{"id":431787,"date":"2021-04-16T20:05:11","date_gmt":"2021-04-17T00:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=431787"},"modified":"2021-04-16T20:05:32","modified_gmt":"2021-04-17T00:05:32","slug":"top-us-nature-society-proposes-renaming-birds-named-after-slave-owners-colonialists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-us-nature-society-proposes-renaming-birds-named-after-slave-owners-colonialists\/","title":{"rendered":"Top US Nature Society Proposes Renaming Birds Named After Slave Owners, Colonialists"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftop-us-nature-society-proposes-renaming-birds-named-after-slave-owners-colonialists%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=431787&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><ul>\n<li><strong>A leading nature organization hosted a virtual roundtable discussion with several birding experts who proposed renaming birds named after slave owners and colonialists.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cOur mission is to inspire all people to enjoy and protect wild birds,\u201d Jeff Gordon, the president of the American Birding Association, said during the discussion.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>In June, a large group of bird watching enthusiasts wrote a letter to the American Ornithological Society\u2019s North American Classification Committee demanding that they begin the process of renaming birds.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A leading nature organization hosted a virtual roundtable discussion with several birding experts who proposed renaming birds named after slave owners and colonialists.<\/p>\n<p>The experts agreed that North American birds named after slave owners and colonialists should be <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2020\/06\/10\/trump-will-not-consider-renaming-military-bases-confederate-generals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">renamed<\/a> to make the U.S. and global bird watching community more inclusive during the event hosted by the American Ornithological Society (AOS) on Friday afternoon. The organization\u2019s Diversity &amp; Inclusion Committee had <a href=\"https:\/\/americanornithology.org\/english-bird-names\/faq-aos-community-congress-on-english-bird-names\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">started investigating<\/a> the issue in June, shortly after George Floyd, a black man, died in Minneapolis police custody.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur mission is to inspire all people to enjoy and protect wild birds,\u201d Jeff Gordon, the president of the American Birding Association, said during the discussion. \u201cOur primary path to conservation is people and community and the promotion of shared ethics and values. We\u2019re particularly interested in, and committed to, building a more diverse and inclusive birding community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>David Sibley, a well-known birding expert who has written several field guides for bird watchers, said during the event that maintaining the status quo with regards to bird <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2017\/09\/17\/dallas-school-district-weighing-renaming-schools-named-after-franklin-jefferson-and-madison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">names<\/a> would be a disservice to the animals themselves. He added that it was up to the experts present to educate bird watchers on the necessity of renaming. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2020\/10\/16\/san-francisco-california-school-name-racism-abraham-lincoln-thomas-jefferson-paul-revere-dianne-feinstein\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: San Francisco To Rename Schools Whose Names May Be \u2018Inappropriate,\u2019 Including Schools Named After Washington, Jefferson And Lincoln)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7172685\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"34\">\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7172685\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bird watchers use binoculars and cameras to see a Great Horned Owl in Central Park, New York on Nov. 29. (Kena Betancur\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cA bird should not be linked to any single person and should not have to carry a reminder of our own fraught history,\u201d Sibley said. \u201cThe hardest part will probably be convincing the birding community that this is worth the trouble and education will be the key to that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a small step in the big landscape of racial and social injustice, but I think it\u2019s important and definitely worth doing,\u201d he continued. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2020\/12\/09\/school-board-votes-rename-thomas-jefferson-elementary-school-george-mason-high-racism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: School Board Renames Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and George Mason High School Over Racism Concerns)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In June, a large group of bird watching enthusiasts <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1UkpzSN8h-3jM6vRagX59nwgDycuyKv1d9zLmS5n7yoE\/edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wrote a letter<\/a> to the AOS\u2019 North American Classification Committee (NACC) demanding that they begin the process of renaming birds. The committee is <a href=\"https:\/\/americanornithology.org\/nacc\/guidelines-for-english-bird-names\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">responsible<\/a> for naming bird species in North America.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are significant isolating and demeaning reminders of oppression, slavery, and genocide that reside within many of the English common names attached to birds in North America,\u201d the letter <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1UkpzSN8h-3jM6vRagX59nwgDycuyKv1d9zLmS5n7yoE\/edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">stated<\/a>. \u201cThrough the committees on Classification and Nomenclature, the AOS can play a crucial role in eliminating such barriers not only for ornithology, but for recreational birding as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The letter, and a subsequent petition, spurred the AOS to <a href=\"https:\/\/americanornithology.org\/whats-in-a-name-more-than-you-might-think\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">release a statement<\/a> in July, stating it was committed to diversity and inclusion in the bird watching community. In August, the AOS <a href=\"https:\/\/americanornithology.org\/aos-council-actions-on-english-bird-names\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">announced<\/a> it would explore ways to promote diversity including renaming birds.