ABSTRACT
The correlation of the French name with the standard ornithological name in English is designed to solve several problems faced by performers and scholars of Messiaen. The use of ornithological nomenclature raises awareness of basic differences such as those between the European Robin and the American Robin. It provides an authoritative and frequently reviewed standard for the shifting and contentious naming of birds. The catalogue facilitates the proper identification of several of Messiaen's birds, whose species have been made uncertain by Messiaen's own dubiety and use of invented or anachronistic names. The use of IOU names will prove particularly useful for studies that involve the comparison of Messiaen's birds with those of other composers or with actual birdsong as well as for studies referring to ornithological literature. The advantage of offering a complete listing of Messiaen's named birds is self-evident.
