While abbreviating names can be much faster to write or type, sometimes it can get confusing even for people who are used to doing it! That’s why I’ve compiled a glossary of the most common abbreviations of bird names.
Cockatoos are the easiest, although they sound more confusing at first. Quite simply, the ‘too’ of cockatoo is abbreviated into numerical form, 2. Then the first letter refers to the actual species or sub-species. Note that cockatoos are also often referred to as ‘toos. Like this:
U2 – Umbrella Cockatoo, also referred to as white cockatoos
M2 – Moluccan Cockatoo, or salmon-crested cockatoo
G2 – Goffins Cockatoo
C2 – Citron-Crested Cockatoo
S2 – Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo
T2 – Triton’s Cockatoo
Next, most other species tend to abbreviate by the first letter of the species name. Thus:
CAG – Congo African Grey
TAG – Timneh African Grey
GCC – Green-cheeked conure
PGCC – Pineapple mutation green-cheeked conure.
BCC – Blue-crowned conure
MC – Mitred conure
GWM – Green-winged macaw
B&G – Blue and Gold macaw
MM – Military Macaw
BTM – Blue-Throated Macaw
BFA – Blue-Fronted Amazon
IRN – Indian Ringneck Parakeet
DYA – Double Yellow-Headed Amazon
YA – Yellow-Headed Amazon
A brief note about the beloved Budgerigar – often called a budgie. In America, budgies are often called parakeets. While they are indeed parakeets – or ‘keets’ – I think it’s important to mention that parakeet is not restricted to budgies. It means ‘long tail’ and covers a wide range of species. Conures, Quakers, Indian Ringneck Parrots, and Mountain Parakeets all belong to the parakeet family. There are actually quite a lot!
Hopefully that helps in case anyone ever gets confused.
Sarah Stull is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, a photographer, violist, and violinist who has plans of opening her own avian sanctuary on the east coast of America.