Why some bird names are facing extinction to wipe out racism

Birders are squabbling over what to rename the Inca dove, Townsend’s Solitaire, the Maui parrotbill, Bachman’s sparrow, Scott’s Oriole and the Townsend’s warbler. That’s because those are the six bird names that need to change as part of the American Ornithological Society’s efforts to change birds’ monikers that honor historical figures with racist pasts.

The group was pressured to rename all birds with names connected to people with controversial racial histories. In response, the society decided to rename all birds named after people.

The original plan came in the wake of the death of George Floyd and after a group called “Bird Names for Birds” urged people to do more to get rid of “problematic bird names.”

In response, the society did a study and said it will be renaming all birds named after people, instead giving them names highlighting their key features.

However, the announcement received backlash from birders who argued that it was too wide in scope and canceled heroes just as much as it combats racism. So, the birders in opposition filed a petition that saw more than 6,000 people sign it.

The petition urged the society to change names on a case-by-case basis.

Following the petition effort, a resolution signed by more than 200 of the society’s fellows agreed to launch a pilot project to change “clearly offensive” bird names before going full throttle with the extensive renaming plan.

However, the society noted that some birds like the Henslow sparrow, which honors John Stevens Henslow, a devout abolitionist and mentor to Charles Darwin, as an example of what to potentially keep.

On Thursday, Oct. 3, the society announced six bird names will change. Birders will get a say in the matter in Estes Park, Colorado, during a forum on renaming birds on Thursday, which takes places as one of the events in the society’s 142nd annual meeting that goes from Tuesday, Oct 1. to Saturday, Oct. 5.