The plural of "bird" is "bird".

[Deb London]

Should this be in the pedant section of the Treehouse I wonder?

I am always trying to gather information from wildlife reports. I have just noticed that in my favourite "latest bird news" some authors will write the names of several birds seen with an "s" at the end (e.g. 5+ Chiffchaffs) and most others without (e.g. 5+ Chiffchaff). I only noticed because I was writing to a well-known birder and suddenly decided that I really don't belong in the birding circles as I just don't know anything about anything.

So I'm just wondering what others think the correct thing to do is. I've added an anonymous poll.

[htcdude]

Haha how very pedant

I don't usually add an 's' when listing my sightings. But if talking to someone I think I do

So I'm putting 'Don't think it matters'

I guess the grammatically correct way would be to put a 's'

Nige

[Deb London]

Thanks Nige, and thanks for the "hey-dude-I-don't-think-it-matters" reply. I'm more reassured now. LOL

[Jason Claxton]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Thanks Nige, and thanks for the "hey-dude-I-don't-think-it-matters" reply. I'm more reassured now. LOL

I sometimes put a y and s together on the end

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

I sometimes put a y and s together on the end

[Jason Claxton]

Originally Posted by Deb London

But more formally I use "ies" on the end

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

But more formally I use "ies" on the end

I think you nearly killed Deb then!

[nightshade]

I only became a pedant when puritanism went out of fashion

[STYRBJORN]

Sorry if this is a discordant note but my FAC is conditioned for "fox".

I would use the singular as in ". . . 5 chiff chaff" but a chiffchaff, sparrow, robin, pied wagtail and blue tit would be 5 birds that breed on campus, or 5 species of bird

So singular for a number of individuals of one species, plural for different spp.

Ric

[Dorts]

You say:
"I saw two Jersey Cows"
"I counted three Rabbits"
"Photograped six Marsh Orchids"
"There were six Sparrows on my bird table"
All plural with an 's' on the end.
Dort.