The Eponym Dictionary of Birds

When you the hear names of bird species such as Cetti’s Warbler, Townsend’s Solitaire, or MacGillivray’s Fairy-wren, do you ever stop and give thought to who Cetti, Townsend, or MacGillivray were? And for that matter, was MacGillivray the same MacGillivray of the MacGillivray’s Warbler? If so, then news of the recent publication of The Eponym Dictionary of Birds should make you very happy indeed.

I’ve only been in possession of a copy of this most recent book by the team of Bo Beolens, Michael Watkins, and Michael Grayson for a short time and already I’ve been thoroughly delighted by all the fascinating stories of the people behind the names – both scientific as well as common – of so many of the world’s bird species.

Addendum:

A number of readers have inquired if Mr. Beolens and his colleagues have written any other eponym dictionaries or related works. Indeed they have. Previous books include:

Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians

The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals

The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles

Whose Bird?: Common Bird Names and the People They Commemorate