ert ADU DU BAOINe Bou ly Db ber LN 3 
Name Changes Affecting the Avifauna of Illinois 
By WILLIAM E. SOUTHERN 
AFTER EDITING THE 1959-60 Christmas Census it was obvious to me that 
many contributors, and probably other members of the Society, were either 
unaware of many of the recent (1957) changes in common names of birds 
(A.0.U. Check-List of North American Birds, Fifth Edition), or, if they 
were aware of the changes, tended to use names they had previously memo- 
rized. Indeed, changes are always difficult. 
Although perhaps not readily apparent, the changes in common names, 
as well as scientific, are warranted and are not intended to lend themselves 
solely to the confusion of the layman. The fourth edition of the A.O.U. 
Check-list was published in 1931. Several factors have necessitated a re- 
vised edition: (a) Extensive research has extended our knowledge regard- 
ing the ranges of species and subspecies; (b) Records of new species for 
the continent have been obtained; (c) We face the necessity of a still better 
series of accurate common names. These points have been stressed in the 
new edition. 
This paper is an attempt to verify the need for these changes in common 
names and to encourage their usage by ornithologists and lay persons in 
the State. The revised names should be used not only in print, but in our 
conversations and discussions pertaining to observations, etc. Those of us 
studying and enjoying the avifauna of North America are indeed fortunate 
to have common names which have become standardized throughout the 
continent. Thus, whenever a Cardinal is mentioned, persons from all parts 
of the continent visualize the same species. With some other organisms 
(e.g., gopher) it will be found that the same amount of clarity does not 
exist. Standardized common names are not meant to serve as substitutes 
for scientific names. Both are necessary and have their places in ornitho- 
logical work. 
Following are. som2 points discussed by M. A. Evans (1957:125-127) 
which the new common names were intended to remedy: 
(a) The check-list committee concluded that common names of birds 
should be, when possible, descriptive and distinctive. Hence, Holboell’s Grebe 
was changed to Red-necked Grebe, but Olive-backed Thrush was changed 
to Swainson’s Thrush because more than one species of thrush has an olive 
back. Whenever a descriptive name was not possible, the name of the man 
who either first found or described the bird was often used in the bird’s 
name. 
(b) Sometimes one group name is used for several species (e.g., “crow’’). 
In many such cases the species within the group having the widest range 
received the modifier ““common,” and the other species received appropriate 
modifiers (e.g., Fish Crow). 
(c) It is important in species which range to the Old World that our 
nomenclature corresponds with theirs. Our American Egret is but a geo- 
graphical race of the Common Egret found in the warmer areas of the 
entire world. Thus, for accuracy and simplicity, the American Egret has 
been changed to Common Egret. Another example is that of the Red-wing. 
In America a Red-wing is a member of the black-bird family (Icteridae) 
whereas in Europe a Red-wing is a thrush (Turdidae) ; therefore, the new 
name of Redwinged Blackbird. 
