Coverage dated October 31, 2023 to November 1, 2023

Ornithological society to rename dozens of birds — and stop naming them after people

Headline from WTOL Toledo, on the newest of 2 developments

The organization’s president says some English bird names have associations with the past that continue to be exclusionary and harmful.

WTOL Toledo's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. These American birds and dozens more will be renamed, to remove human monikers

    Headline from Delaware Public Media ·

  2. Newest

    Ornithological society to rename dozens of birds — and stop naming them after people

    Headline from WTOL Toledo ·

Reports & sources

29 articles, oldest first.

  1. Wyoming Public Media

    These American birds and dozens more will be renamed, to remove human monikers (opens Wyoming Public Media)

    Published

    Wyoming Public Media's feed description

    The official naming organization for birds in the U. S. is making a bold move, after concerns were raised about birds being named after people with questionable histories.

  2. Fox News

    Prominent bird group to rename avians connected to racism, slavery, 'robbers of Indigenous graves' (opens Fox News)

    Published

    Fox News's feed description

    The American Ornithological Society announced it is moving forward in renaming many birds because of their association with people deemed racist by today's standards.

  3. The Daily Caller

    National Association Will Rename Birds With ‘Exclusionary And Harmful’ Names (opens The Daily Caller)

    Published

    The Daily Caller's feed description

    The American Ornithological Society announced Wednesday it will be renaming dozens of birds to "address past wrongs," according to the association's website.

  4. Washington Examiner

    Dozens of bird species being renamed to avoid use of racist names (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    Starting in 2024, the American Ornithological Society will be looking into changing the names of up to 80 bird species in the United States and Canada "in an effort to address past wrongs."

  5. UPI

    Racism, misogyny prompt American Ornithological Society renaming of birds (opens UPI)

    Published

    UPI's feed description

    The American Ornithological Society said Wednesday it will change all English bird names currently named after people. AOS said it's being done to change naming conventions clouded by racism and misogyny.

  6. New York Times

    Birds in the Americas Will No Longer Be Named After People (opens New York Times)

    Published

    New York Times's feed description

    The American Ornithological Society has committed to replacing all bird names derived from people so as not to honor figures with racist pasts.

  7. New York Post

    Dozens of birds with monikers ‘clouded by racism and misogyny’ to be renamed (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    The naming purge will likely affect up to 80 different species in the US and Canada, though the process is only in the beginning stages.

  8. WTOL Toledo

    Ornithological society to rename dozens of birds — and stop naming them after people (opens WTOL Toledo)

    Published

    WTOL Toledo's feed description

    The organization’s president says some English bird names have associations with the past that continue to be exclusionary and harmful.

  9. Blaze Media

    'There is power in a name': American Ornithological Society is renaming over 70 species of birds to correct 'historic bias' (opens Blaze Media)

    Published

    Blaze Media's feed description

    The leftist campaign to sever ties with the past in the name of equity and inclusion continues unabated, even in the sciences. The latest effort, undertaken by the American Ornithological Society, will ultimately see all species of birds in the United States and Canada renamed, purportedly to "a...

  10. Green Field Reporter

    Ornithological society to rename dozens of birds — and stop naming them after people - The Daily Reporter (opens Green Field Reporter)

    Published

    Green Field Reporter's feed description

    Birds in North America will no longer be named after people, the American Ornithological Society announced Wednesday. Next year, the organization will begin to rename around 80 species found in the U.S. and Canada.

  11. ABC 17 Mid-Missouri

    Nearly 80 bird species names with racist roots are about to be changed (opens ABC 17 Mid-Missouri)

    Published

    ABC 17 Mid-Missouri's feed description

    By Leah Asmelash, CNN (CNN) — After years-long discussion, birds will no longer be named after people — a decision meant to dissociate the animals from problematic eponyms. The American Ornithological Society announced Wednesday that all common English-language names of bird species named after peop…

  12. The Guardian

    ‘There is power in a name’: why dozens of American birds are being renamed (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    American Ornithological Society to change names referencing people or deemed offensive for ones that better describe species

  13. Portland Press Herald

    Dozens of bird names honoring enslavers and racists will be changed (opens Portland Press Herald)

    Published

    Portland Press Herald's feed description

    The American Ornithological Society says it will alter all human names of North American birds, starting with up to 80 species.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

Ornithological society to rename dozens of birds — and stop naming them after people | Since Then