Ask a Birder

Ask a Birder (who then asks ChatGPT): I am using eBird – so is a friend of mine. But while we submit the same bird lists, some of the bird names are different. For example, her Asian Tit is my Cinereous Tit. Why is her list more pornographic?

August 27, 2025 by Kai Pflug No Comments

ChatGPT said: You’re absolutely right to notice this, and your question is both hilarious and spot-on.

What you’re seeing is a difference in regional common names, which eBird supports through its “Common Name Display Preferences” setting. While the scientific names (like Parus cinereus for the Cinereous Tit) are universal, the common names can vary depending on the regional version of English selected in your eBird account.

Here’s what’s likely happening: You are using eBird with “English (Global)” selected. This gives you names like Cinereous Tit. Your friend is using “English (India)”, where the same bird is listed as Asian Tit. Now, as for why hers sounds a bit more risqué — well, bird names can unintentionally cross into giggle-worthy territory. The family of tits has long provided inadvertent comedy gold, and when “Asian Tit” shows up in a list, it’s not surprising that eyebrows (or laughs) are raised.

How to check or change your name preferences: Log into eBird. Click your name in the top-right corner, then go to “Preferences”. Under “Common Name Display”, you can choose: English (Global), English (India,) English (US,) English (UK,) Scientific Names, or a combination. Switching to the same option as your friend will align your lists — though maybe at the cost of some innuendo-free tit names.

Written by Kai Pflug
Kai has lived in Shanghai for 21 years. He only started birding after moving to China, so he is far more familiar with Chinese birds than the ones back in his native Germany. As a birder, he considers himself strictly average and tries to make up for it with photography, which he shares on a separate website. Alas, most of the photos are pretty average as well.He hopes that few clients of his consulting firm—focused on China’s chemical industry—ever find this blog, as it might raise questions about his professional priorities. Much of his time is spent either editing posts for 10,000 Birds or cleaning the litter boxes of his numerous indoor cats. He occasionally considers writing a piece comparing the two activities.