Tag: McCown’s Longspur

Biologists and conservationists are struggling with the legacy borne by birds’ names. It’s not just the McCown’s longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii), which last year became the thick-billed longspur after the American...

A bird named for a Confederate general will now be known for the shape of its bill. McCown’s longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii) is now called the thick-billed longspur.  The North American...

As America grapples with whether or not to remove Confederate monuments, the birding world is dealing with its own dilemma — birds whose scientific or casual names refer to Confederate...