Brown-headed Cowbird

SCI Name:  Molothrus ater
Protonym:  Oriolus ater TablePlanchesEnlum. p.37
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Icteridae / Molothrus
Taxonomy Code:  bnhcow
Type Locality:  Carohna.
Author:  Boddaert
Publish Year:  1783
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

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.

ater
L. ater black, dark, dull, matt black (cf. niger shining black, glossy black).
● ex “Martinet à Croupion Blanc” of Levaillant 1807 (?syn. Apus caffer).
● ex “Black Hawk” of A. Wilson 1812 (syn. Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis).
● ex “Aigle noir huppé d’Amérique” of de Buffon (Sonnini ed.) 1800-1802 (syn. Buteogallus urubitinga).
● ex “Crested black Cuckow” of Latham 1782 (syn. Clamator jacobinus serratus).
● ex “Iribin noir” of Vieillot 1816 (Daptrius).
● ex “Falco columbarius Nebbi“ of Ray 1713, “Schwarzbrauner Habicht” of Frisch 1733, “Black Hawk or Falcon” of Edwards 1743, “Falco niger” of Brisson 1760, “Faucon passager” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 469, and “Black Falcon” of Latham 1781 (syn. Falco peregrinus).
● ex “Merle à gorge noire de Saint-Domingue” (= ☼) of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 559, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black-throated Thrush” of Latham 1783 (syn. Icterus dominicensis).
● ex “Black Gled” of Sibbald 1684, “Braunermaldgeyer” of Kramer 1756, “Milvus niger” of Brisson 1760, “Milan noir” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 472, and “Black Kite “ of Latham 1787 (syn. Milvus migrans).
● ex “Troupiale de la Caroline” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 606, fig. 1, “Petit Troupiale noir” of de Buffon 1770-1785, and “Black Oriole” of Latham 1782 (Molothrus).
● ex “Parus ater” of Gessner 1555, Aldrovandus 1599, and Willughby 1676, “Colemouse” of Ray 1713, and “Parus capite nigro, dorso cinereo, occipite pectoreque albo” of Linnaeus 1746 (Periparus).
● ex “Héoro-taire noir” of Audebert & Vieillot 1802 (syn. Phylidonyris niger).
● ex “Dusky Flycatcher” of Pennant 1785 (syn. Sayornis phoebe).
● ex “Tangara à cravate noire de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 714, fig. 2, and “Camail” or “Cravate” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Schistochlamys melanopis).
● ex “Ararauna” or “Machao” of de Laet 1633, “Ara noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Maccaw” of Latham 1781 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Brown-headed Cowbird (artemisiae)
SCI Name: Molothrus ater artemisiae
artemisiae
● Artemisia, Queen of Caria and Halicarnassos, who married her own brother, the handsome Mausolus. Inconsolable at his death, she drank his ashes dissolved in wine and erected a splendid monument to his memory, the Mausoleum - one of the wonders of the ancient world (Garrulax).
● Botanical genus Artemisia Linnaeus, 1763, sagebrush  < Gr. myth. Artemis or Diana, the moon goddess skilled in the use of hallucinogenic plants (subsp. Molothrus ater).

