OHIO-BIRDS Archives

July 2013

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From:
Laura Dornan <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Laura Dornan <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 17 Jul 2013 09:00:20 -0700
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This morning Tim & I  went to watch our local Osprey nest and while we had the scope lined up on the nest on the top of the cell tower, a neighbor lady came out to see what we were looking at.  She asked if we were looking at a "shy-poke".  We told her we were looking at Ospreys and then asked what the heck is a shy-poke?  We had never heard that name.  She replied it is a crane, by which we figured she actually meant a Great Blue Heron.  A lot of people around here call herons cranes.  When we asked where she had learned that name, she said from her husband who was in the military and traveled around a lot.  So goodness knows where the name might be colloquial to.  Has anyone ever heard that name in reference to herons (or any other bird).
 
Thinking about where the name shy-poke came from got me to thinking about all the other weird names some birds have.  The 1st that come to mind are the myriad names for the Woodcock: timberdoodle, bog sucker, mud bat, blind snipe, night partridge, & my favorite, Labrador twister.  Then there are lots of ducks that have colloquial nick-names, though I can only think of 2 right now:  baldpate for Am. Wigeon and butterball for Ruddy Duck.
 
Does anyone know some other weird and funny names for birds?  I think I will start a "collection".
 
Laura Dornan
Louisville, Stark Co.

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