Falconry: The new names?

In this falconry video I discuss the emerging discussion of changing the names of birds that have a human name as part of their common name, and how the American Ornithological Society is pushing to have these changed. I discuss scientific names and their purpose, and most importantly, discuss what raptor species have actually been misclassified with their common names for over a century and how fixing those changes would be more value than changing common names simply because the bird was named after a human.
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[@wilgarcia1]

Kestrel? Oh you mean the MurderKeet!!! =P

[@RobinASmith138]

Probably in Gen whatever in the hell it is now lingo

[@chrisbaker3066]

Windhover is what the Irish poets used!

[@shannonherb2048]

So true

[@darraghcornally8900]

Love this video, I already rename so many of these species in my raptor books because I'm from Ireland (so I use the European names) and it's such a pet peeve for me going through the raptors of the world and suddenly there's a bunch of "hawks" in the middle of my buzzards 😂

[@sw-social]

You should try and get on the AOS English names committee if you can, your name suggestions are really good and you’re more than qualified to speak on the raptor names

[@NobleSavagery]

Hey Ben! Love your channel and the insights, discourse that you provide here. An aside, and not to split hairs or criticize, I want to offer that the etymological pronunciation of 'accipter' is "ak-ˈsi-pə-tər" , from the same Latin root as that of 'accept' - 'accipere': meaning to take, grasp, accept. Looking forward to more of your videos!

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

Totally correct. I have such a hard time making myself do it. Which is a prime example of this whole idea if names and words being anchored to how we grew up hearing them. I always was taught Buteos as b-you-tay-oh and it took years to switch myself to properly say “boo-tee-oh”. I’ll keep working on accipiter.

[@NobleSavagery]

@@benwoodrufffalconry I figured you had grown up learning it that way and was hoping this would be your answer - perfect for the colloquial commentary aspect! Potatoes potahtoes:) Also, just wanted to add that I do think Latin is a fair standard for scientific nomenclature, for the sake of science's attempt as a universal language. For what it's worth.

[@kristensorensen2219]

Love your channel❤ Thank you for the vocabulary lesson!!👍🍸

[@KylesMonitors]

We don't need to change everything to match modern times or rewrite history because people don't like it. Learn from the past, be better, do better and move on while leaving it unaltered so future generations can also learn from it. That said, your suggestions for name changes have a logical consistency that makes perfect sense. If enough people agree, they should be considered.

[@biblicaltheologyexegesisan9024]

I will continue to call them by their traditional names

[@puyao7214]

I agree with you there Ben. Many of our current bird common names are misleading, I really liked your example of the misconception of "all big birds of preys are eagles", this is something I thought when I was younger, so, I relate with it a lot. In general I think renaming birds will do more good than bad, especially it will make scientific communication more logical therefore aiding better avian related public education. Imagine how many little kids will gain better understanding of avian biology by the more taxonomically correct names, such as American sparrow-hawk instead of sharp-shined hawk... In my opinion the only TRUE down-side of this name changing event is probably just the adjusting period when people might get confused by all of these more scientifically correct names. But overall I think its not something difficult we can't overcome! Thank you Ben for another cool video! 👍😎

[@happybee7725]

Another super interesting video Ben.👍

[@kathleenmccaffery1313]

This is keenly informative Ben 🌟 Good discussion to have. I still appreciate the Latin 👍🫶

[@stevenalden6542]

I guess everyone's going to be perfect from here on out look around the world

[@Rusty6450]

Beautiful discussion and think I have a couple decades on you, so I remember the duck hawk, pigeon hawk and sparrow hawk references since I learned Falconry from original books by Frank Beebe. It doesn't matter how society redefines anything and everything as long as we enjoy the essence and joy we feel for something we are passionate about. Thank you!

[@2devious724]

I'm just wondering if this will affect the falconry test, or if the reclassification of the northern goshawk (now Eurasian and American) will also make my study guide outdated.

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

Oh geez! That is an excellent point I had not even considered!

[@hellsguardian884]

I agree to your view/explanation/suggestions to 100%.

[@brianpowell467]

That was very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@Moldyurinechunks]

I’m never going to have a bird of prey, but your videos are still fun to watch :)

[@anthonycapuano8554]

Cooper's hawk to me is the poor man's goshawk lol The bald eagle? Good luck messing with that name. The iconic national symbol

[@a.k.1283]

Really a good point! 👍

[@shae899]

I was expecting something along the lines of "black capped dove hawk" for cooper's, but I LOVE the idea of calling it a goshawk. Capped, red-breasted, ill-tempered, whatever! Let it be what it is!