Brown-headed Cowbird (obscurus)
SCI Name: Molothrus ater obscurus
obscurum / obscurus
L. obscurus  dark, dusky.
● ex “Hook-billed Green Creeper” of Latham 1782 (Akialoa).
● ex “Dusky-crowned Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (syn. Clytolaema rubricauda).
● ex “Dusky Tody” of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Contopus virens).
● ex “Pic verd de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (syn. Dendropicos griseocephalus).
● ex “Dusky Falcon” of Pennant 1787 (syn. Falco columbarius).
● ex “Dusky Grosbeak” (= ☼) of Pennant, 1784 (syn. Hedymeles ludovicianus).
● ex “Obscure Fly-catcher” of Latham 1823 (syn. Hemipus hirundinaceus).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  obscurus.  3. P. macrourus niger, genis nudis, vertice cinereo-nigrescente vario, cauda cinerea. Hasselq. iter. 236.  Habitat in Africa?" (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.: ?‡syn. Mascarinus mascarin).
● ex “White-rumped Woodpecker” of Latham 1782 (syn. Melanerpes erythrocephalus).
● ex “Tolocatzenatl” of Ray 1713, “Sturnus novae Hispaniae” of Brisson 1760, “Tolcana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Brown-headed Stare” of Latham 1783 (subsp. Molothrus ater).
● ex “Dusky Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pennula sandwichensis).
● ex “Dusky Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Phaeornis).
● ex “Black and White Dobchick” of Edwards 1747, “Colymbus minor” of Brisson 1760, “Petit Grèbe” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 942, and “Dusky Grebe” of Pennant 1785, and of Latham 1785 (syn. Podiceps auritus cornutus).
● ex “Dusky Plover” of Latham 1781 (cf. Dusky Bay, New Zealand) (Pluviorhynchus).
● ex “Dusky Petrel” of Latham 1785 (syn. Puffinus assimilis).
● ex “Indian Raven” of Willughby 1676, and “Wreathed Hornbill” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhyticeros plicatus).
● ex “Dark Thrush” of Latham 1783 (Turdus).
● "This specimen, like many from the Anthony collection, is badly soiled, a condition which may have led Anthony to name a dark race" (Browning 1979) (syn. Vireo huttoni).
● "44. PSITTACUS.   ...   obscurus.  3. P. macrourus niger, genis nudis, vertice cinereo-nigrescente vario, cauda cinerea. Hasselq. iter. 236.  Habitat in Africa ?" (Linnaeus 1758); "Linnæus identified his Psittacus obscurus with P. mascarinus, Briss.  ...  but the evidence is against this identification" (Salvadori 1891) (unident.; nom. dub.). 

Brown-headed Cowbird (ater)
SCI Name: Molothrus ater ater
ater
L. ater black, dark, dull, matt black (cf. niger shining black, glossy black).
● ex “Martinet à Croupion Blanc” of Levaillant 1807 (?syn. Apus caffer).
● ex “Black Hawk” of A. Wilson 1812 (syn. Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis).
● ex “Aigle noir huppé d’Amérique” of de Buffon (Sonnini ed.) 1800-1802 (syn. Buteogallus urubitinga).
● ex “Crested black Cuckow” of Latham 1782 (syn. Clamator jacobinus serratus).
● ex “Iribin noir” of Vieillot 1816 (Daptrius).
● ex “Falco columbarius Nebbi“ of Ray 1713, “Schwarzbrauner Habicht” of Frisch 1733, “Black Hawk or Falcon” of Edwards 1743, “Falco niger” of Brisson 1760, “Faucon passager” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 469, and “Black Falcon” of Latham 1781 (syn. Falco peregrinus).
● ex “Merle à gorge noire de Saint-Domingue” (= ☼) of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 559, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black-throated Thrush” of Latham 1783 (syn. Icterus dominicensis).
● ex “Black Gled” of Sibbald 1684, “Braunermaldgeyer” of Kramer 1756, “Milvus niger” of Brisson 1760, “Milan noir” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 472, and “Black Kite “ of Latham 1787 (syn. Milvus migrans).
● ex “Troupiale de la Caroline” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 606, fig. 1, “Petit Troupiale noir” of de Buffon 1770-1785, and “Black Oriole” of Latham 1782 (Molothrus).
● ex “Parus ater” of Gessner 1555, Aldrovandus 1599, and Willughby 1676, “Colemouse” of Ray 1713, and “Parus capite nigro, dorso cinereo, occipite pectoreque albo” of Linnaeus 1746 (Periparus).
● ex “Héoro-taire noir” of Audebert & Vieillot 1802 (syn. Phylidonyris niger).
● ex “Dusky Flycatcher” of Pennant 1785 (syn. Sayornis phoebe).
● ex “Tangara à cravate noire de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 714, fig. 2, and “Camail” or “Cravate” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Schistochlamys melanopis).
● ex “Ararauna” or “Machao” of de Laet 1633, “Ara noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Maccaw” of Latham 1781 (unident.).

Brown-headed Cowbird (californicus)
SCI Name: Molothrus ater californicus
californicum / californicus / californiensis
California.
● ?Erroneous TL. California (= Alta California, Mexico) (syn. Icterus cucullatus nelsoni).
● ex “California Bee-eater” of Ord 1815 (syn. Toxostoma redivivum).