Which Bird is Named after Soiled Underwear?

By Mike • February 10, 2009 • 6 comments

I have no idea what the answer to the question above is, but if you do, you should groove over to the Princeton University Press blog and show off your questionable knowledge! Each Tuesday over the next few weeks, they’ll be posting bird trivia drawn from their upcoming release Birdscapes by Jeremy Mynott.

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About the Author

Mike

Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but what he really aspires to be is a naturalist. Besides founding 10,000 Birds and I and the Bird, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining sites and resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network.

6 Responses to “Which Bird is Named after Soiled Underwear?”

Clare Feb 10th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
The Yellow-Breasted Skidmarque I believe.
Rick Feb 10th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I don’t really believe the story, myself, but there are a shrike and a wheatear, a bush-hen, a miner, a crombec….
a.a. shock Feb 10th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Anything Isabelline, either as part of the name, as in Isabelline wheatear, or as a color-morph, is supposedly named after a princess of Spain who vowed never to change her underwear until the siege of Ostend was over. Found this out last fall when posting a sighting of an Isabelline California towhee, check out my post: http://threestarowl.com/natural-history/isabelline-california-towhee-in-huntington-beach-central-park
Isabelline differs from albino in being a dirty beige, presumably the color of siege-worn underwear.
John Feb 10th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I find Clare’s answer more persuasive.
manu Sep 17th, 2010 at 8:59 am
yes, i also thinks its The Yellow-Breasted Skidmarque
Bill Dec 8th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
I don’t know the answer, but this has got to be one of the funniest questions I’ve heard asked in a long time!

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