[@harrishawklerinDE]

I'm from the US but live and learned falconry in Germany, and I had not heard about this re-naming thing. What an interesting discussion! I've often come across the hawk-buzzard discussion between Americans and Europeans! It's always funny, especially when an American insists "That is NOT a buzzard!" I love the former name of the Harris hawk, though I would change it slightly - to bay-winged buzzard. Bay has always been my favorite horse color, and I love my buzzard's coloring. In German the Harris hawk is a "Wüstenbussard" or "desert buzzard." And, as another commenter said, in German a "bald eagle" is exactly what you said it should be - "white-headed sea eagle" (Weißkopfseeadler). Great video!

[@tombrabant7097]

Great one always called them Sparrow Hawks

[@kd6iwd]

If I am ever able to pursue falconry, I plan to get a red tailed hawk. I plan to name the make hawk Erick the Red!

[@michaelgerowjr.1299]

😂😂you crack me up! Yiu are one of my favorite people on the planet man. Just saying you have me so pumped and so casual in my approach to this. Shakky snake 😂 .

[@fusedvirus8879]

Very good point that if we’re going to change names, that we should fix more than they’re initially targeting so they’re more inline.

[@RobinASmith138]

Ben Woodruff for President 2024 (and/or 2028) and he can have a Lanner Falcon as VP, or a Happy Potato; whatever he likes… you guys feel the warmth from the fire I’m making?

[@michaelgerowjr.1299]

You are 💯 all the way and i love love it. Told them whats up! You should run this Falconry thang Ben! I elect you. 😊. 😅 In the end it doesn't matter, it only matters between you and your birds!! Love it

[@JayFitzsimmons1]

I really enjoyed this video - thank you for putting it together! I didn't know Bald Eagles were so far removed from proper eagles.

[@lla7131]

If the Cooper's hawk is actually a goshawk then I think its name should reflect that. However, people still use "turkey buzzard" and "turkey vulture" interchangeably where I live. For the longest time, I was confused whether or not they referred to the same thing. I am not sure how to go about making something like this more uniform 😅

[@junchan_3200]

Coming from mainland China, kestrels are called red falcons which I think are a great common name 😂 very clear of what it is 😂😂

[@jimknight9206]

I was reading Van Remsen's posts on an email group about how the people behind the changes got the ear of the AOS leadership and excluded any dissenting opinions. It's unfortunate that political extremists get in positions (and target people based on their immutable characteristics) but that stuff happens. Your video, for me, helps show the emptiness of the idea that birds need 'descriptive' names. Descriptive names can be wrong, inappropriate or subjective. Let's not forget traditional names (what does Merlin tell us?) or in other languages (I didn't know what Junco meant until I looked it up). There's no such thing as a deontological bird name. So I think ornithologists should stick to scientific names, not insist on 'single english names' and they can keep the politics to Twitter.

[@Nobodyspecial5150]

I love you so much brother, have done videos with my wife and child with your sponsors .... your a master my friend much appreciation on you sir.

[@num1hendrickfan]

A goshawk name for the Cooper's hawk would be fitting. The Harris Hawk I think is another slated for change. Thinking the orange shouldered hawk is most descriptive.

[@abirbirdsnew]

Sir, please make a video on weight management during summer (how to keep birds motivated to hunt during hot season)

[@Sardonic_Cynic]

accuracy and standardization FTW!

[@Henry-hy3bd]

I just kind of like the current names. I understand why buteos should be called things like red tailed buteo instead of hawk but I just like the old names.

[@Travellers_Joy]

i personally think that the name changes are a great idea. common names were fluid before, and still are in some places, but as the internet has come along, these names have become more set in stone, because you have websites that tell you about the birds you search up and theyll all go with a typical common name. it also means birds arent named after people that did terrible things and we can just focus on birding instead. i also like your idea of making names more taxanomically accurate, unfortunately, not everything fits into neat boxes with buzzards either, you also have butastur buzzards and kaupifalco's lizard buzzard too, not to mention honey-buzzards, we cant win lol. but naming new world buteos buzzards would make things less confusing so im for it. i dont think youre ever changing the name of the bald eagle anytime soon though lol

[@btbfalconry1]

I think we should call the name of the bird as one regarding their own local languages, and the name in English should be only one name that can be recognized universally and keep Latin name as the reference. Love from Cambodia falconry 🇰🇭❤

[@abirbirdsnew]

Sir, please make a video on this topic .... I am having a female bonellis eagle (age 2 years). It works with me and hunts throughout the year except February to April or May (she becomes hormonal) . Yes, I know that during this time of the year she is hormonal and moulting and I also know that during this time of the year birds should be allowed to moult. But if I want her to work and hunt with me then how will I do that? During this hormonal season she absolutely lags motivation to hunt. Even I tried to motivate her by reducing her weight to significant amount from her actual flying weight and also tried by increasing the weight. But I failed. So sir please help us by making a video on how to control this hormonal behaviour and how to keep raptors motivated to hunt during this period of the year .

