Common Waxbill

SCI Name:  Estrilda astrild
Protonym:  Loxia Astrild Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.173
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Estrildidae / Estrilda
Taxonomy Code:  comwax
Type Locality:  Canaries, America, Africa ; restricted to Cape Town, by W. L. Sclater and Mackworth-Praed, 1918, Ibis, p. 442
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ESTRILDA
(Estrildidae; Ϯ Common Waxbill E. astrild) Specific name Loxia astrild Linnaeus, 1758. It has been suggested that the name derives from a German or Dutch avicultural term for a waxbill. However, an incandescent Reichenbach 1849, wrote that the name Estrelda, from astrild, was neither Latin nor English, nor anything else, and castigated the linguistically proficient authors who foisted it on the scientific community (“Der Name Estrelda, aus Astrild gemacht, ist weder lateinisch noch englisch, noch sonst etwas; man könnte ihn kaum deutsch-englisch nennen und muss erstauen, wie ein paar sprachkundige Männer ihn in die wissenschaft aufzunehmen vorsuchten”); "ESTRILDA.   Rostrum breve, conicum, immarginatum.  Alæ breves, rotundatæ; remige 1^ma spuria, minuta, 3^tia, 4^ta, et 5^ta æqualibus, longissimis.  Cauda subelongata, gradata.  ... Type. Loxia astrild. Linn.  This, and the preceding genus [Amadina], appear strictly confined to the warm regions of the old world; and will detach a vast number of species from the Loxiæ and Fringillæ of Linnæus. I have endeavoured in vain to reconcile the different groups of these birds proposed by Brisson, Cuvier, and Vieillot, with any thing like a geographic or a natural arrangement; and this must be my apology for not adopting either their names or characters; the first would lead to much confusion, while the latter are artificial. The minute spurious quill, (which I have termed, for the sake of uniformity, the first), seems to be an unerring indication of an African or Asiatic origin; and I find the same character in all those I have seen from New Holland." (Swainson 1827); "Estrilda Swainson, Zool. Journ. iii, p. 349, 1827.  Type by original designation, Loxia astrild Linn." (W. Sclater, 1930, Syst. Av. Aethiop., II, p. 794).   
Var. Astrilda, Estrelda, Estrila.   
Synon. Brunhilda, Glaucestrilda, Habropyga, Haplopyga, Krimhilda, Melpoda, Senegalus.

astrild
It has been suggested that astrild derives from a German or Dutch avicultural term for a waxbill (e.g. Holloway 2003, “Estrilda, from Afrikaans astrild, estrelda, astrelda, and astrilda, their names for the African waxbill”). However, see Reichenbach’s 1849, comments under Estrilda. “Astrild seems to have been a misprint for astrilda, which might be restored as having a more classical appearance” (Sharpe 1890); "96. LOXIA.  ...  Astrild.  16. L. grisea fusco-undulata, rostro temporibus pectoreque coccineis.  Waxbill. Edw. av. 179. t. 179.  Habitat in Canariis, America, Africa.  Magnitudo Reguli; supra grisea fusco undulata; subtus pectore purpurea. Cauda rotundata, grisea lineolis transversis fuscis numerosis. Rostrum coccineum, gibbum. Fascia coccinea per oculos ducta." (Linnaeus 1758) (Estrilda).

SUBSPECIES

Common Waxbill (kempi)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild kempi
kempi
● Robert "Robin" Kemp (1871-1949) English accountant, naturalist, collector in Sierra Leone 1902-1904, New Zealand 1906-1907, East Africa 1908-1909, Australia 1912-1914, and Argentina 1916-1917 (syn. Chalcophaps longirostris rogersi, syn. Chloebia gouldiae, subsp. Cinnyris chloropygius, subsp. Cracticus mentalis, syn. Dacelo leachii, syn. Egretta garzetta immaculata, subsp. Estrilda astrild, syn. Falco berigora, subsp. Kempiella griseoceps, Macrosphenus, syn. Myiagra ruficollis mimikae, syn. Myzomela erythrocephala infuscata, subsp. Philemon argenticeps, syn. Polyboroides typus pectoralis, syn. Puffinus elegans, syn. Rhipidura fuliginosa placabilis, syn. Rhipidura rufifrons, syn. Sterna sumatrana, subsp. Tockus erythrorhynchus).
● Dr Stanley Wells Kemp (1882-1945) British marine biologist, explorer, Superintendent of the Zoological Survey of India 1910-1924, Director of Plymouth Marine Laboratory 1936-1945 (syn. Rhipidura albicollis stanleyi).

