English

mountain plover

Arapaho

kóokóosóóneet

Translation of the Arapaho

‘it has thin legs’

 

Mountain Plovers and the Arapaho

This is the name collected by F.V. Hayden in 1863 for a bird he identifies as Charadrius montana - the Mountain Plover. However, he translates the term as ‘scar bird,’ which is incorrect, and also identifies the bird as having spots on its head which look like scars. He may have been confused as to the correct identification. His bird names are notably suspicious: he gives the translation ‘spotted wing’ for beescénee (wild turkey) when the actual translation is ‘big grouse.’