by AJ Senchack, Ph.D.

Bird names are often funny and sometimes silly looking. Prior efforts to bring some consistency or logic to birds’ common names have been for naught. Just look at any birding field guide, and you will be left wondering how in the world such misleading names ever came about. For example, ever wonder how our familiar resident bird, the Red-bellied woodpecker (Centurus carolinus), got its name? It normally doesn’t appear to have red feathers on its belly. In fact, my neighbor insists on incorrectly, but perhaps more accurately, calling it a “red-headed woodpecker.” (And, yes indeedy, there is a Red-headed woodpecker, but it only infrequently visits Williamson County.)

So, where did the Red-bellied woodpecker’s name come from? Actually, the Red-bellied woodpecker does have red feathers protruding from its belly. Fair enough, but it takes a careful birder or photographer, using his/her good eye, to see them. Most folks have never seen them, because you either have to get the woodpecker to stop and show its belly to you (most indiscreet in the bird world!) or study a museum specimen closely. That is, its red belly feathers aren’t usually the first thing you see and, therefore, is not a particularly good diagnostic for this bird. Another contributing factor may be that in the late 1700s
and early 1800s, the standard practice in naming a bird was from studying a specimen lying on its back.

 

Now just for fun, figure out why birds have monikers like “Yellow-bellied sapsucker” (Sphyrapicus varius)—a cartoon character or does it really have a yellow belly?? Does it really suck sap?), Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottus) and Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)—a wee bit of overkill on the cardinal’s name?—so are there mockingbirds and cardinals in South(ern) America??).