America is trying to erase traces of racism in its history by changing the names of birds

Liputan6.com, Jakarta – Dozens of American bird species will have their names changed in the coming months and years. The report from the New York Post, Friday, November 3, 2023, is part of America’s efforts to rid bird names obscured by racism and diversify birdwatching.

On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, the American Ornithological Society, which is responsible for standardizing English bird names across the United States, announced plans to drop any bird classification derived from a person’s name. They will begin to identify birds based on their physical characteristics or habitat.

While not all birds named after humans are associated with bad history, the initiative primarily aims to remove bird names associated with racism, misogyny and genocide, AOS said. Birds with names “considered offensive and defensive” will also be renamed.

“As scientists we strive to eliminate bias in science. However, there are historical biases in how birds are named and who can name them,” AOS Executive Director and CEO Judith Scarl, Ph.D., said in a statement.

“The exclusive naming conventions developed in the 1800s, steeped in racism and misogyny, don’t apply to us today, and it’s time to reverse the process and focus on bird habitats,” he said.