What group of familiar birds was once assigned to the genus Urinator–and why?
Post your answer as a comment here at The Wingbeat: The WINGS Birding Blog. The first correct answer, and the wittiest (yet still tasteful) response, will win their authors a WINGS cap, which they can wear with a pride shared by last month’s winners, Grant McCreary and Bob Behrstock.
According to Denis LePage’s outrageously comprehensive resource, Avibase, the AOU classified the loons in the genus Urinator in their first two editions, back in the 19th century. Such as this page: http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=6C50988A5445ED76
Loons such as the Red-throated Loon or the Common Loon were placed in this genus because they are divers. The genus Urinator comes from the Latin ‘to dive in water’. Although it was a fun triva question, its not the ‘pisser’ some might think it is. Happy Holidays!
The answer to the trivia question is the loons. The name “unrinator” derives from the Latin “urinari” which means “to plunge under water” that is, to dive.
I also saw something that said early divers frequently wetted themselves due to something called “immersion duress”, hence the connection of the two, but I’m betting that is apochryphal.
JH
Urinator was the genus name 100+ years ago for the loons, now in the Gavia genus. The word ‘urinator’ had something to do with diving, for which loons are noted.