amber@scott.stat.washington.edu (Amber Tatnall) (08/11/89)
In response to the question of which birds are named for their call, I did some browsing through a really neat book I have, "The Dictionary of American Bird Names" by Ernest A. Choate, (Boston: Gambit, 1973). Here is the list of birds I found. Some of them are nicknames, but I thought I'd include them anyway. Bill-Willie: nickname for the Willet. for its call Bobwhite Bogbumper: nickname for the American Bittern. probably for its call. The American Bittern has several other nicknames, descriptive of its call, but not imitative. Bulbul Caracara: probably a South Amberican native name in imitation of its call. Chachalaca Chebec: The Least Flycatcher Chewink: the Towhee for its call Chickadee Chuck-Will's-Widow Cowcow: nickname for the cuckoos; imitative of its call. Crow Cuckoo Curlew Dickcissel Finch: probably for its call Gobbler: nickname for the Turkey; imitative of its call Killdeer Kittiwake Pauraque: according to Bent, "from a fancied resemblance to one of its notes. Peabody Bird: nickname for the White Throated Sparrow; imitative of its call. Peep Peter Bird: nickname for the Tufted Titmouse; imitative of its call. Pewee Phoebe Poor-Will Raven Sewick: the Least Flycatcher; for its call Teacher Bird: the Ovenbird; for its call Towhee Veery: probably imitative of the bird's call Whimbrel: "whim" is said to sound like the bird's call; -rel is a diminutive suffix. Whip-Poor-Will Willet In his book, Choate is careful to indicate whether the bird name is clearly onomatopoeic or whether is is "probably" imitative. He further explores other birds' names, often giving wonderful anecdotes or retelling the Greek myths that are behind the names. I recommend it highly.