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From: heather@blia.BLI.COM (Heather Mackinnon)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,rec.birds
Subject: Re: buzzards vs. vultures: there is a difference
Message-ID: <2882@blia.BLI.COM>
Date: Fri, 26-Jun-87 12:41:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: blia.2882
Posted: Fri Jun 26 12:41:14 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 27-Jun-87 11:04:36 EDT
References: <8198@utzoo.UUCP>
Organization: Britton Lee, Los Gatos, CA
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Xref: mnetor sci.bio:482 rec.birds:178

I just thought I'd add a Western birdwatcher's perspective to this
discussion.  Out here, the turkey vulture is commonly called a buzzard;
many people don't even know that there's another name for him.  The
condor is never called a buzzard or a vulture; but then there aren't
many people who've seen them in the wild.  We don't have black
vultures, so they don't confuse the issue.

I've always believed that there isn't a correct common name for a bird
or plant -- all of the common names are equally valid.  (This even goes
for people who - shudder - call terns gulls.)  If you want to be
specific, use the Latin name.  When I'm in the field and find a species
I can't identify, I often hang a new common name on it just so I have a
name to work with.  For several plants, I liked my common name better
than the one listed in the books, so I continued to use it.  When
walking with others, I've found that we'll positively identify a plant
with as many as four different common names.  Reference to the binomial
always cleared up the confusion.

Heather Mackinnon

Disclaimer:  I'm just an amateur birdwatcher and botanist.  The only
training I've had was some basic biology in college.  Other than that,
I'm entirely self-taught.  Any mistakes I make are entirely my own.