This species does not nest in the UK, so we never hear the 'lunatic' calls, and it isn't common here either. It is larger than the other species, it visits us from the north and we do see it diving. Both names make sense in their own locations.
This species does not nest in the UK, so we never hear the 'lunatic' calls, and it isn't common here either. It is larger than the other species, it visits us from the north and we do see it diving. Both names make sense in their own locations.
Chlidonias; we don't use the term 'n*****' any more either. I'm not an advocate of political correctness, and Loon, with it's 'lunatic' connotations, may be acceptable in North America, but not on this side of the Atlantic.
Well personally I think that's overly politically correct.
1) We are not calling people loons, we are calling birds loons.
2) The word loon and lunatic are from completely different etymologies. They are different words. The word Loon, "likely comes from either the Old English word lumme, meaning lummox or awkward person, or the Scandinavian word lum meaning lame or clumsy" referring to the birds inability to appear the least bit graceful on land. Lunatic however, is from the same root word as lunar, referring to the phases of the moon and the belief that this had an effect on people's mental health.
Apologies all round for my ignorance & general twitchiness. I didn't know it came from a different root to 'lunatic'. Sorry if people thought I was being overly PC, but I worked in mental health services for many years.
