Better luck with a Yellow-rumped Thornbill

Some years ago, a nice scientist from the Australian Museum in Sydney sent me a book of Indigenous names for native rodents, basically because I was interested. For animals such as the Hopping Mice (Notomys) almost 80 names are recorded from various linguistic groups or areas for different Hopping Mice. For other rodents just a few names are recorded. It's a great publication and finishes with a list of recommended names. For instance Dusky Hopping-mouse (Notomys fuscus) becomes Wilkinti and Short-tailed Hopping-mouse (Notomys amplus) becomes Yoontoo. To me, these names are much more beautiful and I have a strong feeling they are not based around comparative tail sizes; which ain't nice in anyone's language.

How I wish for such a set of names for our birds; so many of which are identified primarily by rump colour. It's a little old hat if you ask me. If you know of any movement to change the names please let me know.

Anyhow there are lots of these lovely ...Yellow-rumped Thornbills around right now and I was happier with this photo than my earlier attempt.

Reference

Braithwaite, R., Morton, S., Burbidge, A., & Calaby, J. (1995), Australian Names for Australian Rodents. An Australian Nature Conservation Agency Publicatioon in association with CSIRO: Canberra.