[mou] Alpha Codes website
James Mattsson
mattjim@earthlink.net
Thu, 20 Jan 2005 18:21:01 -0600
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FYI:
Like so many others that use bird species 4-letter alpha codes in listserver postings, I sometimes make a guess at a code and too often get it wrong. So do lots of others, it seems. For example, Northern Hawk Owl has variously been shown as NOHO, HAOW, NHAO and probably some others variations. The correct code is NHOW.
Another code that is often misused is CEWA. Think that stands for Cerulean Warbler? Nope. That would be CERW. How about Cedar Waxwing? Wrong again. That's CEDW. Actually, CEWA stands for nothing...at least birdwise.
The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Banding Lab has a website showing all the alpha codes in alphabetical order. Unfortunately, it is the CODES that are in alphabetical order, not the species, which can be somewhat confusing when you are trying to look up a particular bird by species common name. Nonetheless, it is a very useful website. I keep this website bookmarked for quick reference. Hope this will reduce some of the confusion.
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/manual/aspeclst.htm
GOBI = Good Birding
James Mattsson
Eagan, MN
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<DIV>FYI: </DIV>
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<DIV>Like so many others that use bird species 4-letter alpha codes in listserver postings, I sometimes make a guess at a code and too often get it wrong. So do lots of others, it seems. For example, Northern Hawk Owl has variously been shown as NOHO, HAOW, NHAO and probably some others variations. The correct code is NHOW. </DIV>
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<DIV>Another code that is often misused is CEWA. Think that stands for Cerulean Warbler? Nope. That would be CERW. How about Cedar Waxwing? Wrong again. That's CEDW. Actually, CEWA stands for nothing...at least birdwise. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Banding Lab has a website showing all the alpha codes in alphabetical order. Unfortunately, it is the CODES that are in alphabetical order, not the species, which can be somewhat confusing when you are trying to look up a particular bird by species common name. Nonetheless, it is a very useful website. I keep this website bookmarked for quick reference. Hope this will reduce some of the confusion. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/manual/aspeclst.htm">http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/manual/aspeclst.htm</A></DIV>
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<DIV>GOBI = Good Birding</DIV>
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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>James Mattsson</DIV>
<DIV>Eagan, MN</DIV>
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