Charlie’s “A Little Bit of a Bird Quiz”
By Charlie • October 16, 2007 • 3 commentsI’m a huge fan of bird names - at least, I should add, that I’m a huge fan of bird names in English: they call up wonderful memories, they hint at places in far-off countries, they are just so wonderfully WEIRD sometimes. I’ve been busy transferring photo-galleries into our new 10,000 Clicks page and I was struck yet again by just how arcane and complex some bird names really are. Here in the UK we birders have spent years lazily getting away with unmodified (and generally unhelpful) names like Robin, Swallow, and Wheatear - while the rest of the world has been struggling with Superciliaried Hemispingus (I kid you not) and any number of Streak-bitted Something-or-others, Moustachioed whatsits, or White-browed thingummyjigs. And don’t get me started on the world’s hummingbirds - Shining Sunbeam or Bearded Helmetcrest anyone?
How do people outside the UK cope? Perhaps I grew up without the correct brain cells being stimulated, or maybe I’m just making excuses for a notoriously poor memory, but I do think the nomenclaturists have made things very difficult for us. Not sure you agree? Have a go at the little quiz below…and if you feel like being scrupulously honest with hundreds of blog readers why not fill in a commment telling us how many you got right. There are no prizes for this one I’m afraid, just that satisfying feeling of knowing that birding is a life-long learning experience!
Okay, so which of the following are the names of genuine birds - and which were made up in one of my many idle moments?
- Blue-winged Leafbird
- Rainbow-bearded Thornbill
- Black-rumped Flameback
- Botha’s Rock Pipit
- Fawn-breasted Marsh Sparrow
- Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner
- Clamorous Reed Warbler
- Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin
- Moss-backed Tanager
- Formosan Shearwater
- Golden Whistler
- White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
- Grey-headed Bristlebill
- Mascarene Blue Parrot
- Masked Water-tyrant
- Orange-throated Longclaw
- Sooty-browed Laughing Thrush
- Pink-necked Green Pigeon
- Common Jery
- Superb Starling
So how do you think you did? The answers are right here…
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Not bad. Fifteen of twenty. You fooled me on the Blue wing Leaf Bird; Botha’s Rock Pipit; Buff-fronted Foliage Gleaner; The Shearwater; and the Jery.
Not bad at all, Clare, especially as - and I think I’m right in saying this - not a single of one of the twenty has ever made it to the Arctic Circle [lol]! Thanks for being brave enough for being the first to provide a total…
Being a new kid on the block - I for sure got the Tanager right!! Did too dismally to tell you here (o.k. 9) but if you had popped in Roufas Thrush, Chalk edged mockingbird, and Bananaquit might have got at least a couple more! Love the pictures! Jeanie