The Pennsylvania German Names of Birds

288 BECK,Pennsylvania German Bird Names. [AprilAuk

(10) That both male and female,as a generalrule, alwaysap- proachand leave their nestsby a certain well definedroute, and the female,when brooding,usually sits in the nest facing in one particulardirection. (11) That either sex may, and doesat times, exhibit extreme nervousnesswhilst being watched, which, however, parental instinet usually overcomesin the long run. (12) That the youngare fed on an averageonce every ten or eleven minutes. (13) That in the early stages,when broodingis necessary,it lasts on an averagefor about twelve minutes at a time. (14) That alterations to the nesting site are always accom- panied with a certain amount of risk to the young, and should thereforenever be attempted, exceptby the experiencedstudent, who has a definite scientificobject in view. Harley, (2ue.,Canada.

THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN NAMES OF BIRDS.

BY HERBERT H. BECK.

IT •s doubtful if there exists in the United States a more dis- tinctive or more picturesqueset of local namesof birds than those current in southeasternPennsylvania among that people of Ger- man-Swissantecedents traditionally and broadly called the Penn- sylvania Dutch; in a more limited way, by standard usage, the PennsylvaniaGermans. The languageof thesepeople, which is a fusionof SouthGerman dialects with an infusion of English, for two hundred years has persistently refused to be absorbedfrom its racial eddy by the strongstream of Americanlife. It maintainsitself as the dominant languageof many rural regionsof Berks,Lebanon, Monroe, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill Counties,and the northern parts of Lancaster,Montgomery and Bucks Counties. Even in the larger towns like Reading, Allentown and Bethlehem,it is still actively used. In its sound,inflection and flavor it is positiveand dialecti- Vol. XLI l 1924 I BECK,Pennsylvania German Bird Names. 289

cally detached; and this character has strongly i•npresseditself upon the bird nmnesof the region. The settlerswho establishedthis languagein Americacame in the early eighteenthcentury frmn the Germansides of Switzerland and Holland and frmn Swabia, Hesse, Alsace and Saxony, but mostly frmn the Palatinate; which was formerly an independent state •nadeup of what is now the upper part of Bavaria and that Rhine region boundedby Baden on the east, Baden and Alsace on the south, and Alsace-Lorraine on the west. It extended north as far as the cities of Treves and Mayence. These peoplefirst broke in the rich lands of the Lehigh and the Schuylkill valleys, then pushed into the Cmnberland, the Susqaehannaand the Juniata valleys, thencein scatteredgroups into central Pennsyl- vania, Maryland, Virginia and elsewhere. They were originally in greater part pioneerfarmers, strong and resourceful;in mind potentiallycapable, but unsharpenedand unextended. A peoplesuch as this, busily occupiedwith the roughwork of makinga nation, observedonly thosebirds of the Alleghenianand Carolinian zones which by reason of habit or character were prmninentor i•npressive. Such specieswere without exception notedand named;stonetimes in a way reminiscentof the European avifauna, sometimesoriginally and with recognitionof the bird's habits or manneris•ns. Thus it is that outstandingspecies like the Canada Gooseand the Turkey Vulture have several nmnes eachin PennsylvaniaGerman, while greatfa•nilies like the Warb- lers and the Sparrowsare not noted in the language. When with the progressof A•neriean ornithology the birds of these more obscureand involved groups were differentiated, the more in- quiring of the Pennsylvania "Dutch" crone to know thmn by English or scientificnmnes. Smneti•nes,though rarely, a bird is giventhe PennsylvaniaGerman equivalent of its Englishnmne. Sucheases are of more recentorigin and they lack the true character of the names which have eo•ne down from more ancient and less ad•nixed sources. PennsylvaniaGerman has attained to grmmnarand dictionary only within comparatively recent years. Its vocabulary and syntax are limited. The •neagreliterature of the dialect, while stonetimeson a basisof the German alphabet,is usuallyspelled 290 BECK,Pennsylvania German Bird Names. [AprilAuk phonetically.The phoneticmethod is usedhere because it is more generallyreadable and becauseit more broadly and faith- fully portrays the characteristicheaviness of Pennsylvania "Dutch" as a spoken language. The conventional symbols are used to indicate vowel sounds. No consistentattempt is made to trace,wordorigins to German sources•though they are often obviousenough and always interesting to the philologist and to the student of Germ.anic languages.

