Birds of many feathers? Examining perceptions among US birders following the American Ornithological Society's eponymous renaming decision

Abstract In 2023, the American Ornithological Society announced it will phase out the English eponymous (honorific) names of 152 bird species in the United States and Canada, some of which are named after historical figures with racist, genocidal, or otherwise violent histories that serve as reminders of ornithology's exclusive origins. Via mixed methods combining a national survey and in‐depth interviews, we (1) compare birders' pro‐environmental and pro‐social justice behaviours and beliefs, (2) document birders' perceptions of eponymous bird name changes and anti‐renaming legislation and (3) describe the connections birders are drawing between bird renaming and avian conservation. While pro‐environmental behaviours and beliefs ranked higher than pro‐social justice behaviours and beliefs among birders, pro‐environmental scores and pro‐social justice scores were positively correlated, and social justice concerns appear to be reshaping birding and ornithology through eponymous renaming and the rise of affinity bird clubs. Most respondents held positive (47.6%) or neutral (28.5%) views of the American Ornithological Society's renaming effort, and 69.7% plan to adopt the new bird names. Within Utah, 80.1% of respondents held unfavourable views of Utah's anti‐renaming legislation HB382. Our research suggests eponymous renaming offers a viable pathway for improving access and diversity within ornithology and birding. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.