Gray-headed Lovebird

SCI Name:  Agapornis canus
Protonym:  Psittacus canus Syst.Nat. 1 pt1 p.350
Taxonomy:  Psittaciformes / Psittaculidae / Agapornis
Taxonomy Code:  gyhlov1
Type Locality:  Madagascar and Mauritius.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1788
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

AGAPORNIS
(Psittacidae; † Black-collared Lovebird A. swindernianus) Gr. αγαπη agapē, αγαπης agapēs  love; ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos  bird; the substantive English name ‘lovebird’ reflects the strong pair bond and sociable nature of these small parrots; "Others have the bill powerful and thick, with the upper mandible strongly toothed; the wings long, and the tail short, and nearly even. To this group, the Psittacus Swinderianus of Kuhl, and the Psittacus Malaccensis, Lath., appear to belong. For the present, the title of Agapornis is given to them, though it is not unlikely that a farther division may be required, when their habits and economy are better known. The only illustration we can give of these diminutive Parrots is that of  SWINDERN'S LOVE-BIRD.  Agapornis Swinderianus." (Selby 1836); "Agapornis Selby, Nat. Libr., Parrots, 1836, p. 117.  Type, by subsequent designation, Psittacus swindernianus Kuhl. (G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 53.)" (Peters, 1937, III, p. 254).
Synon. Amoravis, Donkorella, Poliopsitta, Psittacula.

canus
L. canus  grey.
● ex “Psittacula Madagascariensis” of Brisson 1760, “Petite Perruche de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 791, fig. 2, “Perruche à tête grise” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Grey-headed Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (Agapornis).
● "69. LARUS.  ...  canus.  2. L. albus, dorso cano. Fn. svec. 125.  Larus albus. Alb. av. 2. p. 77. t. 84.  Habitat in Europa.  Agitati Lari evomunt aut explodunt cibum." (Linnaeus 1758) (Larus).
● ex “Picus viridis norwegicus” of Brisson 1760, and “Grey-headed green Woodpecker” of Edwards 1747, and Latham 1782 (Picus).

Canutus
(Scolopacidae; syn. Calidris † Red Knot C. canutus) Specific name Tringa Canutus Linnaeus, 1758; "LE CANUT.  ... CANUTUS.  ...Les Anglois, & sur-tout ceux qui habitent la Province de Lincoln, l'appellent KNOT.  ... Cet Oiseau s'engraisse aisément, & est très-bon à manger" (Brisson 1760); "Knot.   Canutus.   Schnabel länglicht: kegelförmig, stumpf.   Knot der englischen Naturforscher." (Merrem 1804); "Strandläufer.  Canutus, Briss. (Tringa Islandica, Linn.)" (C. Brehm 1831); "Canutus Brehm, Handb. Naturg. Vög. Deuts., p. 653, 1831—type, by tautonymy, Tringa canutus Linnaeus." (Hellmayr and Conover, 1948, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. I (3), p. 166).
Var. Canus.

SUBSPECIES

Gray-headed Lovebird (canus)
SCI Name: Agapornis canus canus
canus
L. canus  grey.
● ex “Psittacula Madagascariensis” of Brisson 1760, “Petite Perruche de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 791, fig. 2, “Perruche à tête grise” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Grey-headed Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (Agapornis).
● "69. LARUS.  ...  canus.  2. L. albus, dorso cano. Fn. svec. 125.  Larus albus. Alb. av. 2. p. 77. t. 84.  Habitat in Europa.  Agitati Lari evomunt aut explodunt cibum." (Linnaeus 1758) (Larus).
● ex “Picus viridis norwegicus” of Brisson 1760, and “Grey-headed green Woodpecker” of Edwards 1747, and Latham 1782 (Picus).

Gray-headed Lovebird (ablectaneus)
SCI Name: Agapornis canus ablectaneus
ablectanea / ablectaneus
Unattested L. ablectus  pleasing, agreeable, chosen  < ab  from; lectus  selected, chosen  < legere  to choose.