PYGOPODES, Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbuspodieeps); Wosser Shlibber, Drek Shlibber. Colymbusholboelii and C. auritus, less common on the pondsand streamsof the region,share these names with P. podicepsfrom which they are not clearlydistinguished. Loon (Gaviaimmer); Grosa Wosser Shlibber, Loon.

ANATIDAE. All edible Ducks, as well as the three 1VIergansers,are known as Wilte Ent (pl. Ente). The male Mallard is sometimescalled Greekop(Greenhead); and the Black Duck, ShwortsaEnt, but thesedistinctions are not general.

ANSERINAE. CanadaGoose (Branta canadensis canadensis). As an impressive and picturesquefigure of the vernal and autumnalskies this specieshas surrounded itself with namesprophetic and legendary. As a harbingerof the comingand of the goingof the snowit has won the name of Schna Gons; as the result of its clanging note,which in the massand in the night suggestsa pack in full cry, it is calledAwicher Yager (Ger. Ewiger Jaeger), to connect it with the story,still currentin SouthGermany, of the restless soul of some riotous huntsman doomed to follow the hounds througheternity. ! Againit is calledWilte Gons.

• The aberglaubigfear of this evil spirit svillexists in parts of Bavaria. Wood- choppersoften make crosseson the fresh stump as a protection against the Ewiger Jaeger. In somevillages in woodedregio•xs the churchbell is rung every two hoursthroughout the night, nominally as Irrleite for personslost in the forest; but by ancient tradition and a still persiste•xtsuperstition, as a safeguard against this spook. Naughty childreu are •varnedof the menaceof the E•viger Jaeger. ¾oi.1924 XLI1 I BEc•r,Pennsylvania German Bird Names. 291

ARDEIDAE.

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus),Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodiasherodias), Green Heron (Butoridesvirescens vires- cens), and Black-crownedNight Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax naevius)are all generallycalled Fishfoyer or Royer. Butorldesis sometimescalled Glaner Fishfoyer. Also, on the basis of a habit of the specieswhich has given rise to many of its eruder names, A'darmieha. Nycticoraxin many parts of the regionis given the onomatopodienames of Gwoek and Gwoekfogel. Casmerodius egrettaand Florida caeruleacaerulea (Juvenal), oncecommon and still fairly so within the regionduring the northwardwandering of these speciesin the late summer and early fall, are called GroserWeiser Fishfoyer and GlanerWeiser Fishfoyer respectively. In a detachedPennsylvania German colonyI the name Kranieh is appliedgenerally to the orderHerodiones.

PALUDICOLAE.

Coot (Fulicaamericana). Often shotin mistakefor a wild duck. Called Shdink Ent on account of its foul odor on being drawn. Also sometimesWosserhund (probably from Wasserhuhn,Euro- pean Coot).

Lm•co•xE.

Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata), Greater Yellow-legs (To- tanus melanoleucus),Yellow-legs (Totanus flavipes), Solitary ß Sandpiper (Helodromassolitarius solitarius), Spotted Sandpiper (Actirismacularia) and other lesscommon species of wet •neadow or mudbankare calledShneb (pl. Shneppe). G. delicatais some- timesspecialized as EnglisheSehneb; A. maculariaas Dreksehneb and Budershneb. Irregularly,for it is not well known,the Wood- eoek (Philohela minor) shares the same Sehnebor it is called Grosa Brouna Shneb. Upland Plover (Bartramialongicauda); Feldhinkel, Longbaniehe Feldhinkel. IGldeer (Oxyechusvociferus vociferus) ; Gilderee, Gilleree.

