North American Birds Named After Bad People Will Get a New Name. So W…

The crow-sized Cooper’s hawk has been called a “flying cross,” with its long tail and short wings. None of those traits is reflected in the bird’s eponymous name. (Courtesy of Walter Kitundu)

Cooper’s hawk, Wilson’s warbler, Henslow’s sparrow — these are all familiar species to members of Chicago’s birding community.

And they’re about to disappear. The names, that is, not the birds.

In a statement that sent shockwaves among the nation’s birders, the American Ornithological Society (AOS) announced last week that, starting in 2024, it will begin the process of renaming all eponymous birds — birds named after people. People like William Cooper, Alexander Wilson and John Stevens Henslow.

The decision will apply only to English bird names under the society’s jurisdiction in North America, the organization said, with an initial focus on the 70 to 80 eponymous bird species found primarily within the U.S. and Canada. (Scientific names will not be affected.)