RE: NEW ARCHAEOPTERYX (the journal)

["Williams, Tim" <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>]

David Marjanovic wrote:

> I forgot to mention where the name Lämmergeier comes from... this
> species is traditionally accused of not just scavenging dead lambs, but 
> of killing them first.

The group of birds called nightjars are sometimes known as 'goatsuckers'
because they were traditionally thought to feed on goat's milk at night.
(More likely they were drawn to the insects attracted to the goats.)  The
name stuck - and gives its name to the genus _Caprimulgus_.

'Traditional' names often go back to antiquity, and often aren't very good
indicators of behavior.




Tim 

------------------------------------------------------------ 

Timothy J. Williams 

USDA-ARS Researcher 
Agronomy Hall 
Iowa State University 
Ames IA 50014 

Phone: 515 294 9233 
Fax:   515 294 3163