[@djsliderbite]

I heard that

[@angelo8516]

Anyway, Carpe Diam!🦅

[@josephhappe8058]

What about Harris’s Hawks? Just switching to using Baywing more?

[@JoshuaNyhus]

Yessir

[@StoneE4]

A compromise in regard to the red-tailed hawk/buzzard... How about a red-tailed buteo?

[@lla7131]

Yeah or just stop calling vultures buzzards 🙄

[@shereesmazik5030]

I heard a Eurasian Eagle Owl and a Great Horned Owls do not reproduce except in zoos , not in the wild . I wonder if they wouldn’t just try to eat one another . That would be a nasty fight indeed .

[@hungrybadger8668]

Great horned owls and Eurasian eagle owls don’t have any range overlap, so there wouldn’t be any way for them to hybridize in the wild. That doesn’t mean they’re less related.

[@shereesmazik5030]

@@hungrybadger8668 True , but would they be able to figure out their social signals if their ranges would intersect ? The edges of biology are interesting.

[@jakethebirdnerd5411]

The toes of the bird in the thumbnail look weird to me it looks like the bird has an extra middle toes on each foot I know this had nothing to do with the video but that just caught my eye

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

Yes it is an AI rendering. I always experiment with different thumbnails. Sometimes I use images from the video itself, sometimes I use photos I have taken already, sometimes I alter the photos by reducing the grain to make them more colorful and almost cartoon if you see them on a big screen, and this was my first time trying an AI image. Always trying to see what is the best form of a thumbnail to generate interest in the subject of falconry

[@CaptainH8322]

@@benwoodrufffalconrythe only problem I’ve ever had with AI is when it makes up a totally different bird species and then people present it as a real one. That or it portrays a real species somewhat inaccurately, and then people accept incorrect ID features for the species based on the AI image. But I love the idea of using it for things like thumbnails, I think that’s the path AI belongs on

[@ohno6594]

​@@benwoodrufffalconryI think you should go back to using real photography for your thumbnails, photography looks nicer and doesn't have the ethical concerns that come with AI generation

[@beardedfalconer1173]

Surprised you didn’t mention the Harris’s Hawk

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

I should have. There were several I forgot. Honestly I have been meaning to make this video for a while and have been too busy and ended up having a few minutes this afternoon to hammer it out quickly. Missed a lot of good points unfortunately

[@SethMcGee]

​@benwoodrufffalconry Do a follow up! This is pretty contentious. I watch the Meat Eater podcast and they have brought it up a few times. For what it's worth, like you, I'm for considering renaming based on what we have observed and know about the animal, but, in addition, what will give it a good name for the sake of conservation (like muskrats would have it easier as bankbeavers) and be something unique enough for people to remember (sorry but I would downvote Lesser American Gosshawk). Trying to make it more approachable would go further to get new people interested. I think that renaming because of the hypothetical person who is turned off from getting into birding/ornithology because of all the ones named after European explorers during the age of imperialism is a bit of a farse. So my take on the current news is it amounts to either foolish moral posturing (ironically a very Western "progressive" ideological form that is again being foisted on the rest of the world because we can't seem to mind our own business) or a clever campaign to get people talking about this by fueling it with controversy. In the latter case they have been very successful.

[@SethMcGee]

Harris's Hawk to Sonoran Pack Eagle or Little Wolf Eagle

[@beardedfalconer1173]

@@SethMcGee love it. I’d vote for little wolf eagle!

[@lla7131]

Once-girdled buzzard

[@Cheetahcabra]

That AI generated title screen is offputting, just saying.

[@chrisbaker3066]

Can I suggest that you use ELVISH to name the birds? The Elves are nice people in general so it should not be offensive to anyone. UNLESS, ELVISH has left the building!!!!!!

[@birdman5197]

Rename them is stupid. But it does make sense to do it for various reasons. I don't really care as long as they don't change the regulations.😅

[@Toothandtalon]

It's absolutely bonkers that ppl would get offended by the common names of animals.

[@ricusmate]

Next you'll be calling moose elk, wolverines gluttons, bison wisent, caribou reindeer, elk red deer and then I'll tell you what a fanny really is.

