Gray Treepie

SCI Name:  Dendrocitta formosae
Protonym:  Dendrocitta sinensis, var. formosae Ibis p.387
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Corvidae / Dendrocitta
Taxonomy Code:  grytre1
Type Locality:  Formosa.
Author:  Swinhoe
Publish Year:  1863
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

DENDROCITTA
(Corvidae; Ϯ White-bellied Treepie D. leucogastra) Gr. δενδρον dendron  tree; κιττα kitta  magpie; "The genus proposed by Mr. Gould comprehends the Pica vagabunda, Wagl., Pica Sinensis, Gray, and a third species which the author believes to have been hitherto unnoticed.  To this group, on account of its arboreal habits, he gives the name of  DENDROCITTA.  Rostrum capite brevius, cultratum, ad basin latum, culmine arcuato, lateribus subtumidis.  Nares basales, plumis setaceis partim tectæ. Alæ mediocres, remigibus 5ta 6taque longioribus.  Cauda elongata, cuneata, rectricibus spatulatis.  Tarsi breves, debiles.  Digiti mediocres.  Hallux fortis, ungue forti, incurvo.  Typus genericus. DENDROCITTA LEUCOGASTRA.  ...  The shortness and comparative feeblenessof the tarsi in Dendrocitta, and its more elongated tail, the feathers of which are equally graduated, except the two middle ones which are much longer than the others, distinguish it from the typical Picæ, the common Magpie for example.  These characters are in accordance with its habit of wandering from tree to tree in search of its food. It is further distinguished by the form of its bill.  All the species yet known are natives of Eastern Asia." (Gould 1833); "Dendrocitta Gould, 1833, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, p. 57.  Type, by original designation, Dendrocitta leucogastra Gould." (Vaurie in Peters, 1962, XV, p. 246).
Var. Dendrositta.
Synon. Vagabunda.

formosae / formosana / formosanus
Formosa (= Taiwan).

SUBSPECIES

Gray Treepie (occidentalis)
SCI Name: Dendrocitta formosae 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).

Gray Treepie (himalayana)
SCI Name: Dendrocitta formosae himalayana
himalayana / himalayanus
Himalaya Mts. < Sanskrit hima  snow; ālaya  abode.

Gray Treepie (sarkari)
SCI Name: Dendrocitta formosae sarkari
sarkari
Northern Circars, Madras Presidency (= Andhra Pradesh), India (Hindi sarkar district) (subsp. Dendrocitta formosae).

