Mike,

> I hate "Long-tailed Duck." It's uninteresting, only vaguely discriptive and... so British.>

Bent, in North American Wild Fowl part two (1925) starts off the
Oldsquaw section with "Oldsquaws, or long-tailed ducks, as I should
prefer to have them called..." So there is some historical precedent.

Springing "Callithumpian Duck" on a new birder would be so lovely as to
make it worthwhile to spend some money on this name. Can the A.O.U.
nomenclature people be bribed?

: Walt Rector :
: Snoqualmie, WA :