Why bird names ruffle feathers

The common names for many species of birds can sometimes be confusing, contradictory, misleading or a complete mystery.

For example, the common name red-winged blackbird has always gotten under my skin because the wing of this bird isn’t red – it is actually black. The shoulder patch is red, not the wing, so we should rename this bird the red-shouldered, black-winged blackbird.

The common loon is another bird with a confusing name. What does the word “loon” mean? It turns out that the name is thought to be derived from the Scandinavian word “lom,” which refers to someone being clumsy or lame. This describes how this bird clumsily moves on land because its legs and feet are located far back on its body.

No doubt you’ve heard of a group of birds called swallows. Where does the word “swallow” come from? No one knows for sure, but perhaps it comes from the Old English word “swealwe,” which means to ingest food, and could refer to these birds eating while flying. Or it could be related to the Old English word “swell,” meaning erratic flight, which perfectly describes how they fly. I guess the origin of the common name is lost to history.

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All of this was running through my head on my recent photo tour of the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador. One of the most common birds found on this archipelago is the blue-footed booby. Not only is there a blue-footed booby, but also a red-footed booby and a Nazca booby. Three species of booby live in the Galápagos.

So where did the name booby come from? The name comes from the Spanish word “bobo,” which translates to foolish or clownish.

The reference to “clown-like” comes from these birds clumsily walking on land. When they walk, they lift their large blue feet high and slowly, deliberately place one foot in front of the other. It looks like the big shoes of a clown. These birds also have no fear of humans and walk around with their oversized, clown-like feet without hesitation. They seem foolish, hence their common name.

It turns out there are six recognized species of boobies. They all belong to the genus Sula, and three are very common in the Galápagos. So the name blue-footed seems obvious enough. But you have to ask: Why would a bird have blue feet?

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The color of the blue-footed booby’s feet comes from pigment derived from their diet of fish. The pigments act as antioxidants and build up in the birds’ feet, giving them their distinctive color. It is believed that the bluer the feet, the better the diet – and a bird with a better diet is healthier and more fit to reproduce. The bluer, the healthier.

All of this bird’s kooky looks and foolish behavior are set aside when the boobies are flying and hunting for fish. Their strong wings carry them quickly above the ocean’s surface. They spot fish below and dive headfirst at high speed. They hit the water with such force that they often reach three to five feet down, snatching up a fish before bobbing back to the surface. Then they take flight and repeat the process until they’ve had their fill.

So no matter how silly or goofy a bird’s common name may be, there always seems to be a reason for it or a reference to the bird’s biology. It’s just one more thing I like about the natural world of birds.

Until next time …

Editor’s note: Stan Tekiela’s NatureSmart column appears twice a month in the Eden Prairie Local News. Tekiela is an author, naturalist and wildlife photographer who travels extensively across the United States to study and capture wildlife images. 

You can follow his work on Instagram and Facebook. He can be contacted via his website at www.naturesmart.com.