Sarah's answer and link and Kevin's app are great tools. I'd like to elaborate a bit on Sarah's excellent explanation of the alpha code, by listing some of the most notable exceptions--exceptions that don't tend to pop into mind when you are looking at a bird.

For two-word names, as Sarah explained, when the usual two letters from each would apply to more than one species:

Most notable is our ubiquitous Carolina Wren. There are two others, even though unlikely to be seen in Misouri, so:
CARW = Carolina Wren, CACW = Cactus Wren, CANW = Canyon Wren

Others of note:

NSHO = Northern Shoveler, NSHR = Northern Shrike (NOT NOSH as used recently by one of the state's most learned birders)

TRES = Tree Swallow, TRUS = Tundra Swan

There are more, but this is enough to think through and get used to.

Bodacious safe, healthy birding and practice compassion,

Edge Wade
Columbia, MO






----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisa Saffell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "MOBIRDS-L" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2020 7:39:24 AM
Subject: No sighting-stupid question

Good morning Missouri birders!
I feel really stupid asking this question, but I know the spring migration will be reaching a crescendo in the not so distant future and the number of emails about sightings is likely to be abundant. Is there a list of these bird acronyms somewhere? I can sometimes figure out the two letter ones but when I start seeing the three, four and five letter acronyms it starts to feel like a word puzzle game without a key. Much appreciated. Does anyone else have “Don’t stand so close to me” by The Police constantly running through their head?

Lisa Saffell-St. Louis County
Sent with good vibes
------------------------------------------------------------
The Missouri Birding Society's Wild Bird Discussion Forum
ASM Website: http://mobirds.org/
ABA Birding Code of Ethics
http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html

------------------------------------------------------------
The Missouri Birding Society's Wild Bird Discussion Forum
ASM Website: http://mobirds.org/
ABA Birding Code of Ethics
http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html