Subject: Taxonomic info?
Date: Mar 28 19:35:11 2000
From: MBlanchrd at aol.com - MBlanchrd at aol.com


In a message dated 03/27/2000 2:01:33 AM Pacific Standard Time,
patbarb at speakeasy.org writes:

<< Does anyone know of a reference (web or otherwise) that explains what the
scientific names of the birds are in English? For instance, the Western
Grebe is 'Aechmophorus occidentalis' but it'd be a lot easier to remember if
I had some idea of what the word parts meant. Thanks!
>>

"The Dictionary of American Bird Names" revised edition, Choate, Ernest A.

Harvard Common Press, ISBN 0-87645-121-0

Aechmophorus occidentalis "aechme" = spear "phoreus"= bearer (for the
spear shaped bill), "occidentalis" = western. Thus, "western spear bearer."

Michelle Blanchard
MBlanchrd at aol.com
Oly, WA