Writer Stu Royal has gathered whole flock of unflattering names for several species of birds, and wryly tweeted a list to prove his point: drab seed-eater, go-away bird, rough-faced shag, sad flycatcher, hoary puffleg, smew, horned screamer, and monotonous lark. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “The Go-Away Bird and Other Actual Unflattering Monikers”
One of the funniest things I’ve read on Twitter in a while came from writer Stu Royal, who was
Joking that his favorite species of birds are ones that are named by people who clearly hate birds.
He was saying, what’s up with you, ornithologists? And then he just, one by one, he started listing
These bird names like drab seed eater, go away bird, rough faced shag, sad fly catcher,
Hoary puffleg, smew, monotonous lark.
I think it was the one with monotonous lark that he said, ornithologists, who hurt you?
I guess when you’re out in the field, your graduate advisor says, all right,
I’ve got two fellowships here.
One of you is going to the Amazon, and one of you is going to Canada.
The guy in Canada is like, ugh, I’m so angry.
I’ve got to name all these gray birds.
And the guy on Amazon is like, oh, all these beautiful, colorful birds.
What’s your favorite bird name?
All you horned screamers and fluffy-backed tit-babblers,
Why don’t you call us 877-929-9673 or tweet those bird names to us at Wayword.
