Bald Eagle article, with proposed name change (2 Viewers)

[Lerxst]

My wife and I had the pleasure of birding with the author of this article last spring. We met up with him purely by chance at Sax-Zim Bog in northern MN, during our last gasp effort to end our 20-plus-years-Nemesis-Bird-Horrorshow, known to others as the LeConte's Sparrow. With Bruce we did finally manage to hear, see, and even photograph one of the little buggers.

Why we should rename the bald eagle, our national symbol

Here’s a name that fits the majestic bird better.

thehill.com

 

[Craig Thayer]

I respectively disagree with the proposed name change since a large portion of the breeding range includes Canada.

 

[dantheman]

Afraid that is going down the nationalistic and naming animals after countries route which I thought everyone was moving away from?

When I say 'Bald Eagle' (not very often tis true) I never think of it as being bald. By association, majestic and all that, Bold is more the word that springs to mind at the time ...

 

[Lerxst]

But "America" isn't a country. It refers to two continents; that is certainly the view of most people I have spoken to in Latin America - all of whom consider themselves "American." So I think a better name would be "North American Eagle" as that correctly identifies the range of the bird. No different from Eurasian Kestrel.

 

[Farnboro John]

It's just a fish eagle (and not the most impressive of those). It's not a proper eagle like a Goldie.

If it must change, how about Canada Eagle? (If you're American and that doesn't feel right, you probably feel how Canadians might feel about American Eagle). White-headed-and-white-tailed Fish Eagle? North American Fish Eagle? Nearctic Fish Eagle?

Tell you what. Leave it alone.

John

 

[dantheman]

But "America" isn't a country. It refers to two continents; that is certainly the view of most people I have spoken to in Latin America - all of whom consider themselves "American." So I think a better name would be "North American Eagle" as that correctly identifies the range of the bird. No different from Eurasian Kestrel.

North American did cross my mind ... but just complicating more?

Us old-fashioned philistines just call it 'Kestrel' in the UK ... ;-)

 

[Lerxst]

BTW I am not in favor of actually changing the name, as I think it is so well-established.

However I think it is always fair to point out badly-named species, and this one certainly qualifies.

 

[KC Foggin]

After reading the article I have to agree with the new suggested name of “American Eagle”

 

[Deb Burhinus]

But "America" isn't a country. It refers to two continents; that is certainly the view of most people I have spoken to in Latin America - all of whom consider themselves "American." So I think a better name would be "North American Eagle" as that correctly identifies the range of the bird. No different from Eurasian Kestrel.

I think a better name would be White-headed Eagle like our White-tailed Eagle!

 

[jmepler]

What a ridiculous article. Written with the premise that bald refers to a hairless (or featherless) head. Not the case whatsoever. Bald in this case refers to a white head. Even Wikipedia knows this. This definition of bald is used little now, other than Bald Eagle. Piebald is still used somewhat, refering to animals with white patches. American Wigeon was formerly known as Baldpate, bald meaning white, and pate meaning top of the head.

If you want to argue that bald, meaning white, is obsolete, and thus the name of the Bald Eagle should be changed, that is one thing. To argue that the bird isn't bald because it has feathers on its head is foolish. I think Mr. Beehler may be projecting.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I think a better name would be White-headed Eagle like our White-tailed Eagle!

More appropriate might be hooded rather than headed but I say, leave well alone, totally unnecessery.

Buff-bellied Pipit isn't uniquely American either but they slap their sticker on that too.

 

[snowyowl]

I would consider this change once citizens of the United States stop referring to themselves as Americans.

 

[Lerxst]

Baldpate is a lovely, ironic example here since the bird did get a name change, and ended up inheriting the term "American." I was going to bring this up, as just a few weeks ago I was given an old 1958 Peterson field guide and saw the bird was described with the old name. I'd heard the term before but always thought it was just a nickname that duck hunters used. Anyway it would be interesting to know exactly what the reasoning was that led to the wigeon getting its name altered. Anyone know?

