Willughby's Buzzard: names and misnomers of the European Honey-buzzard (Pernis apivorus)

The European Honey-buzzard (Pernis apivorus) was first accurately described and clearly distinguished from the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) by Francis Willughby and John Ray in their Ornithology, originally published in Latin in 1676. Alfred Newton's statement that Pierre Belon had described the species over a century earlier is not entirely correct, as Belon confused this honey-buzzard's features with those of the common buzzard and even appeared uncertain whether it was a separate species. One of Willughby's important contributions to ornithology was the identification and use of “characteristic marks” to distinguish and identify species, including those that distinguish the European Honey-buzzard from the Common Buzzard. Because Willughby provided the first accurate description of Pernis apivorus – and because his contribution to ornithology has never been formally recognized – we propose that the common name of the European Honey-buzzard be changed to Willughby's Buzzard.

A vile passion for altering names: the contributions of Charles Thorold Wood jun. and Neville Wood to ornithology in the 1830s

During the 1830s, Charles Thorold Wood jun. and his younger brother Neville Wood, published, separately, three books and a series of articles dealing with two ornithological subjects: the common and scientific names of birds, and the cataloguing of publications. Probably following William Swainson's lead, the Woods were enthusiastic about standardizing the common (English) bird names and making them logical and meaningful. They also each published an annotated bibliography of ornithological publications, notable for being among the first of such compilations, but also for the vitriol with which they criticized those – James Rennie and Hugh Strickland, in particular – whose work they did not like. In contrast, the praise they heaped on those they did approve of – William Swainson, John Latham, Robert Mudie, Prideaux John Selby, Francis Willughby and each other – was excessive. Possibly because of the tenor of their comments about other ornithologists, and the strangeness of their proposed English bird names, the Woods’ work has rarely been cited, and their new names for birds were virtually ignored from the start.