Bronzed Cowbird

SCI Name:  Molothrus aeneus
Protonym:  Ps.[arocolius] aeneus Isis 22 col.758
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Icteridae / Molothrus
Taxonomy Code:  brocow
Type Locality:  Mexico ; type from Laguna, Veracruz, fide Hellmayr, 1937, Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Publ., Zool. Ser., 13, pt. 10, p. 52.
Author:  Wagler
Publish Year:  1829
IUCN Status:  

DEFINITIONS

MOLOTHRUS
(Icteridae; Ϯ Brown-headed Cowbird M. ater) Unattested Gr. μολοθρος molothros  uninvited guest (Merriam 1884) (cf. Gr. μωλος mōlos  struggle, battle; θρωσκω thrōskō  to sire, to impregnate); alluding to the parasitic habits of the Brown-headed Cowbird; "MOLOTHRUS Sws. 1831.  ...  Die Etymologie des Gattungsnamens ist nicht recht klar. Die Ableitung von μωλος, im Sinne von moles für Gebäude (Nest) und etwa θρωσκω, θορειν, springen, eilen, schleunig eintreten, wäre etwas sehr gesucht. Swainson giebt an "μολοθρος, qui non vocatus alienas aedes intrat" vielleicht soll es heissen μολοβρος, ein Schmarotzer, einer der bei andern zu fressen sucht, mit Bezug auf die Eigenthümlichkeit der Erziehung der Jungen durch an die Vögel; es würde der Name dann richtiger Molobrus zu schreiben sein" (Cabanis 1853); “Swainson wrote molothrus more than once, showing it not to be a misprint or other mistake” (Coues 1882); "[85.]  1. MOLOTHRUS PECORIS. (Swainson.)  Cowpen or Cuckoo-Bunt.   SUB-FAMILY, Agelainae.  Genus, Molothrus *, SWAINS.  Cowpen Finch. PENN. Arct. Zool., ii, p. 371, No. 241.  Cow Bunting (Emberiza pecoris). WILS., ii., p. 145, pl. 18, ff. 1, 2, and 3.  Fringilla pecoris. SAB. Frankl. Journ., p. 676.  Agelaius pecoris. SWAINS. Syn., No. 55.  Icterus pecoris. BONAP. Syn., p. 53, No. 53.  ...  FORM, typical.  Bill short, conic, Finch-like; the culmen or ridge is convex and very slightly arched, the tip not depressed, and both mandibles entire. Wings long, pointed; the first quill generally longest, the second very nearly equal; lesser quills truncate and slightly emarginate. Tail slightly forked in the middle; but its sides rounded (as in the Ceblepyrinæ), reaching an inch and a quarter beyond the wings. Tarsi lengthened; claws slender; anterior lateral toes equal.   ...  *Mολοθρος, qui non vocatus alienas ædes intrat." (Swainson 1831); "Molothrus Swainson, 1832, in Swainson and Richardson, Fauna Bor.-Amer., 2 (1831), p. 277. Type, by original designation, Fringilla pecoris Gmelin = Oriolus ater Boddaert." (Blake in Peters 1968, XIV, 195).  
Var. Molobrus (Gr. μολοβρος molobros beggar, parasite), Molothru, Mothrus.
Synon. Callothrus, Cyanothrus, Cyrtotes, Hypobletis, Pecoris, Psomocolax, Scaphidura, Strepitovagus, Tangavius.

aeneum / aeneus
L. aeneus  of a bronze colour, bronzed, coppery  < aes, aeris  bronze.
● ex “Sucrier Bronzé” of Levaillant 1812, pl. 297 (?syn. Cinnyris sp.).
● ex “Dicée bronzé” of Hombron & Jacquinot 1845 (Dicaeum).
● ex "Drongo Bronzé" of Levaillant 1805, pl. 176 (Dicrurus).
● ex “Merula viridis longicauda senegalensis” of Brisson 1760, “Merle vert à longue queue du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 220, “Merle cuivre d’Afrique” of Salerne 1767, and “Glossy Thrush" of Latham 1783 (syn. Lamprotornis caudatus).
● ex “Grand coucou de Madagascar” (= ♂) of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 587, and “Vourou-driou” of de Buffon 1770-1786 (syn. Leptosomus discolor).

