What’s in a Bird Name?
ewick’s Wren. Forster’s Tern. Gambel’s Quail. Henslow’s Sparrow. Say’s Phoebe. Wilson’s Phalarope. What do these birds have in common? They’re all named for people. There’s growing support among birders and professional ornithologists alike for removing these honorific titles—and instead bestowing new monikers that better reflect the animals.