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7172684\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"34\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7172684\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7172684\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-2560.jpeg\" alt=\"A photographer feeds a Tufted Titmouse bird during a tour in Central Park, New York on Nov. 29. (Kena Betancur\/AFP via Getty Images)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-2560.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/GettyImages-1229900020-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-2561.jpeg 620w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-2562.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-2563.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-2564.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7172684\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photographer feeds a Tufted Titmouse bird during a tour in Central Park, New York on Nov. 29. (Kena Betancur\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Many of the lead proponents of the letter created <a href=\"https:\/\/birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bird Names for Birds<\/a>, a blog devoted to highlighting bird names that have roots in racism and colonialism. The blog has compiled an <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1Q_IJTLYWe0WWmMZueSftKUTJ4wTyuTYTeLk7ELiGiUY\/edit#gid=2072416291\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">extensive list<\/a> of birds named after figures who have slave owning and colonialist pasts.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the blog notes that <a href=\"https:\/\/birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com\/historical-profiles\/profiles-a-z\/belcher-edward\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Edward Belcher<\/a>, who the Belcher\u2019s Gull was named after, <a href=\"https:\/\/birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com\/historical-profiles\/profiles-a-z\/chaplin-francis-drummond-percy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Francis Drummond Percy Chaplin<\/a>, who the Chaplin\u2019s Barbet was named after, and <a href=\"https:\/\/birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com\/historical-profiles\/profiles-a-z\/nuttall-thomas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Thomas Nuttall<\/a>, who the Nuttall\u2019s Woodpecker was named after, all engaged in colonizing.<\/p>\n<p>James Jameson, who the Jameson\u2019s Firefinch is named after, explored Africa and believed indigenous people were cannibals, according to the blog. His personal journal was filled with racist innuendos and recounts stories of his explorations including an infamous account of when he offered to pay a group of tribal leaders to eat a ten-year-old girl.<\/p>\n<p>The blog\u2019s entire list includes about 145 bird species named after historical figures with colonial or slave owning pasts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have the opportunity to include everyone no matter who they are,\u201d Jordan Rutter, a Bird Names for Birds moderator who was a lead signatory of the letter sent to the AOS, said during Friday\u2019s event. \u201cThis is our chance to include indigenous people and Canadians and Mexicans and Jamaicans and everyone else impacted by these birds we all share.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo it won\u2019t end racism, it won\u2019t fix colonialism, but it\u2019s something that we can do right now,\u201d she said later in the discussion. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2020\/06\/09\/us-army-considers-renaming-bases-confederate-generals-george-floyd-protests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: US Army Is Now Considering Renaming Federal Bases That Honor Confederate Leaders)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>During the event, Kenn Kaufman, another field guide author, explained the need for change, saying it was hard to bird watch with his black friends since they might know the <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2020\/12\/04\/righting-wrongs-school-board-votes-changing-names-two-schools-named-former-presidents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">racist roots<\/a> of the birds they were watching.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I\u2019m birding with a couple of black friends in Georgia, for example, and we see a Bachman\u2019s Sparrow, you know, we\u2019re all aware of the fact that John Bachman wrote some really ugly things in support of white supremacy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>While the experts appeared to unanimously agree that renaming birds was necessary, it was unclear what the timeline would be moving forward. Kaufman and Sibley both noted that the logistics moving forward would be challenging.<\/p>\n<p>Rutter admitted that renaming potentially hundreds of birds would be a \u201chuge task\u201d that would require a lot of time and effort.<\/p>\n<p>Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact <a href=\"mailto:licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org\">licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A leading nature organization hosted a virtual roundtable discussion with several birding experts who proposed renaming birds named after slave owners and colonialists. \u201cOur mission is to inspire all people &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2312362,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-2560.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"Top US Nature Society Proposes Renaming Birds Named After Slave Owners, Colonialists","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-431787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-2560.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"Top US Nature Society Proposes Renaming Birds Named After Slave Owners, Colonialists","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=431787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431787\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2312362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=431787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=431787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=431787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}