On Mon Oct 10, 1994 Gene Hunn wrote:

Fantastic names: my favorite is "swamp angel" for Hermit Thrush, though
I don't associate it with swamps.

Just a couple from "Sahaptin," the Yakima/WarmSprings/Umatilla Indian
language; k'shpali' for Turkey Vulture = "one with broken back," a reference
to the diheldral flight and to a "Coyote" story about how cottontail
rabbit broke TVs back (I forget the details). Another is
yapash-pat'a-hla' for the Gray Jay which is literally "fat lover,"
apparently a reference to their fat storage habits.

On another issue of language: I have noticed a tendency (which I find
slightly irritating) to leave of the "-s" in pluralizing bird names on
the model of "one deer" "several deer." So we often see in print "three
curlew were noted at Ocean Shores Oct. 21".... or oftimes worse, "six
Herring Gull were at Green Lake for the Xmas count"... What do you all
think? Are there certain bird names for which this archaic irregular
unmarked plural form is ok, or even preferred? If so when to do it and
when not to do it? Is there a rule we can follow?

Gene Hunn.