Common Waxbill (occidentalis)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild occidentalis
occidentale / occidentalis
L. occidentalis  western  < occidens, occidentis  west  < occidere  to set. This toponym was frequently given to taxa discovered in locations west of previously known populations.
● Cocal, Western Andes, Colombia (Dysithamnus).
● Jamaica; ex “Onocrotalus” or “Pelecanus fuscus” of Sloane 1725, “Pelican of America” of Edwards 1747, and “Pelecanus” of Browne 1756 (Pelecanus).
● TL. Day Dawn, Western Australia; "Westralian Wedgebill" (Mathews 1912) (Psophodes).

Common Waxbill (rubriventris)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild rubriventris
rubriventer / rubriventris
L. ruber, rubra  red; venter, ventris  belly.
● ex “Astrild à ventre rouge” of Vieillot 1806 (Estrilda).

Common Waxbill (jagoensis)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild jagoensis
jagoensis
São Tiago, Cape Verde Is.

Common Waxbill (angolensis)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild angolensis
angolae / angolense / angolensis / angolica / angolicus
Angola (Portuguese Angola  <  Ngola a title of the kings of Ndongo).
● ex “Rollier d’Angola” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Coracias caudatus).
● ex “Angola Vulture” of Latham 1781 (Gypohierax).
● ex “Apiaster angolensis” of Brisson, “Petit Guêpier vert et bleu à queue étagée” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Angola Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Merops pusillus).
● ex “Linotte d’Angola” of Brisson 1760, and “Angola Finch” of Latham 1783 (syn. Ochrospiza atrogularis).
● ex “Fringilla ventre caeruleo. Blue-belly’d Finch” of Edwards 1750 (Uraeginthus).
● Erroneous TL. Angola (= Brazil); ex “Black Gros-beak” of Edwards 1764 (Sporophila).

Common Waxbill (niediecki)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild niediecki
niediecki
Paul Niedieck (1873-1948) German big-game hunter, explorer (syn. Antigone canadensis, subsp. Carduelis carduelis, subsp. Estrilda astrild).

Common Waxbill (damarensis)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild damarensis
damarensis
Damaraland, Namibia.

Common Waxbill (peasei)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild peasei
peasei / peasii
Sir Alfred Edward Pease 2nd Baron Pease of Hutton Lowcross (1857-1939) English MP, banker, magistrate, pioneer settler in Kenya, big-game hunter, explorer in tropical Africa (subsp. Estrilda astrild, syn. Prodotiscus regulus, syn. Pycnonotus barbatus dodsoni).

Common Waxbill (macmillani)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild macmillani
macmillani
● Sir William Northrup McMillan (1872-1925) Scottish philanthropist, big-game hunter, landowner in East Africa 1901-1925 (syn. Anomalospiza imberbis, subsp. Estrilda astrild, syn. Myrmecocihla albifrons pachyrhyncha, syn. Sarothrura ayresi).
● L. Macmillan (fl. 1937) US explorer, adventurer, collector in the Pacific and East Indies (subsp. Todiramphus sanctus, subsp. Zosterops lateralis).

Common Waxbill (adesma)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild adesma
adesma
Gr. αδεσμος adesmos  unfettered, unbound  < negative prefix α- a- ; δεσμος desmos  fetter, bond.

