This might have been discussed before here, but I couldn’t find any related thread.
Every once in a while we have the discussion at work, how to deal with animal names.
Capitalize them or not?
In the linked article below the guy is in favor of never capitalizing, unless it’s Latin or a proper name in the animal name.
Makes sense, but if you scroll down to the comments, you will find good arguments for capitalizing.
So what is your take on this, English language experts?
Only when animal/breed/plant name contains a proper noun, e.g. Pomeranian or California poppy.
It does vary more by context than I’d realized. In most contexts, yes, capitalize only proper nouns or the genus name if you’re giving the scientific name (Homo sapiens). But I’ve just looked through a couple of bird guides and, yeah, they’re always capitalizing the full bird names - I’d consider those a “style guide” exception. A popular science book about birds, The Seabird’s Cry (highly recommended by the way), doesn’t capitalize in that way.
Yeah, I never do that (unless of course it’s the scientific name or includes proper noun, like Steller’s jay).
The ornithologists seem to be a very ornery bunch…
They insist on capitalization, while other animal experts seem more relaxed about it.
The argument for capitalization is usually to avoid confusion.
“black bear” for example could be the species or a grizzly bear covered in tar.
Fair point. “I saw a black bear today, but I’m not sure if it was a black bear or a grizzly” is a bit weird to parse. But I’d instead do something like “black-colored bear” rather than “Black Bear or a Grizzly.”
This happens a lot with dog and cat breeders too. Maybe a case of self-importance or self-promotion?
It probably makes stuff easier for them in their worlds.
Isn’t not hitting the Shift key easier?
When reading material.
I still like my explanation better. 
In German you must capitalize all Nouns.
What happens if you don’t? 
For a second I though you were calling me a pain in the ass. 
The Umlaut Monster will you geeaten.
That’s what you get when not following the German Capitalization Rule…
the the???
Fixed. Don’t throw me in the Klinker…
No soup for YOU!
I was taught in the past, common names are not required unless in a title of some kind. I do admit, when the name is in a chunk of text,capitalized names are easier to read.
Of course family, genus etc always first letter. Species and sub species, never unless the whole thing is capitalized which seems more useful as an aesthetics in titles/guides moreso than the bodies of text. genus and species always in italics. Things like cultivars first letter capitalized never italics and always single quotes.
On the internet, the rule is never. Unless autocorrect does it 