 

[Mysticete]

In regards to the American Widgeon, was baldpate ever used much in the non-hunting community?

Also, I mean if you want to make an argument for changing Bald Eagle to American Eagle, submit a proposal to AOS or at the very least publish your editorial piece in Birding or a similar venue. The Hill is a political site, and suggesting American Eagle there automatically infers a bit of nationalist political goals rather than thinking the name fits.

 

[Lerxst]

Another irony here is that, in appealing to the dictionary for evidence of "bald" meaning "white"...

from Merriam-Webster:

1a: lacking a natural or usual covering (as of hair, vegetation, or nap) his bald head
Both men were bald. a bald hill bald trees The rug was bald with wear.
b: having little or no tread bald tires
2: marked with white a horse with a bald face
3: lacking adornment or amplificationa bald assertion
4: UNDISGUISED, PALPABLE bald arrogance

...then from this same authority, "American" can mean "US citizen"...

1: an American Indian of North America or South America
2: a native or inhabitant of North America or South America
3: a native or inhabitant of the U.S. : a U.S. citizen

I find both of these use examples disagreeable, as they have potential to cause confusion. One could just as easily use a better choice of words and provide more clarity.

 

[Surreybirder]

BTW I am not in favor of actually changing the name, as I think it is so well-established.

However I think it is always fair to point out badly-named species, and this one certainly qualifies.

Or do you mean 'baldly-named'.... ? Why change such a widely accepted name. It's the sort of suggestion that emanates from people with too little meaning in their lives (IMHO).

 

[Lerxst]

Or do you mean 'baldly-named'.... ? Why change such a widely accepted name. It's the sort of suggestion that emanates from people with too little meaning in their lives (IMHO).

As indicated, I agree with the "widely accepted' argument here, and that they should in this case leave it be. But in a perfect (better?) world, shouldn't we aim for clarity and consistency in our descriptions and naming?

There are, in the Clement's taxonomy, four "bald" species. And just like the old song says, "one of these things is not like the others."

 

[Farnboro John]

In regards to the American Widgeon, was baldpate ever used much in the non-hunting community?

Also, I mean if you want to make an argument for changing Bald Eagle to American Eagle, submit a proposal to AOS or at the very least publish your editorial piece in Birding or a similar venue. The Hill is a political site, and suggesting American Eagle there automatically infers a bit of nationalist political goals rather than thinking the name fits.

No, posting it there implies nationalist goals. You are inferring that from the implication.

John

 

[Xenospiza]

I think "American Eagle" lacks the originality of "Bald Eagle", although I have wondered about the meaning of the name as well (I blame not being a native speaker: it is by the way called "American Sea Eagle" in Dutch).

Of course the Bald Eagle is the national bird of the USA, but I would not see this name change as somehow "appropriating" it.
We have American Wigeon, Coot, Bittern, White Pelican, Golden Plover, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Woodcock, Herring Gull, Three-toed Woodpecker, Kestrel, Crow, Dipper, Goldfinch and Redstart already. I don't get visions of the stars and stripes for any of these; it won't get much worse for the eagle.

American Fish Eagle would of course be best: that somehow doesn't sound majestic at all.
But then Steller's Sea Eagle and White-tailed Eagle should also become Fish Eagles.

 

[Sangahyando]

Also, I mean if you want to make an argument for changing Bald Eagle to American Eagle, submit a proposal to AOS or at the very least publish your editorial piece in Birding or a similar venue. The Hill is a political site, and suggesting American Eagle there automatically infers a bit of nationalist political goals rather than thinking the name fits.

I don't think the name change is particularly needed (except to prevent mistakes made by dumb translators - I've once seen a German translation of a novel that had it as a "bald-headed eagle" instead of the established German name of the species. Apparently checking Wikipedia is beyond some people's capacity...) but nor do I see why putting forth the argument via a newspaper is worse than the usual way, which is a buch of spergs in a committee trying to capitalize on the newest fad.