[Tweeters] New Name for Steller's Jay?

[Steve Hampton]

Steller's Jay is probably on the docket for a name change regardless, as
new research shows it diverged into two species a long time ago. Check out
this paper, which has a cool map for Figure 1:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.9517

The protocol in a case like this is to come up with two fresh names to
avoid confusion with the larger lumped species of the past. (That's why we
lost Rufous-sided Towhee - or Roofasoddatowhee as my wife thought it was! -
when it was split into Spotted Towhee and Eastern Towhee. I call our PNW
birds Nearly Spotless Towhees!) I could imagine Steller's Jay split into
Forest Jay for the Pacific birds and Mountain Jay for the interior, based
on their habitat preferences, but that will be up to the new committee.

Note that, up until now, English bird names have been selected by the North
Am Checklist Committee, which are the taxonomists who do the lumps and
splits. Under the new initiative, they'll still do all the science work,
but a new and separate English Names Committee will be in charge of just
the English names only. I expect they'll still follow the rules for
handling lumps and splits as described above. The English names committee
will differ from the taxonomy committee in three important ways: 1) it will
have term limits; 2) its members will be appointed by an external body to
ensure representation of a wide array of stakeholders; and 3) there will be
a public process whereby the public can suggest and state a preference for
new name options.

 good birding!



On Mon, Jan 8, 2024 at 11:19 PM Tom Benedict <benedict.t at comcast.net> wrote:


> I saw a suggestion for the new Steller’s Jay name on this posting

> <https://www.reddit.com/r/birding/comments/17m3i51/i_went_ahead_and_renamed_80_birds/?share_id=vY2MJPHK41wmnnvlwg5Xv&utm_content=2&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1>

> .

>

> Old name:   Steller’s Jay

> New name:   Stellar Jay

>

> I think it is a superb name and fitting. Many people don’t know who Georg

> Steller was anyhow and likely thought that the name was always Stellar Jay.

> And, like my son commented, “That hairdo do be stellar!”.

>

> Tom Benedict

> Seahurst, WA

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-- 
​Steve Hampton​
Port Townsend, WA  (qatáy)
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