Gray Treepie (assimilis)
SCI Name: Dendrocitta formosae assimilis
assimile / assimilis
L. assimilis  similar, like.  Indicates a close resemblance or relationship to another, but not necessarily congeneric, species.  Over forty forms have been given this epithet; only some examples follow.
● "4. Collocalia francica assimilis subsp. n.   Rücken und Unterseite etwas heller als bei den beiden vorhergehenden Formen [Collocalia francica towsendi [sic]] und mit der typischen Form übereinstimmend; von dieser ist C. fr. assimilis indessen durch die dunklere Färbung des Oberkopfes und die durchschnittlich geringere Grösse wohl unterschieden." (Stresemann 1912) (subsp. Aerodramus spodiopygius).
● "Tanagra (Arrémon, Vieillot; Embernagra, Lesson) assimilis, Boiss. — Cette espèce est très-voisine par sa coloration de l'Arrémon à collier de Vieillot, ou oiseau silencieux de Buffon [Arremon taciturnus], mais elle est d'un tiers plus forte et n'a pas de collier noir sur la poitrine." (Boissonneau 1840) (Arremon).
● "91. CUCULUS ASSIMILIS.   Allied to C. flavus [= syn. Cacomantis merulinus].  ...  Hab. Aru Islands.  ♀ in Mr. Wallace's Collection." (G. Gray 1858) (syn. Cacomantis variolosus infaustus).
● "Alcyone Assimilis (allied kingfisher).—The specific name which I have applied to this species has reference to the similarity which exists between our A. Pusilla and itself, but the general dulness of color throughout, and the absence of the slightest tinge of green sufficiently distinguish it." (Diggles 1873) (syn. Ceyx pusillus).
● "41. Chlorostilbon assimilis, sp. nov.  ...  This species is somewhat like C. melanorhynchus, Gould, but is smaller; the bill is much shorter and comparatively weaker; the crown is uniform in color with the back, not brilliant as in melanorhynchus, the latter species is also more golden on the abdomen, and has the tail less forked with the feathers narrower." (Lawrence 1861) (Chlorostilbon).
● “CIRCUS ASSIMILIS, (NOBIS).  ...  In general form and colour it closely resembles the females of the true Circi, particularly of our own British species, that of the C. ranivorus of Africa, and of the C. histrionicus.  It is, however, a larger and more powerful bird than any of these.” (Jardine & Selby 1828) (Circus).
● "Genus Picus, L., as restricted to the pied species forming the division Dendrocopus of Swainson.  The Indian species of this group are treated of in XIV, 916, so far as we were then cognisant of them.  We have since learned of two others described from the "Himalaya," viz. P. assimilis, Natterer,—like P. himalayanus (No. 287), but with the scapulary feathers white, and some other distinctions,—and P. scintilla, Lichtenstein" (Blyth 1849) (Dendrocopos).
● "5 GERYGONE ASSIMILIS, Buller. — In form and color this bird is hardly distinguishable from G. flaviventris, although somewhat larger." (Buller 1865) (syn. Gerygone igata).
● "Eriocnemis assimilis.  ...  Elle est très-voisine de l'E. aureliæ. Bourc. et Mulsant, mais elle a les plumes duveteuses des tarses, d'un jaune-brunâtre uni, tandis que celles d'aureliæ sont blanches avec quelques-unes carnées ou roussâtres à la base.  Il y a entre ces deux espèces la même différence qui existe avec l'Eriocnemis lugens et l'E. squamata de Gould, et celles-ci ont généralement été acceptées par les naturalistes comme de bonnes espèces." (Elliot 1876) (Haplophaedia).
● "MUNIA CASTANEOTHORAX ASSIMILIS, subsp. n.   Differs from M. castaneothorax (Gould) in having the chestnut band on the chest much darker in colour, and the upper tail-coverts rich chestnut-brown." (Mathews 1910) (syn. Lonchura castaneothorax).
● "MALURUS ASSIMILIS, sp. nov.  ...  The above-described species belongs to that section of the genus Malurus in which the adult males are distinguished by their chestnut shoulders, and is more closely allied to M. lamberti." (North 1901) (subsp. Malurus lamberti).
● "As the species now exhibited closely assimilates to the M. macroptera, I propose to designate it as  MICRŒCA ASSIMILIS.  ...  Nearly allied to but much less in size than M. macroptera, Vig. and Horsf., and from which it may also be distinguished by the base of the outer tail-feathers being brown." (Gould 1841) (subsp. Microeca fascinans).
● "Myrmotherula assimilis Pelzeln. N. 931. partim.  ...  M. Hauxwellii Sclater persimilis sed cauda longiore rectricibus 12 predita, secundariis et tectricibus caudae superioribus albo haud maculatis, differt" (von Pelzeln 1868) (Myrmotherula).
● "26.  Pachycephala assimilis (J. Verr. et O. des Murs.)  ...  Cette espèce se rapproche beaucoup du Pachycephala falcata [= subsp. P. rufiventris] de Gould, qui provient de la Nouvelle-Hollande; mais, en les comparant, il est impossible de les confondre, ce qui nous a décidés à lui imposer le nom d'assimilis." (J. Verreaux & des Murs 1860) (syn. Pachycephala rufiventris xanthetraea).
● "On a former occasion, (S. F. Vol. I., p. 429, Dec. 1873) I discriminated the Ceylon Phodilus and pointed out clearly wherein it differed from the Himalayan birds.  I did not then name it, because I was under the impression that Malayan specimens differed similarly.  This, however, does not seem to be the case, and having now seen a second Ceylon specimen, presenting the same specific characters as the first, I desire to propose for it provisionally the name of PHODILUS ASSIMILIS." (Hume 1877) (Phodilus).
● "1274.  Meliornis novaehollandiae assimilis subsp. n.   Victorian White-bearded Honey Eater.  Mathews, Handlist No. 799 (pars).  Differs from M. n. novaehollandiae in its darker coloration on the head and with fewer stripes on the belly..  Type: Victoria, No. 9062." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Phylidonyris novaehollandiae campbelli).
● "BROADBENTIA FLAVA.  YELLOW HONEY-EATER.   ...   Collected near Cairns, North Queensland, in July, 1911, and is the type of B. f. assimilis."(Mathews 1925). Perhaps only a lapsus for addenda (syn. Stomiopera flava addenda).
● "Rhynchocyclus assimilis Pelzeln N. 220?  ...  Rh. sulphurescente (Spix.) similis sed minor et rostro breviore, latiore, magis acuminato." (von Pelzeln 1868) (Tolmomyias).
● "TROGON ASSIMILIS.  ...  Nearly allied to Trogon personata, but differing from that species in the tail being nearly black, in the transverse markings being very slight and in the extremities more largely tipped with white; the freckled markings of the wing are also much more minute." (Gould 1846) (subsp. Trogon personatus).

Gray Treepie (sinica)
SCI Name: Dendrocitta formosae sinica
sinica
Med. L. Sinicus  Chinese  < Late L. Sinai  Chinese  < Gr. σιναι Sinai  Chinese. Also a frequent purist amendment for the toponyms chinensis and sinensis.
● ex “Pinçon de la Chine” of Brisson 1760 (Chloris).
● "92. COLUMBA.  ...  sinica.  17. C. rectricibus dorsoque fuscis, abdomine sanguineo, alis flavis, remigibus nigris.  Columba sinica. Alb. av. 3. p. 43. t. 46.  Habitat in China." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).

Gray Treepie (sapiens)
SCI Name: Dendrocitta formosae sapiens
sapiens
L. sapiens, sapientis  wise, sensible  < sapere  to discern.

Gray Treepie (formosae)
SCI Name: Dendrocitta formosae formosae
formosae / formosana / formosanus
Formosa (= Taiwan).

Gray Treepie (insulae)
SCI Name: Dendrocitta formosae insulae
insulae
L. insula, insulae island, isle.