# Common Names for observing specific groups (e.g birding / birdwatching for birds) **URL:** \ **Category:** Nature Talk\ **Created:** [May 25, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370 "2021-05-25T16:42:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ram\_k](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/ram_k/32/11712_2.png) [@ram\_k](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/ram_k)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/1 "2021-05-25T16:42:34Z")
Hi So for some time now have being trying to figure out pithy words for nature watching and all the groups within. There is an "official word(s) and then a related more commonly used word Like Birding / Birdwatching – Ornithology Herpetology - [Herping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herping) - has a wikipedia entry Lepping - Observing Butterflies and Moths ( [### Lepidopterology ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidopterology) Was interested in knowing more such words for other groups / sub groups and wanted to know if there was a "better word " for “nature watching” as well Thanks * * * Ram ---
**Author:** ![raymie](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/raymie/32/12650_2.png) [@raymie](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/raymie)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 6:36pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/2 "2021-05-25T18:36:59Z")
Oding is the term for watching dragonflies and damselflies - someone who goes oding is an oder. Seriously, I did not make that up. Looking for plants is botanizing. ---
**Author:** ![emilyd47](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/emilyd47/32/7758_2.png) [@emilyd47](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/emilyd47)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/3 "2021-05-25T19:08:34Z")
I’ve seen “mammaling” or “mammling” for mammal-observation. Beth Levin’s English Verb Classes and Alternations lists the following as noun-derived verbs which can be used to mean “hunt/forage/search for X”: “antique, berry, birdnest, blackberry, clam, crab, fish, fowl, grouse, hay, log, mushroom, nest, nut, oyster, pearl, prawn, rabbit, seal, shark, shrimp, snail, snipe, sponge, whale, whelk” I think most of these refer more to hunting or food-gathering than scientific investigation, though. “Bird” should really be on the list (there’s a book called The Verb “To Bird”). ---
**Author:** ![chrisangell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/chrisangell/32/20651_2.png) [@chrisangell](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/chrisangell)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/4 "2021-05-25T19:10:36Z")
I believe it’s customary to call an expedition to look for fungi a “foray.” ---
**Author:** ![natemarchessault](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/natemarchessault/32/10267_2.png) [@natemarchessault](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/natemarchessault)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/5 "2021-05-25T19:34:04Z")
For general nature watching/enjoyment I usually say “nature study” ---
**Author:** ![susanne-kasimir](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/susanne-kasimir/32/34021_2.png) [@susanne-kasimir](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/susanne-kasimir)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 8:40pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/6 "2021-05-25T20:40:13Z")
I don’t think it’s official, but maybe it becomes if enough people are using it. My Spanish friend use “bicheando” from bicho. So I’ve decided to call my activity of animal watching beasting. ;-) ---
**Author:** ![susanhewitt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/susanhewitt/32/887_2.png) [@susanhewitt](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/susanhewitt)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 8:58pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/7 "2021-05-25T20:58:39Z")
For the shells of marine mollusks, people just say, I’m going shelling. ---
**Author:** ![jnstuart](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jnstuart/32/1623_2.png) [@jnstuart](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jnstuart)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 9:28pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/8 "2021-05-25T21:28:53Z")
Sala-meandering is wandering aimlessly through woodland and along streams looking for suitable objects to turn for salamanders. ---
**Author:** ![LiamHutcheson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/liamhutcheson/32/18396_2.png) [@LiamHutcheson](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/LiamHutcheson)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/9 "2021-05-25T21:36:53Z")
I have heard “mothing” for moths. ---
**Author:** ![lappelbaum](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/lappelbaum/32/7312_2.png) [@lappelbaum](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/lappelbaum)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 11:03pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/10 "2021-05-25T23:03:18Z")
If I’m specifically focusing on birds and keeping an eBird list, I call it birding. If I’m looking at everything and taking photos for use on iNaturalist, I call it iNaturalizing. ---
**Author:** ![emilyd47](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/emilyd47/32/7758_2.png) [@emilyd47](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/emilyd47)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 11:37pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/11 "2021-05-25T23:37:02Z")
So a “mother” is one who moths? ---
**Author:** ![pmeisenheimer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/pmeisenheimer/32/10425_2.png) [@pmeisenheimer](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/pmeisenheimer)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 1:27am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/12 "2021-05-26T01:27:01Z")
I don’t know how official it is but someone near and dear to me refers to my naturalist activities, when pursued with diligence and stamina, as goofing off. ---
**Author:** ![machi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/machi/32/3898_2.png) [@machi](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/machi)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 3:10am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/13 "2021-05-26T03:10:07Z")
Lichenizing for looking for lichens and botanizing for looking for plants are terms I have heard frequently within groups dedicated to those activities as well. ---
**Author:** ![franzanth](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/franzanth/32/2474_2.png) [@franzanth](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/franzanth)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 11:08am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/14 "2021-05-26T11:08:53Z")
some people I know use ‘spoodspotting’ for spiders ---
**Author:** ![ram\_k](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/ram_k/32/11712_2.png) [@ram\_k](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/ram_k)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 2:27pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/15 "2021-05-26T14:27:13Z")
wonder if flowering can be made up and added for the act of looking at flowers :-) As in am not “goofing off” am flowering ;-) ---
**Author:** ![ram\_k](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/ram_k/32/11712_2.png) [@ram\_k](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/ram_k)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/16 "2021-05-26T14:28:34Z")
> [@susanne-kasimir](#): > > I don’t think it’s official, but maybe it becomes if enough people are using it. My Spanish friend use “bicheando” from bicho. So I’ve decided to call my activity of animal watching beasting. ;-) Have seen this (bicho) used in one of Gerald Durrell’s books in which he visits South America ---
**Author:** ![LiamHutcheson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/liamhutcheson/32/18396_2.png) [@LiamHutcheson](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/LiamHutcheson)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2021, 3:30pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/17 "2021-05-26T15:30:42Z")
I think so… thats what I have heard it called. ---
**Author:** ![fluffyinca](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/fluffyinca/32/10786_2.png) [@fluffyinca](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/fluffyinca)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2021, 1:25am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/18 "2021-05-27T01:25:18Z")
Anyone notice that this is very similar to the [Word for Nature Trip](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/word-for-nature-trip/11300) topic? I know this one is a bit more focused, but it’s something to keep in mind. Maybe they should be merged? ---
**Author:** ![ram\_k](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/ram_k/32/11712_2.png) [@ram\_k](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/ram_k)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2021, 7:22am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/19 "2021-05-29T07:22:22Z")
Nice, before posting i did try and search to find a similar thread, seems like i did not search hard enough. \*\* Not sure how to merge though ---
**Author:** ![fluffyinca](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/fluffyinca/32/10786_2.png) [@fluffyinca](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/fluffyinca)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2021, 7:01am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370/20 "2021-05-30T07:01:02Z")
> [@ram\_k](#): > > Not sure how to merge though Only Forum Moderators can do it. [Next page](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/common-names-for-observing-specific-groups-e-g-birding-birdwatching-for-birds/23370.md?page=2)