-backed shrike
NK = red-NecKed phalarope
PL = grey PhaLarope

There's even one or two where they ended up having to use letters not in the bird's name at all:
SQ = Scarlet rosefinch . . . where's the Q?!?
CF = Chough . . . well, it is pronounced "chuff"

Resin

I think it's helpful if people use the bird's full name at least once. And then if abbreviations used after that, it's easy to figure out what is meant, especially in the same post.

We could do a sticky of just the most common of birds that we see the most on the forum using the 2 or 3 letter abbreviation.

I do agree if your posting a few photos of same bird that the first one should have the full name and the rest abbreviated.

So what do you think?

Theres no way we could do all the American birds plus birds from other countries.

Good idea Pelle.

~Shan

That's a good idea, Pell. Put the full name unless it's part of a discussion within the same post and easy to figure out.

The standard I have tried to adhere to: use the full common name the first time it appears in a post or a consecutive series of pictures. After the first entry I use the common short form to save on typing, for example: Steller's Jay would be shortened to Jay after the first appearance in the post. American Robin would shorten to Robin. In birding the use of scientific nomenclature tends to be relegated to a small subgroup with formal education in the biological sciences.

Gary


This message was edited Jan 6, 2008 7:49 PM

This message was edited Jan 6, 2008 7:49 PM

What's appropriate in any communication is, "Know your audience". Quite often acronyms are used to impress others with their perceived level of sophistication within a particular field when communicating with others on the outside. I venture to say that the majority of participants on the birding threads would prefer we use the full name or do something like Gary uses. A similar way would be to use an introductory name such as Red-bellied Woodpecker (RBW). Thereafter, you could use the abbreviated format (RBW) within the same post. If one desires they may also include the scientific name, also. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with broadening our individual knowledge base. On my Pbase bird gallery, I'm slowly trying to add the scientific name with the common name. On these threads, however, I subscribe to the K.I.S.S. system. If you don't know what that is, I'm not telling .........

Thats even better; the Red-bellied Woodpecker (RBW) for first pic

Then RBW if there are similar pics of same bird in a row by the same person.


What does everyone think of that; shall we vote? I vote Aye.

I agree, Pelle. I felt like a real idiot looking for BOSS at the feed store. I'd long been feeding black oil sunflower seed but thought you people were really onto something, saying all birds love BOSS.

Heyitsmejudy, don't feel bad about not knowing what BOOS is!!!
I finally figured it out -- with the help of your above post !!!!
I couldn't figure it out and had been wondering for weeks what people meant.

IT IS SIMPLY UNREASONABLE TO USE ABREVATIONS WITHOUT DEFINING THEM FIRST.

Gary

No need to shout dear! :-)

If I went to a shop and asked for the boss, I'd be taken to see the managing director ;-)
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/boss

Okay everyone BOSS is obviously a big one so same thing will apply to that as w/ the bird names.

Black Oil Sunflower Seed (BOSS)

Keep It Simple Stupid, I agree!

What is BOOS? (just kidding)

I suppose a useful approach would be to use the 'most complete' name (you can muster up) in the Headline and First Mention, and then use the nick name or abbreviation following and from thence onward.

For our DG purposes many seem to think that's good approach (and I do too), but I think it's also useful to familiarize oneself with some of the 'official' abbreviations. I find learning these is indispensible if you want to help out with Christmas Bird Counts, local Bird Atlases, and the other data collection efforts....

I feel that everyone is so patient here that this forum is a good place to learn/'practice' nomenclature along with IDs while we're sharing our excitement about our avian visitors and sightings.... not 'required', just 'encouraged', one could say...

I had a great birding day today--lots of hawks, woodpeckers, and feeder birds--we're counting for the Ohio Winter Bird Atlas during the month of January...

Baltic Operational Oceanographic System, according to google ;-)

LOL Resin!

But what is truly official ? I don't want to see this get so crazy that it turns people off.
This is supposed to be fun for Everyone.
I think I'll just be using the full name as opposed to trying to memorize a new set of abbreviations. I will get accustomed to them but it will take a while. :-)

I vote yes on the post above where Pelle asked for a vote. State the full name, then the abbreviation you'll be using in parentheses. If you want to use official abbreviations, go for it. If you just want to say GF for Goldfinch that's okay too as long as you said American Goldfinch to begin with. I, for one, won't be going off to google the official abbreviation for a bird when the whole idea in the first place for abbreviating (for me) is to do less typing.

I feel very smart, by the way because I had already learned that BOSS is Black Oil Sunflower Seed from a horse forum I visit. Did you know that it's good for a horse's coat?

Do you rub the Black Oil Sunflower Seed (BOSS) on the horse's coat or do they eat them? ;-)

So does this mean that if we don't know the full name we don't upload the pic?

No, Frank (I think I saw in another thread that that is your name) if you don't know, it's fine to upload the pic. Resin will tell you what it is, lol. Also, we have an ID me thread to help.

Tabasco, the horses eat the BOSS. The horse people are glad the feed stores haven't figured out they can sell it as horse feed, or the price would skyrocket! We buy it as birdseed and feed a handful in the morning and evening.

Hi Frank,
You can either ask in a thread or

Heres the Cornell site, Click on Bird Guide,

Pull down the menu for Taxonomic Order

That list all the American birds in their groups (Hawk, Junco,Warblers, Finches etc.)

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/

If your not sure which one is the bird you've seen post your pic or description in the

current "Identify This Bird Please" thread and someone will help you out.

You probably do know most of the bird names or at least the main part of the name. :-)

Do you all think we should put some sites like Cornell in a Sticky?



This message was edited Jan 12, 2008 2:18 AM

YES!! I think the Cornell site is a great resource for we beginners!