Cattle Egret

SCI Name:  Bubulcus ibis
Protonym:  Ardea Ibis Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.144
Taxonomy:  Pelecaniformes / Ardeidae / Bubulcus
Taxonomy Code:  categr
Type Locality:  Egypt.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

BUBULCUS
(Ardeidae; Ϯ Cattle Egret B. ibis) Specific name Ardea bubulcus Audouin, 1823 (= syn. Bubulcus ibis); "the habits of this bird are remarkable, as it rarely fishes, but feeds mainly on grasshoppers and other insects, to obtain which the flocks commonly associate with herds of cattle grazing" (Blyth 1852); "26. Bubulcus, Pucher.   85. ibis, Hasselq. (æquinoctialis, Mont. veranyi, Roux.)  86. ?ruficrista, Verr.  87. coromanda, Steph. (russata, Wagl. caboga, Sykes.)" (Bonaparte 1855); "Bubulcus Bonaparte (ex Pucheran MS), 1855 (April), Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 40, p. 722. Type, by tautonymy, Ardea ibis "Hasselquist" (= Linnaeus) = Ardea bubulcus Audouin." (Payne in Peters, 1979, I, ed. 2, p. 205).
Var. Bubulcous. 

bubulcus
Med. L. bubulcus  cowherd  < L. bubulus  of cattle  < bos, bovis  cow (syn. Bubulcus ibis).

ibis
L. ibis, ibidis  ibis  < Gr. ιβις ibis, ιβιδος ibidos  ibis. The Greek authors recognised three different types of ibis: the Glossy Ibis, the Sacred Ibis, and the Northern Bald Ibis or Waldrapp.
● "76. ARDEA.  ...  Ibis.  18. A. capite lævi, corpore albo, rostro flavescente apice pedibusque nigris.  Ardea Ibis tota alba, pedibus atris, unguibus arcuatis maximis. Hasselqv. itin. 248.   β. Ibis nigra. Raj. av. 98.  Habitat in Ægypto; regionis purificator.  Bellonii Ibis rostro arcuato, nigra est; at Plinius X: 30. Ibis circa peluscum tantum nigra est, cæteris omnibus locis candida." (Linnaeus 1758). The Swedish explorer Fredrik Hasselqvist (1722-1752) was persuaded by his Egyptian dragoman that the Cattle Egret was, in fact, the sacred ibis of the ancients. His papers eventually found their way to Linnaeus, who unwittingly perpetuated the deception in the egret’s specific name (Bubulcus).
● ex “Ibis blanc” of Brisson 1760 (Mycteria).

Ibis
L. ibis, ibidis  ibis   < Gr. ιβις ibis, ιβιδος ibidos  ibis. This name has been confused over the centuries. The Sacred Ibis was venerated by the ancient Egyptians, but the Glossy Ibis was equally common in that country. By the time modern ornithologists and explorers arrived the Sacred Ibis was either extinct or fast disappearing in Egypt, and the name gradually attached itself to other stork- or heron-like birds (for example, the Cattle Egret).
● (?syn. Eudocimus Ϯ Scarlet Ibis E. ruber) (see below)
● (syn. Mycteria Ϯ Yellow-billed Stork M. ibis) "117. IBIS, Ibis.  Bec long, fort, tranchant, et émoussé à son extrémité; des places dénuées de plumes sur la tête." (de Lacépède 1799); "Ibis Lacépède, Tabl. Ois., 1799, p. 18. Type, by tautonymy, Ibis candidus Daudin = Tantalus ibis Linné." (Peters 1931, 1, 126).
● (syn. Plegadis Ϯ Glossy Ibis P. falcinellus) "80. EGYPTISE KRAAN, in 't Latyn Ibis,  By BELON. L. IV. c. IX.  SEBA Thes. I. t. 62 f.3." (Moehring 1758). In effect, Moehring's name is unidentifiable. Belon's 1555, plate illustrates the Glossy Ibis; his text refers both to the Glossy Ibis and to the Sacred Ibis. Seba's 1735, plate illustrates the Scarlet Ibis (named Avis Porphyrio, Amboinensis).   Var. Jbis.
● (?syn. Threskiornis Ϯ Sacred Ibis T. aethiopicus) (see above)

SUBSPECIES

Cattle Egret (Western)
SCI Name: Bubulcus ibis ibis
ibis
L. ibis, ibidis  ibis  < Gr. ιβις ibis, ιβιδος ibidos  ibis. The Greek authors recognised three different types of ibis: the Glossy Ibis, the Sacred Ibis, and the Northern Bald Ibis or Waldrapp.
● "76. ARDEA.  ...  Ibis.  18. A. capite lævi, corpore albo, rostro flavescente apice pedibusque nigris.  Ardea Ibis tota alba, pedibus atris, unguibus arcuatis maximis. Hasselqv. itin. 248.   β. Ibis nigra. Raj. av. 98.  Habitat in Ægypto; regionis purificator.  Bellonii Ibis rostro arcuato, nigra est; at Plinius X: 30. Ibis circa peluscum tantum nigra est, cæteris omnibus locis candida." (Linnaeus 1758). The Swedish explorer Fredrik Hasselqvist (1722-1752) was persuaded by his Egyptian dragoman that the Cattle Egret was, in fact, the sacred ibis of the ancients. His papers eventually found their way to Linnaeus, who unwittingly perpetuated the deception in the egret’s specific name (Bubulcus).
● ex “Ibis blanc” of Brisson 1760 (Mycteria).

Cattle Egret (Eastern)
SCI Name: Bubulcus ibis coromandus
coromanda / coromandela / coromandelanensis / coromandelensis / coromandeliana / coromandelianus / coromandelica / coromandelicus / coromandeliensis / coromandelus / coromander / coromandra / coromandus
Coromandel Coast, south-eastern India. Coromandel is a Portuguese corruption of the Tamil name Cholamandalam Kingdom of the Cholas, for the area.
● ex “Bec-ouvert des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Coromandel Heron” of Latham 1785 (syn. Anastomus oscitans).
● ex “Petit Hibou de la côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Coromandel Eared Owl” of Latham 1787 (Bubo).
● ex “Crabier de la côte de Coromandel” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 910, and “Crabier de Coromandel” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (subsp. Bubulcus ibis).
● ex “Coucou huppé de Coromandel” of Brisson 1760 (Clamator).
● ex “Petite caille de Gingi” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Coromandel Quail” of Latham 1783 (Coturnix).
● ex “Coure-vite de la côte de Coromandel” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 892, and “Coromandel Plover” of Latham 1785 (Cursorius).
● Erroneous TL. Coromandel, India (= Pegu coast, Burma); ex “Martin-pêcheur violet de la côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782 (Halcyon).
● ex “Martin-pêcheur violet des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Halcyon coromanda).
● ex “Guêpier jaune de la Côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Merops viridis).
● ex “Sarcelle de Coromandel” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Coromandel Teal” of Latham 1785 (Nettapus).
● Erroneous TL. Coromandel Coast (= Cape Province, South Africa); ex “Indian Coly” of Latham 1787 (syn. Urocolius indicus).
● ex “Petit traquet des Indes” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Coromandel Warbler” of Latham 1783 (unident.).