These American birds and dozens more will be renamed, to remove human monikers
Culture,General News,Diversity,American Heritage
Get ready to say goodbye to a lot of familiar bird names, like Anna's Hummingbird, Gambel's Quail, Lewis's Woodpecker, Bewick's Wren, Bullock's Oriole, and more.
That's because the American Ornithological Society has vowed to change the English names of all bird species currently named after people, along with any other bird names deemed offensive or exclusionary.
"Names have power and power can be for the good or it can be for the bad," says Colleen Handel, the society's president and a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska. "We want these names to be powerful in…
Related Coverage
AllSides Picks
Headline Roundup
Could AI Replace Journalists, Authors?
September 16th, 2026
Headline Roundup
Macklemore Kicked Off Ed Sheeran Tour for Saying 'Free Palestine' During Show
September 16th, 2026
News
Tracking Trump’s Campaign Promises
AllSides Staff
September 16th, 2026
Bias
Media Bias Alert: The DOJ Revokes Its ‘Integration Mandate’ for People With Disabilities
Malayna J. Bizier
September 2nd, 2026