Indochinese Bushlark

SCI Name:  Mirafra erythrocephala
Protonym:  Mirafra erythrocephala AttiR.Accad.Sci.Torino 20 p.427-429
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Alaudidae / Mirafra
Taxonomy Code:  indbus3
Type Locality:  
Author:  Salvadori & Giglioli
Publish Year:  1885
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MIRAFRA
(Alaudidae; Ϯ Horsfield's Bush Lark M. javanica) Horsfield made great use of Javanese names, but this does not appear to be one of them (cf. Malay name Merfa for a babbler (see Malacopteron)). According to Agassiz 1842-1846, mirafra is from a native tongue. Gotch 1981, writes that the name is from L. mirus wonderful, and Afra African; the first part of this etymology may be correct, but although most forms occur in the Afrotropics Horsfield’s Bush Lark does not; "MIRAFRA ... The characters in which this genus differs from Alauda are a more robust, conical and arched bill, round nares nearly naked, and a proportionally short claw to the posterior toe. The sides of the beak, between the back (culmen) and cutting edges (tomia) are somewhat convex. In this character it has greater affinity to Fringilla than to Alauda, the bill of which is often subulate (as in Sylvia), while the nares are covered.  Mirafra, although it greatly resembles Calandra, differs from it in possessing the spurious remex, and in having the four instead of the three first remiges elongated  ...  Mirafra Javanica ...  Branjangan Javanis." (Horsfield 1821); "Mirafra Horsfield, 1821, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, pt. 1, p. 159. Type, by monotypy, Mirafra javanica Horsfield." (Peters 1960, IX, 3).    
Var. Miraffra, Mirafa, Myrafra.   
Synon. Africorys, Amirafra, Anacorys, Brachonyx, Corypha, Croteoptera, Etoimus, Geocoraphus, Megalophonus, Neomirafra, Plocealauda, Spilocorydon.

mirafra
Genus Mirafra Horsfield, 1821, bush lark (syn. Mirafra javanica).

erythrocephala / erythrocephalum / erythrocephalus
Gr. ερυθρος eruthros  red; -κεφαλος -kephalos  -headed  < κεφαλη kephalē  head.
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  eryocephala [sic].  9. L. cinerascens, capite purpurascente, pectore albo maculato.  Passer paradisæus, capite rubro, pectore nigro albo maculato. Edw. av. 180. t. 180.   Habitat in Africa.  Corpus supra cinereum, griseo maculatum; subtus totum fuscum maculis albis rotundis. Alæ fuscæ. Remiges margine griseæ. Cauda nigra, forficata. Caput purpureum." (Linnaeus 1758) (Amadina).
● ex “Barbu de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 206, fig. 1 (syn. Capito niger).
● "100. PARUS.  ...  erythrocephalus.  10. P. niger, capite femoribusque fulvis.  Parus auricapillus. Klein. av. 86.  Parus niger, capite fulvo. Edw. av. 21. p. 21.  Habitat in America australi." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ceratopipra).
● ex “Petit Pic à Baguettes d’Or” of Levaillant 1808, pl. 253 (syn. Dendropicos fuscescens).
● ex “Red-headed Finch” of Latham 1783 (syn. Foudia rubra).
● "54. PICUS.  ...  erythrocephalus.  5. P. capite toto rubro, alis caudaque nigris, abdomine albo.  Picus capite toto rubro. Catesb. car. I. p. 20. t. 20.  Habitat in America." (Linnaeus 1758) (Melanerpes).
● ex “Apiaster indicus erythrocephalus” of Brisson 1760, “Guêpier à tête rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Red-headed Bee-eater” of Shaw 1778 and Latham 1782 (syn. Merops leschenaulti).
● ex “Red-headed Swallow” of Latham 1783 (unident.; ?syn. Petrochelidon fluvicola).
● ex “Psittaca ginginiana erythrocephalos” of Brisson 1760, “Perruche à tête rouge de Gingi” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 264, “Perruche à tête rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Blossom-headed Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (syn. Psittacula roseata).