, Clearfield County. 292 BECK,Pennsylvania German Bird Names. [Auk[April

GALLINAE. Bob-White (Colinusvirginianus virginianus); Bodreesel, Feld- hinkel. Ruffed Grouse (Bouansaumbellus umbellus); Fesond (pl. Fe- sonte). Wild Turkey (Meleagrisgallopam silvestris); Wilte Welshhinkel COLUMBAE. PassengerPigeon (Ectopistesmlgratorius) during the days of its fleetingglory was calledWilte Doub (pl. Douba or Douwa). Mourning Dove (Zenaidura macrouracaroliniensis); Dord'l Doub, (pl. as above). RA?TOR•S. Turkey Vulture (Cathartesaura septentrionalis);Osfogel, Luder Awdler, Luder Fogel, Luder Krop and Osa (a pl. usage). Buteonidae and Falconidae. The larger hawks are called Hinkelwoi, Woi and Boy, rarely Hawicht. This includes the common Red-shoulderedHawk (Buteo lineatus lineatus), Broad- winged Hawk (B. platypterusplatypterus), Red-tailed Hawk, (Buteoborealls borealis), Rough-legged Hawk (Archibuteolagopus sancti-johannis),Marsh Hawk (Circus hudsonius),the rare Go- shawk (Astur atricapillusatricapillus), Duck Hawk (Falco pere- grinus anatum), and approximatelyCooper's Hawk, (Accipiter cooperi) 9. The smaller hawks and falconsincluding ,4. cooperi c•, SharpShinned Hawk (A. velox),Sparrow Hawk (Cerchneisspar- veria spart,eria) are known as Dauwa Shdosser,Dauwa Woi, Shdos Fogel and ShdosWoi. Bald Eagle (Haliceetusleucocephalus), and the former resident Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysa•tos),are called Awdler. Osprey (Pandion halia•tus carolinensis);Fishwoi, Fish Awdler and Awdler. Barn Owl (Tyro pratincola);Eil and Sheier Eil. Long-eared Owl (Asio wilsonianus),Short-eared Owl (A. fiammeus),Barred Owl (Strix varla varia) and Great Horned Owl (Bubovirglnianus virginianus) go under the nameof Ell and Nocht Eil; Bubo, that of Grosa Ell. ScreechOwl (Otusasio asio), Shta Keitzel, Eil, Glana Eil, and Nocht Eil. Vol.1924 XLI] I BECK,Pennsylvania Gervan Bird Names. 293

CUCULIDAE. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzusamericanus americanus), and Black-billed Cuckoo(C. eryihrophthalmus),are both known as Raya Fogel,rarely as Gukuk.

ALCEDINIDAE. Belted Kingfisher(Ceryle alcyon), shares the name Fishfoyer with the herons. PICIDAE. Downy Woodpecker (Dryobatespubescens medianus); Glaner Woodpicker. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker(Spryrap{cus varius varius); Bawm Lawffer. • PileatedWoodpecker (Phloeotomus pileatus pileatus); Huls Hock (Woodchopper).• Red-headedWoodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus); Shbecht, RodkuppicherShbccht, Rodkup and Woodpicker. Flicker (Colapresauratus luteus); Gree Shbecht,Hexa Shbecht, and Gale Shbecht. CAPRIMULGIDAE. Whip-poor-will( 2tntrostomus vocif erus vocif erus) and Nighthawk (Chordeilesvirginianus virginianus) are both called Wib'rwil or Wib'rewil. •VhCROPODIDAE. Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica); Shornshte Shwolm or Shwolb;also, less commonly, Roos Shwolm (Soot Swallow).

