{"id":5678,"date":"2015-06-30T15:11:22","date_gmt":"2015-06-30T19:11:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=5678"},"modified":"2015-07-03T09:26:54","modified_gmt":"2015-07-03T13:26:54","slug":"where-did-that-animals-name-come-from","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/where-did-that-animals-name-come-from\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Did That Animal’s Name Come From?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some animals have names with obvious meanings. For example, the white-tailed deer is named for its bright, flashing tail, and the northern red bellied snake has a ruby-red belly. But other names have more mysterious origins, and their meanings have become lost with the passage of time. Here are a few examples.<\/p>\n

Ovenbird<\/h3>\n
\"Ovenbird

Ovenbird \u00a9 Dave Larson \/ Mass Audubon<\/p><\/div>\n

This olive-brown warbler with a striped crown is common across much of Massachusetts. Early North American settlers first thought\u00a0it was a wagtail, and then a thrush. In 1886, the American Ornithological Union officially changed its common name to ovenbird after the shape of its nest.<\/p>\n

\"Ovenbird

Ovenbird nest CC BY-NC 2.0<\/a> Kent McFarland<\/p><\/div>\n

The female ovenbird weaves leaves, grasses, and other material to form a mounded structure on the forest floor. She lays her eggs in a round cavity inside, and enters and exits through a hole in the side. This nest looks like an oven\u2014not the appliance that people have in their houses today, but an old-fashioned domed outdoor bread oven with an opening in the side. Though few of these ovens are in use nowadays, the ovenbird\u2019s name persists.<\/p>\n

Eastern Garter Snake<\/h3>\n
\"Eastern

Eastern garter snake \u00a9 Rosemary Mosco \/ Mass Audubon<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Medieval

Medieval style garters CC BY-NC 2.0<\/a> Vrangtante Brun<\/p><\/div>\n

People often mistakenly call this common species a \u201cgarden snake\u201d because it is found in yards and gardens. In fact, it was most likely named for its resemblance to garters\u2014slender undergarments that both men and women wore for centuries.<\/p>\n

These bands of fabric wrapped around the legs, either below or above the knee, and attached to stockings to keep them from falling down. Like the garter snake, garters were often striped. Garters fell out of fashion over time\u2014partly because fabric makers developed elastic socks that stayed up on their own.<\/p>\n

Northern Saw-whet Owl<\/h3>\n
\"Saw-whet

Saw-whet owl \u00a9 Jennifer Johnston<\/p><\/div>\n

The smallest owl in the state, the saw-whet inhabits deep forests. Odds are you haven\u2019t seen one, since it\u2019s quiet and rarely seen. Where does its unusual name come from? You may be familiar with the word \u201cwhet\u201d. It means \u201cstimulate\u201d or \u201csharpen,\u201d as in \u201cThe smell of baking bread really whets my appetite!\u201d<\/p>\n

People have long used an object called a whetstone to sharpen saws, knives, and scissors. Someone decided that that this owl\u2019s call was like the sound of a saw being sharpened on a whetstone\u2014and the name stuck.<\/p>\n

Baltimore Checkerspot<\/h3>\n
\"Baltimore

Baltimore checkerspot \u00a9 Rosemary Mosco \/ Mass Audubon<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Coat

Coat of Arms of the Barons Baltimore CC BY-SA 4.0 <\/a>Glasshouse<\/p><\/div>\n

This butterfly bears the name \u201cBaltimore\u201d because its color pattern resembles the heraldic crest of the Baltimore family. In 1625, King James I of England dubbed\u00a0George Calvert the First Baron of the Irish town of Baltimore. Calvert was very interested in exploring the New World, and he and his heirs helped create the colony of Maryland. In fact, that’s\u00a0where the city of Baltimore got its name.<\/p>\n

The Baltimore family\u2019s banner has a black and gold checker spot pattern, similar to the butterfly\u2019s black and orange markings. Both this insect\u00a0and the sweet-singing Baltimore oriole are\u00a0named for their\u00a0resemblance to the crest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some animals have names with obvious meanings. For example, the white-tailed deer is named for its bright, flashing tail, and the northern red bellied snake has a ruby-red belly. But other names have more mysterious origins, and their meanings have become lost with the passage of time. Here are a few examples. Ovenbird This olive-brown […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nature-notes"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-1tA","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14401,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-one-in-the-oven\/","url_meta":{"origin":5678,"position":0},"title":"Take 5: One in the Oven","author":"Ryan D.","date":"July 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cThere is a singer everyone has heard, \/ Loud, a mid-summer and a mid-wood bird, \/ Who makes the solid tree trunks sound again.\u201d \u2014Robert Frost, \u201cThe Oven Bird\u201d An unassuming warbler more often seen than heard, the Ovenbird's loud \"tea-cher tea-cher tea-cher tea-cher\" song is prevalent in forests across\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ovenbird \u00a9 Asli Ertekin","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/07\/5334Asli_Ertekin26233.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/07\/5334Asli_Ertekin26233.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/07\/5334Asli_Ertekin26233.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/07\/5334Asli_Ertekin26233.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7584,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/100-great-wildlife-sanctuary-birding-spots\/","url_meta":{"origin":5678,"position":1},"title":"100 Great Wildlife Sanctuary Birding Spots","author":"Hillary T.","date":"May 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Bird-a-thon, Mass Audubon\u2019s annual birding competition takes place on May 13-14. Teams of birders will attempt to see (or hear) the most species in a 24-hour time span. At the same time, birders and \u201cBird-a-thon\u00a0Boosters\u201d are raising money to support wildlife sanctuaries and programs. To kick-off Bird-a-thon and celebrate 100\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Involved"","block_context":{"text":"Get Involved","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-involved\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10602,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-caption-this\/","url_meta":{"origin":5678,"position":2},"title":"Take 5: Caption This!","author":"Ryan D.","date":"February 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Let's play \"Caption That Photo\"! 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What hilarious captions can you come up with?","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/02\/3434Wayne_Wetherbee17375_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/02\/3434Wayne_Wetherbee17375_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/02\/3434Wayne_Wetherbee17375_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10612,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/a-hero-for-waterbirds\/","url_meta":{"origin":5678,"position":3},"title":"A Hero for Waterbirds","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"March 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Back in 1896, it was the passion and persistence of two Boston women who launched the modern-day conservation movement. 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American Goldfinch Spinus tristis When the weather grows cold, people inevitably start asking about all those drab yellow-gray birds that are visiting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/12\/squirrel.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1334,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/a-seasonal-change-of-clothes\/","url_meta":{"origin":5678,"position":5},"title":"A Seasonal Change of Clothes","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"December 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"With the hard work of raising young behind them, many birds shed their tired, worn-out feathers (a process called molting) in winter and replace them with new ones.\u00a0But not all birds make a simple one-for-one swap. Some species turn dull, while others nearly completely flip their plumages. 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