More than a hundred bird species are about to be renamed because their monikers have been deemed “offensive” and “exclusionary” by some due to their connection to the “racist” pasts of the people who the birds were named after.

The American Ornithological Society, an organization responsible for standardizing English bird names across the Americas, announced on Wednesday that dozens of birds in U.S. and Canada will be renamed because birds who were named in honor of people can be upsetting to some, The New York Times reported.

“There is power in a name, and some English bird names have associations with the past that continue to be exclusionary and harmful today,” Colleen Handel, the society’s president and a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska, said.

“We need a much more inclusive and engaging scientific process that focuses attention on the unique features and beauty of the birds themselves,” she added. “Everyone who loves and cares about birds should be able to enjoy and study them freely—and birds need our help now more than ever.”

Dozens of birds with monikers ‘clouded by racism and misogyny’ to be renamed https://t.co/2GjYewcirp pic.twitter.com/LSmhXjD5Zt

— New York Post (@nypost) November 1, 2023

“We’ve come to understand that there are certain names that have offensive or derogatory connotations that cause pain to people, and that it is important to change those, to remove those as barriers to their participation in the world of birds,” she continued, NPR noted.

Some of the birds who will be affected include such fine-feathered creatures as Gambel’s Quail, Lewis’ Woodpecker, Anna’s Hummingbird, Bullock’s Oriole, Bewick’s Wren, and many more, NPR noted.

The Audubon’s shearwater, who was named after the famous bird illustrator James John Audubon, will be among those renamed because Audobon was a slave owner who adamantly opposed abolition, the Times noted.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP

The Scott’s oriole will also get a new name because it was named after U.S. Civil War General Winfield Scott. Scott led a force of thousands who removed the Cherokee Indians from their land, as part of the Trail of Tears, PBS noted.

The move to change the birds’ names comes from birders who were upset about the connection to historical figures. In 2020, following the death of George Floyd, the organization received a petition from the Bird Names For Bird’s group, which pointed out that the names were “isolating and demeaning reminders of oppression, slavery and genocide.”

“We’re really doing this to address some historic wrongs,” Judith Scarl, the executive director of the American Ornithological Society, said, adding that the change “will engage even more people in enjoying and protecting and studying birds.”

The renaming of the birds is expected to begin next year, starting with 10 birds and eventually working to 70 to 80 bird species. The new birds’ names will based on their habitats or distinct features, NPR noted.

Multiple people called for the destruction of the state of Israel during an open debate with Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro at the Oxford Union in the U.K. on Monday.

Shapiro visited the University of Oxford earlier this week to face questions from students about a wide range of topics, but the discussion principally focused on the war between Israel and Hamas. During Shapiro’s bouts with different students, several called for the abolition of the state of Israel, a position that Shapiro responded was “genocidal.”

The first student called for the destruction of Israel at the end of her questioning of Shapiro when the Daily Wire host asked her what part of Israel she considered “occupied,” or illegitimate.

“All of Israel,” she responded.

“There we go. So, what you’re calling for is the obliteration of the state of Israel, and all of this is just a cover for that. I appreciate your time,” Shapiro responded.

Less than 10 minutes later, another student at the podium took the same position after Shapiro asked the same question.

“The entirety of Palestine,” she said, adding “but I’m not calling for the destruction of Jews.”

“Thank you, once again,” Shapiro said. “I appreciate you expressing your full genocidal intent for the Jewish people living between the river and the sea.”

The student argued: “Why is it genocidal to call for a state that is not apartheid? You can have a state where all citizens have equal rights, Jews and Muslims. That’s not genocidal.”

Shapiro responded: “I’m sure that is going to go amazingly under the same people who are governing the Gaza Strip where currently zero Jews live.”

The last student to call for Israel’s destruction volunteered his position at the start of his time debating Shapiro on the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Ben, it’s an absolute displeasure,” the student opened, “I will get to my question, however.”

Shapiro responded: “Thank you for coming anyway.”

“My displeasure,” the student said. “Now, I’ll repeat the question that I sought to ask you. You have recently been discussing a lot about the history of the occupation of Palestine. I will call it that. I know you will oppose that, but I will call it that. The occupation of Palestine.”

After Shapiro asked what he meant by Palestine, the student clarified he meant “the entirety of Palestine.”

 “You may accuse me of genocide if you wish. That is not my position,” the student said.

“Sure, and I will, but go ahead,” Shapiro responded.

The full Q-and-A with the audience can be viewed here.