TROCHILIDAE. Ruby-throated'Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris); Shnaf- fag'le and Shnarrfag'le.2 TYRANNIDAE. Kingbird (Tyrannoustyrannus); Eemafresser, Eema Woi. Phoebe( Sayornisphoebe) and Wood P•ewee (Myiochanes virens); Biwi.

Clearfield Clearfield County. 294 B•CK,Pennsylvania German Bird Names. [April[Auk

CORVIDAE. Blue Jay (Cyanocittacristata cristata), perhaps for his rich garb and officiousness,is dignifiedwith the name of Gudhaar,from the Germanword meaninglandlord; also Heckert and Herrafogel. All of thesenames doubtless have their origin in Heher, the German word for Jay. Crow (Corvusbrachyrhynchos brach.yrhynchos); Grob, Krop and Sraa. ICTERIDAE. Bobolink(Dolichonyx oryzivorus); Reedfogel. (The term is also usedrarely for the localRallidae, Virginia and Sora). Cowbird (Molothrus•ater ater); Kee Shdawr. Red-wingedBlackbird (Agelaiusphoeniceus phoeniceus); Rod- fieeg'lter Shdawr. Meadowlark(Sturnella magna magna); Larrich. Baltimore Oriole (Icterusgalbula); Guldt Omshel. PurpleGrackle (Quiscalus quiscula quiscula); Shdawr, Shwortsa Fogel. •7RINGILLIDAE. Goldfinch (Astragalinustristis tristis); Zolawd Fogel, Zolawd Shbeds'l,Gale Fogel and Guldfink. Slate-coloredJunco (Junco hyemalis hyemalis); Shna Fogel. SongSparrow (Melospiza melodia melodia). This speciespar- ticularlyand all sparrow-likebirds are generallygiven the nameof Shbeds'l. In someparts of the regionSpizella passerina passerina (ChippingSparrow) is distinguishedas Tsitcha. Cardinal (Cardinaliscardinalis cardinalis) ; Rota Fogel. IndigoBunting (Passerina cyanea); Blofogel. TANAGRIDAE. ScarletTanager (Piranga erythromelas); Bludfink, Bludfogel. •IIRuNDINIDAE. PurpleMartin (Prognesubis subis); Hous Shwolmor Shwolb. One of the earliest observationsin bird banding is recordedof this speciesfrom the PennsylvaniaGerman region. In August, 1812, John Beck, grandfatherof the writer, at Lititz, Lancaster •ol. XLI] 1924 I BECK,Pennsylvar•ia German Bird Names. 295

County, encasedthe tarsus of a Martin in chamoisleather and noted the bird's return the followingApril. Cliff Swallow(Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons); Drek Shwolm. Barn Swallow (Hirundo erythrogastra);Sheier Swolm. Bank Swallow(Riparia riparia); SondbonkShwolm. Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryxserripennis); Cave Shwolm. MN[OTILT[DAE. Warblers generally are called Finka (pl.) or simply Glana Fag'le (little birds). MIM[DAE. Catbird (Duraetellacarolinensis) ; Kotsafogel. BrownThrasher (Toxostomarufura); Shpottfogel, Drush'l and Drushdel. TROGLODYTIDAE. House Wren (Troglodytesa•don a•don); Zaw Shlibber, Zoun- shlibber, Mouskanich. S[TTIDAE. White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensls carolinensls); Glaner Bloer Woodpicker.

TURDIDAE. WoodThrush (tIylocichlamustelina); Hulsfrush, Frush, Drush'l. Robin (Planesticusmigratorlug mi•rator•us). The Palatines like the Puritans blunderedornithologically in naming this common species. Everywhere in the Pennsylvania German region it is called Omshel, which originated from a fancied resemblanceto the GermanAmsel. Omshelis probablythe only other commonly used name for P. mi•ratori',s besidesthe more generalone based on the Puritanic identificationof the bird with the English Robin. Bluebird (Sialia sialis sialis); Blofogel. Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster,Pa.