Gray Noddy

SCI Name:  Anous albivitta
Protonym:  Procelsterna albivitta Compt.Rend. 42 p.773
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Laridae / Anous
Taxonomy Code:  grynod1
Type Locality:  Lord Howe Island
Author:  Bonaparte
Publish Year:  1856
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ANOUS
(Laridae; Ϯ Brown Noddy A. stolidus) Gr. ανους anous  foolish, silly  < ανοος anoos  without understanding; "ANOÜS.  NODDY.   Generic Character.  Rostrum capite longum, subulatum, subrectum, acutum, compressiusculum; mandibula superiore paulo inclinata.  Nares lineares, basales.  Alæ mediocres.  Cauda haud furcata.  Pedes tetradactyli, debiles; digito postico minuto, ungues parvæ.    ANOÜS. Leach. MS.  STERNA. Linn., Gmel., Lath.  GAVIA. Briss.  PASSER. Ray.   THE Noddies differ from the Terns and Viralves by having the tail nearly equal with the wings, and even at the end: their beak also differs from that of either of the above genera in its form, which approaches somewhat to that of the beak of the Gulls.  They are said to be a very stupid race of birds, and to allow themselves to be knocked on the head without attempting to remove from the place: they are usually of very dark and sombre colours; and are found within the tropics.   BLACK NODDY.  (Anoüs niger.)  ...  They are called Noddies from their apparent stupidity in flying into ships, and allowing themselves to be caught by the hand; but they will frequently inflict very severe wounds with their beak, and scratch with their claws those persons who attempt to catch them.    DUSKY NODDY.  (Anoüs fuscatus.)  ...   SHORT-TAILED NODDY.  (Anoüs plumbea.)  ...   BROWN NODDY.  (Anoüs? spadicea.)" (Stephens 1826); "Anoüs Stephens, in Shaw's Gen. Zool., 13, pt. 1, 1826, p. 139. Type, by subsequent designation, Anoüs niger Stephens = Sterna stolida Linné. (Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 79.)" (Peters, 1934, II, p. 346).
Synon. Aganaphron, Anaethetus, Anousella, Gavia, Megalopterus, Micranous, Noddi, Nodinus, Procelsterna, Stolida.

albivitta
L. albus  white; vitta  band, head-band.

SUBSPECIES

Gray Noddy (albivitta)
SCI Name: Anous albivitta albivitta
albivitta
L. albus  white; vitta  band, head-band.

Gray Noddy (skottsbergii)
SCI Name: Anous albivitta skottsbergii
skottsbergii
Prof. Carl Johan Fredrik Skottsberg (1880-1963) Swedish botanist, explorer in Antarctica 1901-1903 and Patagonia 1907-1909 (subsp. Procelsterna albivitta).

Gray Noddy (imitatrix)
SCI Name: Anous albivitta imitatrix
imitatrix
L. imitatrix, imitatricis  she that imitates  < imitator, imitatoris  imitator   < imitari  to copy.
● "1205. Ptilotis gracilis imitatrix subsp. n.  Cairns Little Yellow-spotted Honey Eater  ...  Differs from P. g. gracilis in its much darker green coloration above and much greener under-surface, especially on the flanks, and also in its larger size" (Mathews 1912) (subsp. Microptilotis gracilis).
● ex “Traquet Imitateur” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 181; "LE MOTTEUX IMITATEUR,  Œnanthe imitatrix  ...  Le nom que M. Levaillant a imposé à cet oiseau, lui convient parfaitement, puisqu'il a, dit-il, le talent d'imiter le chant du coq, le caquetage de la poule, le cri des oies, le bêlement des brebis, l'aboiement d'un chien: il s'approprie même le chant de tous les oiseaux qui se trouvent dans son canton; enfin, son ramage naturel lui a valu le nom de nat-gaal qui, en hollandais, signifie rossignol." (Vieillot 1818) (syn. Oenanthe pileata).