Just for fun: Pet Names & Nicknames for birds and other species

I probably have way tooooo much time on my hands at present, but just for fun and out of curiosity, I wonder how many pet names and nicknames for many different birds and animal species are out there?

I’ll start with perhaps the most common used on here;

Lollipops for Long Tailed Tits

To distinguish between wood peckers and wood pigeons, Mrs PR and myself use the following:

  • Woopie = Wood Pigeon
  • Woody = Woodpecker (all species, predominantly GSW’s but green wp’s have been seen
  • Bluey for blue tits, just to get the thread rolling.

Some may be just between you and your family or close friends, some may be used at your local reserves, so he thread is open to all.

  • Well, to put a different slant on it my better half has a nickname for me based on a bird and it is:
    "Chatties Warbler" LOL

    I only use the usual short-forms: Greenie, Chaffie, Lolly, Chiffy, Goldie, Shortie, TC, CT, GT, Buzzy,
    others with more fancy names: Reggie the Sedgie, Walter Rail-ey & Frankie Howard for the Eider Duck !
  • Whenever we see a buzzard perched on a post in the vineyards we call "Vine warbler" , don't ask me why ! They are common on vine posts though.
  • Hi

    Mrs S and I have bird code names- some unexplainable- going back years ( some of mine are from teenage years.)

    Great Crested Grebe - Greasy Grebe
    Fulmar - ALBATROSS!! ( if in England)
    Cormorant - PTERODACTYL! ( works well in the US) ***
    Grey Heron - Frank! ( onomatopaeic)
    Spoonbill - Spoonies
    Brent Goose - Ken Bruce
    Pochard - Pilchards
    Smurf Scoter
    Goshawk - Gshhwak
    Buzzard - Bizzarred
    Moorhen - MereHoon
    Avocet - Avoket ( hard C sound- fun at Titchwell- people try to correct us - :) Magnus Magnusson ( pres. of RSPB pronounced it that way on mastermind )
    Stone Curlew - Wailing heath Chicken
    Knot- Tonks - saves confusion if you have to say no they're not knots
    Black Tailed Godwit- Blackwit or Tack balled wingdit
    Bar tailed Godwit- Barwit or Tar balled wingdit
    Guillemot- Guillemot ( said with French accent) ditto Puffin on occasion
    Woodpig -
    Doc Stoves
    Little WOL
    Mipit
    Wixwang
    Dunnock- Mildred. After the Hollywood actress
    Wheatear- sometimes use the Anglo- Saxon version if at Minsmere:)
    Mistle Thrush- ICBM
    Long Tailed Tit- Lotties- Ringer code slang
    Jay - Yaj
    Jackdaw- Zackdorn - Star Trek reference
    Carrion Crow - Crom
    House Sparrow- Dustbin warbler / Spadger / Slum Weaver ( NOT BB reference )
    Cirl Bunting- Cyril







    *** if in USA we refer to Cardinals as Richelieus and Claudias depending on sex- baffles the yankee birders

  • I still come across the odd birder who calls lapwings green plovers. More frequently (especially among older birders) they are still referred to as peewits.

    Our daughter (when she was much younger) would call all wood pigeons Shirleys. I still have no idea why!
  • seymouraves said:
    Wheatear- sometimes use the Anglo- Saxon version if at Minsmere:)

    What is the Anglo-Saxon version, please?

  • Clare Bailey said:
    What is the Anglo-Saxon version, please?

    LOL Clare 

  • Hi

    the original name for Wheatear is from the Anglo saxon meaning white bottom: - :)

    White A**e! Gets everyone's attention

    I like that name for woodpigeon-



    Seymour - and don't call me Shirley!
  • Personally, I use Carrotbill for Oystercatchers. I can't really remember if I got it from anywhere else or it may be my own.
  • Clare Bailey said:
    Our daughter (when she was much younger) would call all wood pigeons Shirleys. I still have no idea why!

    Woodpigeon has always been called a Cushie for as far as I can remember.   :-)

    The Cu is pronounced as in cup.

  • After a wee bit of editing, I've finally managed to compile a list of the names already shared. Please feel free to add or correct if I've made any errors

    Pet Names/Nick Names Species
    Fulmar ALBATROSS!! ( if in England)
    Avoket ( hard C sound Avocet
    Barwit or Tar balled wingdit Bar tailed Godwit
    Blackwit or Tack balled wingdit Black Tailed Godwit
    Blackie Blackbird
    Bluey Blue Tit
    Ken Bruce Brent Goose
    Buzzy Buzzard
    Bizzarred Buzzard
    Crom Carrion Crow
    Chaffie Chaffinch
    Chiffy Chaffinch
    Cyril Cirl Bunting
    CT Coal Tit
    PTERODACTYL! ( works well in the US) *** Cormorant
    Woodpig Stock Doves
    Mildred. After the Hollywood actress Dunnock
    Frankie Howard Eider Duck
    Goldie Goldfinch
    Gshhwak Goshawk
    Greasy Grebe Great Crested Grebe
    GT Great Tit
    Woody Greater Spotted Woodpecker
    Greenie Green finch
    Greenie Green Woodpecker
    Frank! ( onomatopaeic) Grey Heron
    Guillemot (said with French accent) ditto Puffin on occasion Guillemot
    Dutbin warbler / Spadger / Slum Weaver ( NOT BB reference ) House Sparrow
    Zackdorn (Star Trek reference) Jackdaw
    Jackie Jackdaw
    Yaj Jay
    Tonks Knot
    green plovers.  Lapwings
    peewits. Lapwings
    Lolly Long Tailed Tit
    Lollipop Long Tailed Tit
    Fluffy Tennis Ball Long Tailed Tit
    Lotties (Ringer code slang) Long Tailed Tit
    Maggie Magpie
    Little WOL Mipit
    ICBM Mistle Thrush
    MereHoon Moorhen
    Pilchards Pochard
    Guillemot (said with French accent) ditto Puffin on occasion Puffin
    Reggie the Sedgie Sedge Warbler
    Shortie Short Eared Owl
    Spoonies Spoonbill
    Wailing heath Chicken Stone Curlew
    Buzzard perched on a post in the vineyards Vine warbler
    Walter Rail-ey Water Rail
    Walter. Water Rail
    Wixwang Wax Wing
    sometimes use the Anglo Saxon version if at Minsmere:) Wheatear
    Shirleys. no idea why! Wood pigeons
    Woopie Wood pigeons