Common Waxbill (minor)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild minor
minor
L. minor  smaller  < comp. parvus  small. “Comparative names ... Specific names expressive of comparative size are also to be avoided, as they may be rendered inaccurate by the after-discovery of additional species. The names ... maximus, minor, minimus, etc. are examples of this objectionable practice” (Strickland Code 1842).
● ex “Short-eared Owl” of Pennant 1761 (syn. Asio flammeus).
● ex “Little Thrush” of Catesby 1731-1743, Edwards 1758-1764, Latham 1783, and Pennant 1785, “Turdus iliacus carolinensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Grivette de l’Amérique” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Catharus fuscescens).
● ex “Whip-poor-will” of Catesby 1731 (Chordeiles).
● ex “Coucou des palétuviers de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 813, “Petit Vieillard” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mangrove Cuckow” of Latham 1782 (Coccyzus).
● "54. PICUS.  ...  minor.  12. P. albo nigroque varius vertice rubro, ano albido.  Picus albo nigroque varius, rectricibus tribus lateralibus seminigris. Fn. svec. 83. Hasselqv. iter. 242.  Picus varius tertius. Raj. av. 43.  Picus varius minor. Alb. av. I. p. 20. t. 20.  Habitat in Europa.” (Linnaeus 1758) (Dryobates).
● ex “Fregata minor” of Brisson 1760, “Petite Frégate” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Man of War Bird” of Edwards 1760, and “Lesser Frigate Pelican” of Latham 1785 (Fregata).
● ex “Petit Indicateur” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 242 (Indicator).
● ex “Pie-grièsche d’Italie” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 32, fig. 1 (Lanius).
● ex “Perruche à ailes noires” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Petite perruche de l’isle de Luçon, 4ème ésp.” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Luzonian Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (syn. Loriculus philippensis).
● ex “Apiaster Philippensis minor” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Merops viridis americanus).
● ex “Little Woodcock” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (Microptera).
● ex “Troupiale de la Caroline” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 606, fig. 1, “Petit Troupiale noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Lesser black Oriole” of Latham 1782 (syn. Molothrus ater).
● ex “Lesser Bird of Paradise” of Latham 1783 (Paradisaea).
● ex “Barbican à ventre rose” of Levaillant 1806 (Pogonornis).
● ex “Porphyrio minor” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Porphyrula martinica).
● ex “Colymbus fluviatilis” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Tachybaptus ruficollis).
● ex “Huppe d’Afrique” of Audebert & Vieillot 1800-1802 (syn. Upupa africana).
● ex “Ringvia” of Brünnich 1764, and “Lesser Guillemot” of Pennant 1785 (syn. Uria aalge).

Common Waxbill (massaica)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild massaica
massaica / massaicum / massaicus
Massai, Masai or Maasai, a semi-nomadic people of Kenya and northern Tanzania.

Common Waxbill (cavendishi)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild cavendishi
cavendishi
Capt. Henry Sheppard Hart Cavendish 6th Baron Waterpark of Waterpark and 7th Baronet Cavendish of Doveridge (1876-1948) British Army, explorer, big-game hunter (subsp. Estrilda astrild).

Common Waxbill (astrild)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild astrild
astrild
It has been suggested that astrild derives from a German or Dutch avicultural term for a waxbill (e.g. Holloway 2003, “Estrilda, from Afrikaans astrild, estrelda, astrelda, and astrilda, their names for the African waxbill”). However, see Reichenbach’s 1849, comments under Estrilda. “Astrild seems to have been a misprint for astrilda, which might be restored as having a more classical appearance” (Sharpe 1890); "96. LOXIA.  ...  Astrild.  16. L. grisea fusco-undulata, rostro temporibus pectoreque coccineis.  Waxbill. Edw. av. 179. t. 179.  Habitat in Canariis, America, Africa.  Magnitudo Reguli; supra grisea fusco undulata; subtus pectore purpurea. Cauda rotundata, grisea lineolis transversis fuscis numerosis. Rostrum coccineum, gibbum. Fascia coccinea per oculos ducta." (Linnaeus 1758) (Estrilda).

Common Waxbill (tenebridorsa)
SCI Name: Estrilda astrild tenebridorsa
tenebridorsa
L. tenebricus  dark  < tenebrae  darkness; dorsum  back.