[@Greenereefs]

What a can of worms. Its very simple though, as you said, a common name is just that, in common use. Its like someone saying I'll give myself a nickname and then get everyone else to use it. It never happens as nicknames are bestowed by Other people to the person. Colloquial names will evolve with society. The fact you use the historical English names for raptors in your videos will already be changing the language used to name birds in North America.

[@finnolislagers4849]

The rest of the world already knows bald eagles as white-headed pr American sea eagles. Americans have weird ways of naming things

[@chimpz_ahoy1502]

Might as well redo the whole "kite" thing, swallow-tailed and hook billed kites are both honey-buzzards

[@danparadis01]

...also a money racket...

[@jonahmcbride934]

If you just go down to Central America, they have a bunch of different common names (and in spanish) for a ton of birds. I have no problem with the common names. I think common names should just evolve on their own. To force a change just because of inclusivity seems lame to me.

[@StoneE4]

If you have no problem with a bunch of different common names then you shouldn't have a problem with a name change due to inclusivity.

[@falcon2287]

Latin names are not ideal as species names as they ignore those languages based on other alphabets (Cyrillic, Arabic, etc). Lets just number each species (Peregrine Falcon becomes "486.301" or "111100110.01001101000011100101" in binary). There ... much better! 😉

[@BeChildFree]

My take is to call the birds what they are with apt descriptors - ie a black-capped (field marking) chickadee (what their call sounds like) - in words ascribed to them and not something or someone else. Words mean things and a person's name has nothing to do with the bird (though I know it regards that they had singularly 'discovered' them). I agree that Lesser Goshawk and American Eagle Owls would be great names. If Cooper or Stellar or whoever are rapists and murderers (not that they are) the birds surely aren't deserving of such a title lol. The rapist hawk. Food for thought for the old guard. Also, isn't it interesting how we stick with calling native Americans 'Indians' even though that's based on a European mistake?! Adds perspective to our other naming mistakes and how we've been slow to wise up about them imho.

[@sherizaahd]

quite a rant. Rename things because people aren't perfect? Let's rename EVERYTHING!

[@GSXRlntensity]

I think people need get off their pedestals to stop trying to re-write history. History is to be learned from; not erased. I’m so over all of this DEI/pro-noun nonsense. Renaming those raptors opens up a Pandora’s box that doesn’t need to be opened. At what point would it stop; at the Latin language?? If so, why? If not, why not? People need to just get over themselves. Their are bigger issues in this world they could focus on.

[@jimknight9206]

Funnily enough it doesn't stop at the Latin language. The people behind this are also arguing for removing personal names from the scientific nomenclature.

[@ricotta5753]

Great video once again! But drop the AI generated thumbnails. In my opinion they’re a bit tacky, and I’d much rather look at real art or a photo.

[@benwoodrufffalconry]

I’m experimenting a little. I admit I don’t like the AI either. Especially since I am a formal artist and hate seeing AI change the artistic fields. But I get very few views on my videos compared to the amount of time it takes out of my week to produce anything. So I try to experiment and see how I can boost numbers a little bit. That’s why I have been doing the shorts too. I don’t care for them, but they help the algorithm. I never make any actual money off of these videos, but I try to make enough to cover my monthly editing, software costs, and any stock video footage. I have to get to augment my videos. So I wish I just didn’t have to care and could just do boring thumbnails, and long form videos, but I am going to try a few more thumbnails with AI and then compare how the viewing goes compared to my regular thumbnails. I am guessing I will probably go back to the old style.

[@TheGabsterRadioPodcast]

I see woke culture is trying to make its way into Falconry. Judging people from past centuries by today's moral standards is called an anachronism.

[@angelgreen3532]

I think the reason for changing the names is stupid and unnecessary. Your rationale for correct re-naming is spot on, though. I have no problem correctly referring to our bueos as buzzards, and frequently correct people who use the term to describe vultures.

[@Oh-Deer-God]

The whole "we can't have the name after someone problematic!" argument, bird or otherwise, feels like virtue signaling to me and always has, even though I agree we shouldn't be honoring awful people. They should be renamed to be more accurate, I think, like you say, but not because some non-grass-touching liberal scholar thinks it's going to... what, hurt someone's feelings? And I say this as a liberal myself. Good idea, weak motivation.

[@city-to-sticks]

I wont lie i don't think kamala deserves to have the name harris! They are amazing birds but i think she needs to be made to change her name, not the bird have to change their name...

[@StoneE4]

_"Oh, I get it. It's very clever. How's that working out for you?"_