Rough-faced shag

February 4, 2021 2:44 PM

My favourite species of birds are the ones named by people who clearly hate birds. [sltwitter]
posted by Pyrogenesis (21 comments total)

Peduline tits???
posted by MtDewd at 3:37 PM on February 4, 2021

I think they're way off base with the Satanic Nightjars, though. That's an awesome name.
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:40 PM on February 4, 2021 [13 favorites]

Thank you thank you thank you! I needed a good ROFL.
posted by Quasirandom at 3:40 PM on February 4, 2021

I think they're way off base with the Satanic Nightjars, though. That's an awesome name.

BRB. Need to spin up a list consisting of "Bird names that are also excellent band names."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:42 PM on February 4, 2021 [10 favorites]

You know, you hit middle age and you feel you are mature and serious. Then you see "Dickcissel" and suddenly you're just a 10 year old boy again who can't stop laughing.
posted by mark k at 3:57 PM on February 4, 2021 [8 favorites]

Boobies.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 4:13 PM on February 4, 2021 [8 favorites]

Antipathetic ornithologists: "What are birds? We just don't know care."
posted by one for the books at 4:39 PM on February 4, 2021 [6 favorites]

After one night of camping with a Chuck-Will's-Widow hanging out above us the entire time and no sleep whatsoever, I think some bird names are a little too tame.
posted by Foosnark at 4:47 PM on February 4, 2021 [7 favorites]

Bugger off, you great tit
posted by J.K. Seazer at 6:15 PM on February 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

I've always wondered whether Boobies and Tits (birds) were named after boobies and tits (mammalian organs) or vice versa. Or maybe they just share a common latin/greek origin? Or maybe they are completely unrelated and just one of those weird coincidences.
posted by Mitheral at 7:12 PM on February 4, 2021 [1 favorite]

Blue-footed booby - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)

The name booby comes from the Spanish word bobo ("stupid", "foolish", or "clown") because the blue-footed booby is, like other seabirds, clumsy on land.

Tit (bird) - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)

The name titmouse is recorded from the 14th century, composed of the Old English name for the bird, mase (Proto-Germanic *maison, Dutch mezen, German Meise), and tit, denoting something small. The former spelling, "titmose", was influenced by mouse in the 16th century

posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 7:33 PM on February 4, 2021 [6 favorites]

Greater Pewee
posted by soakimbo at 8:05 PM on February 4, 2021

My wife and I once took a walk through a bird sanctuary and crossed paths with this group of very kitted-out birdwatchers who asked us if we'd "seen any good birds." It seemed like such a weird question because of course they're ALL good birds, and after they passed we joked about what we should have responded ("naw, only the rubbish ones"). Somehow from that the idea of the Warty Gumbird was born, and now whenever we hear an unpleasant noise we blame it on those shitty old Warty Gumbirds.
posted by DingoMutt at 8:24 PM on February 4, 2021 [13 favorites]

Tiny sky-tyrant is an awesome name for a bird. Bearded tit, on the other hand...
posted by rjs at 9:06 PM on February 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

See, coz the thing is that 'tiny sky-tyrant' isn't /really/ all that far fetched. Many flycatcher's are in the 'tyrannidae' family, which means 'tyrant.'
posted by kaibutsu at 9:42 PM on February 4, 2021 [6 favorites]

The short tailed pygmy tyrant, for example, is a real bird. And what you will now call your boss behind their back.
posted by kaibutsu at 9:43 PM on February 4, 2021 [6 favorites]

What about the Yellow-Bellied Sap Sucker of cartoon fame?
posted by mermayd at 5:45 AM on February 5, 2021 [3 favorites]

See, coz the thing is that 'tiny sky-tyrant' isn't /really/ all that far fetched. Many flycatcher's are in the 'tyrannidae' family, which means 'tyrant.'

Yes but that is silly.
posted by saturday_morning at 7:33 AM on February 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

Yes but that is silly.

Have you ever had to deal with one in a position of authority? If so, you wouldn’t scoff.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:10 AM on February 5, 2021 [2 favorites]

Slaty-headed tody-flycatcher sounds like a TV edit.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 9:36 PM on February 5, 2021

Including an appearance by the Minnesota state bird
posted by ckape at 9:12 PM on February 9, 2021