Let's Rename the Birds!!! (pt. 15)
As you may already know... ornithological authorities (such as the AOS and ABA) in North America have decided, for a variety of reasons, to rename all of the birds that have been named after people.
Some examples: Lewis's Woodpecker, Smith's Longspur, MacGillivray's Warbler...
I thought it would be fun for us to come up with some ideas for new common names here on Tumblr.
Here are some criteria for re-naming that might appeal to ornithologists and birdwatchers:
Habitat and geographical range
Physical characteristics
Call/song characteristics
Behavior
PLEASE MAKE YOUR NAMING SUGGESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS, REBLOG, OR TAGS.
We'll take the best ideas, and put them in a poll by the end of the week! (I and an esteemed panel of ornithological tumblererrsssres will make the decisions).
WEEK 15 - Forster's Tern
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri), adult in breeding plumage, family Laridae, order Charadriiformes
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Breeds/nests in various spots along freshwater lakes in the northern U.S. and southern Canada, as well as areas of the Gulf Coast and NE Atlantic Coast, and small areas of the California coast.
Overwinters along the West and Pacific coasts of the US, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, as well as inland in Mexico, Central America, and the SE U.S.
Occurs as an occasional vagrant in far western Europe.
Mainly breeds in colonies on bare ground in and next to marshes near open water, both fresh and saltwater marshes.
Heavily associated with marshes and other estuaries.
Feeds mostly on fish, which it catches from diving on from up high, but also feeds on insects and other invertebrates. Their dive does not usually include the stopping hover of other plunge diving terns.
This Small-medium sized tern grows to 33–36 cm (13–14 in) long with a 78–80 cm (31–31 in) wingspan and a weight ranging from 130 to 190 g (4.6-6.7 oz).
Similar in appearance to the Common Tern (and Arctic Tern), the Forster's has slight coloration differences on the wings and tail, and has longer bill and legs than the other 2.
The Forster's is easier to tell apart from other terns in winter plumage, because of the distinctive black mask.
Both parents care for the chicks. Males sitting on the nest mostly in the day, and the mother mostly at night. Both feed chicks.
As with other tern species that nest in colonies, this species is known to angrily mob humans and other animals that enter their colonies, swooping, pecking, and defecating on intruders... (I know this from personal experience).
Adult Forster's Tern in non-breeding plumage at Bolsa Chica Conservancy in Huntington Beach, California, USA
photograph by Kevin Cole
NJ, USA - Photograph by Jonathan Irons
Michigan, USA - photograph by Andrew Simon