SUBSPECIES

Bronzed Cowbird (Bronzed)
SCI Name: Molothrus aeneus [aeneus Group]
MOLOTHRUS
(Icteridae; Ϯ Brown-headed Cowbird M. ater) Unattested Gr. μολοθρος molothros  uninvited guest (Merriam 1884) (cf. Gr. μωλος mōlos  struggle, battle; θρωσκω thrōskō  to sire, to impregnate); alluding to the parasitic habits of the Brown-headed Cowbird; "MOLOTHRUS Sws. 1831.  ...  Die Etymologie des Gattungsnamens ist nicht recht klar. Die Ableitung von μωλος, im Sinne von moles für Gebäude (Nest) und etwa θρωσκω, θορειν, springen, eilen, schleunig eintreten, wäre etwas sehr gesucht. Swainson giebt an "μολοθρος, qui non vocatus alienas aedes intrat" vielleicht soll es heissen μολοβρος, ein Schmarotzer, einer der bei andern zu fressen sucht, mit Bezug auf die Eigenthümlichkeit der Erziehung der Jungen durch an die Vögel; es würde der Name dann richtiger Molobrus zu schreiben sein" (Cabanis 1853); “Swainson wrote molothrus more than once, showing it not to be a misprint or other mistake” (Coues 1882); "[85.]  1. MOLOTHRUS PECORIS. (Swainson.)  Cowpen or Cuckoo-Bunt.   SUB-FAMILY, Agelainae.  Genus, Molothrus *, SWAINS.  Cowpen Finch. PENN. Arct. Zool., ii, p. 371, No. 241.  Cow Bunting (Emberiza pecoris). WILS., ii., p. 145, pl. 18, ff. 1, 2, and 3.  Fringilla pecoris. SAB. Frankl. Journ., p. 676.  Agelaius pecoris. SWAINS. Syn., No. 55.  Icterus pecoris. BONAP. Syn., p. 53, No. 53.  ...  FORM, typical.  Bill short, conic, Finch-like; the culmen or ridge is convex and very slightly arched, the tip not depressed, and both mandibles entire. Wings long, pointed; the first quill generally longest, the second very nearly equal; lesser quills truncate and slightly emarginate. Tail slightly forked in the middle; but its sides rounded (as in the Ceblepyrinæ), reaching an inch and a quarter beyond the wings. Tarsi lengthened; claws slender; anterior lateral toes equal.   ...  *Mολοθρος, qui non vocatus alienas ædes intrat." (Swainson 1831); "Molothrus Swainson, 1832, in Swainson and Richardson, Fauna Bor.-Amer., 2 (1831), p. 277. Type, by original designation, Fringilla pecoris Gmelin = Oriolus ater Boddaert." (Blake in Peters 1968, XIV, 195).  
Var. Molobrus (Gr. μολοβρος molobros beggar, parasite), Molothru, Mothrus.
Synon. Callothrus, Cyanothrus, Cyrtotes, Hypobletis, Pecoris, Psomocolax, Scaphidura, Strepitovagus, Tangavius.

Bronzed Cowbird (Bronze-brown)
SCI Name: Molothrus aeneus armenti
armenti
L. armentum, armenti  herd of oxen  < arare  to plough; ex “Icterus armenti” of Lichtenstein MS (i.e. another “cowbird” name, Cabanis 1851, remarking on the similarity between this taxon and Molothrus pecoris (= M. ater)) (cf. "Arment's Cowbird" (Hellmayr 1937)) (subsp. Molothrus aeneus).