Names of hummingbirds (1 Viewer)

[Allen S. Moore]

Hummingbirds have some very exotic (well, is there a better adjective to describe them?!) names in the English language. Are their names in the Spanish, Portuguese or, indeed, Native American languages equally descriptive?

 

[zerb21]

Hummingbirds have some very exotic (well, is there a better adjective to describe them?!) names in the English language. Are their names in the Spanish, Portuguese or, indeed, Native American languages equally descriptive?

Hi,
In my collection of hummingbird books, one I have is The Way of the Hummingbird by Virginia C. Holmgren. The last chapter of this book has a sampling of American Indian names. Names are grouped into names that carry a phonetic echo of wing sound, i.e. Maya: Tznuum; names that relate to legendary roles, i.e. Navaho: Da-hi-tu-hi (One Who Brings Life); names that describe appearances, i.e. Pima: Vipisimal (Little Long Beak); names that describe actions, i.e. Abnaki: Nana-tas-is (The Hoverer); names with miscellaneous meanings; and names recorded without literal meaning.

Other topics in this book are humminbirds in legend, history, science, where to watch hummingbirds, and how to atract them.
Bruce

 

[DavidP]

Hummingbirds have some very exotic (well, is there a better adjective to describe them?!) names in the English language. Are their names in the Spanish, Portuguese or, indeed, Native American languages equally descriptive?

I may be missing something but what examples are there of exotic names for hummingbirds. Around here the common species are Allens, Anna's, Costa's, Black chinned, Calliope. Apart from Calliope they don't sound too exotic to me.
I guess maybe they are central american species you're referring too.

 

[Allen S. Moore]

I may be missing something but what examples are there of exotic names for hummingbirds. Around here the common species are Allens, Anna's, Costa's, Black chinned, Calliope. Apart from Calliope they don't sound too exotic to me.
I guess maybe they are central american species you're referring too.

Well, how about Purple-backed sunbeam, Bogata sunangel and Marvellous spatuletail that I have read about in BirdLife International's Birds to Watch 2? All are from northern South America. Perhaps exotic is not quite the correct word, but I was struggling a little. I wanted something a bit less prosaic than "unusual" or "long-winded"!

 

[alcedo.atthis]

"I wanted something a bit less prosaic than "unusual" or "long-winded"!"

Allan there is a few more names here :-

http://www.mangoverde.com/birdsound/fam/fam86.html

Regards

Malky

 

[Allen S. Moore]

"I wanted something a bit less prosaic than "unusual" or "long-winded"!"

Allan there is a few more names here :-

http://www.mangoverde.com/birdsound/fam/fam86.html

Regards

Malky

Thanks, Malky. Great link! The Lucifer hummingbird does not look as if it deserves the name!

 

[sarahbn]

Here's a website to the Delaware's who used to live here and their words for different bird species. Then they say the word scroll down to the ruby-throated hummingbird to hear the name in their language.

http://www.delawaretribeofindians.nsn.us/birds2.html

 

[Allen S. Moore]

Here's a website to the Delaware's who used to live here and their words for different bird species. Then they say the word scroll down to the ruby-throated hummingbird to hear the name in their language.

http://www.delawaretribeofindians.nsn.us/birds2.html

Thanks for the link, sarahbn.
By the way, I found another exotic hummingbird name in a BirdLife International book, the Spangled Coquette.

 

[wings]

For the more alert ones, Tznuum(or variant) is also the user name of one of our forum members. Hello Tznuum, are you reading this?

In the final analysis, in the language of scientists, names are given, taxonomically based on the Linnean system. But let's respect local and indigenous names too. I'd just as soon call a spatulatail hummer than use some long Latin term.

 

[Tz'unun]

I'm here. Tz'unun, also spelled dzunun, tzunuum, tz’uunu’n, etc. in different branches of the Mayan language family, is one of the onomatopoeic names that hummingbirds go by; there's at least one other hummingbird researcher out there in cyberspace who uses a form of this word as a screen name. I've been collecting indigenous words for "hummingbird" as I run across them, so thanks to Sarah and Bruce for adding to my collection. Here are a few of the one I've gathered so far, presented with utmost respect to the First Nations, who have a longer cultural relationship with hummingbirds and deeper understanding of their true nature than most of us do. I welcome additions and corrections to this list.

Haida = Sah Sen
Cherokee (Tsalagi) = wa le la, wa le li, wa-le-lu
Taino (Arawak) = colibri
Tlingit = teh-KEK-ti-AAH
Nahuatl = huitzil, huitzilin, huitzitzilin
Navajo = dah-he-tih-hi
Hopi = tootsa
Comanche = temumuquit
Pima-O'odham = wipismal, vipismal
Potawatomi = nanokas (NAH-no-KAHS)
Blackfoot = naamóísisttsii