Free Republic

Dozens of famous bird species will lose their familiar names in the coming months and years as part of a nationwide effort to eliminate monikers “clouded by racism” and to diversify bird-watching. The American Ornithological Society, which is responsible for standardizing English bird names across the Americas, announced plans Wednesday to ditch any bird classifications derived from a person’s name, instead identifying them by their physical traits or their habitats. Although not all fowl named after people are linked to unsavory histories, the undertaking mainly aims to purge names connected to racism, misogyny and genocide, the AOS said. Birds with...

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