• BlanketsWithSmallpox@lemmy.world
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      11 hours ago

      Top contenders:

      Red-cockaded Woodpecker — “cockaded” refers to a ribbon or rosette ornament once worn on hats, not anatomy.

      Cock-of-the-rock — sounds like a tavern name invented by a teenager.

      Dickcissel — often cited as the funniest North American bird name. “Dick” was historically a common nickname for a male bird.

      Bush Thick-knee — not penis-related, but frequently gets laughs.

      Rufous-naped Lark — harmless, but “rufous-naped” is often misread at a glance. Shag — in British English, perfectly normal; elsewhere, not so much.

      Cockatoo — contains “cock,” though the name comes from Malay, not English.

      Woodcock — another classic.

      Black-cockatoo and other cockatoos — bonus points for stacking “cock” into longer names.