Mrs Moreau's Warbler: How Birds Got Their Names

In his latest work, naturalist Moss (A Bird in the Bush) explores the origins of bird names in the English language. The author identifies three main, historical naming conventions, as the approach to naming birds has changed throughout the years. In the first and oldest of these, birds were named according to their physical features, including size and shape, pattern or color, or sound. The cuckoo, a word that first appeared in Old English, is an example of the first type. Later, birds were named by professional scientists based on characteristics such as habitat and location; for example, the Meadow Pipit. The third and most recent way to name a bird was after a person, a naming convention popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Birds were usually identified after a scientist or explorer, such as Ross's Gull. Through lively prose and numerous examples, Moss shows that the origin of bird names is fascinating and not always entirely clear, also offering insight into the way humans use language.