At least the Latin (Muscicapa striata : 'streaked (crown and breast) flycatcher')) for Spotted Flycatcher is more descriptive of the adult bird than the English language version. Only the young birds have (pale brown) spots - on the head and back.
I've always thought that the French 'Gobe-mouche gris - Grey fly-gobber/Grey fly-swallower' is the most attractive foreign name.......although the Welsh 'Gwybedog mannog' is quite a mouthful : " I once saw seven Gwybedog mannog near Blaenau Ffestiniog. "
Freddy
PS. On the other hand, for us British down at the pub with other birders, I'd much prefer telling them that I'd seen 2 Wrens, a Robin and a Song Thrush in the garden rather than 2 Troglodytes troglodytes, an Erithacus rubecula and a Turdus philomenos.... and I think, over a pint or two of John Smith's, they'd prefer the English versions too.
