Whimbrel

SCI Name:  Numenius phaeopus
Protonym:  Scolopax Phaeopus Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.146
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Scolopacidae / Numenius
Taxonomy Code:  whimbr
Type Locality:  Europe, restricted type locality, Sweden.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

NUMENIUS
(Scolopacidae; Ϯ Eurasian Curlew N. arquata) Gr. νουμηνιος noumēnios  bird mentioned by Hesychius, traditionally associated with the curlew by reason of its crescent-shaped bill  < νουμηνια noumēnia  new moon  < νεος neos  new; μηνη mēnē, μηνης mēnēs  moon (cf. L. numen, numinis  nodding with the head  < nuere  to nod, to consent); "Numenius. Genus 78.  ...  Genus Numenii ...  Rostrum deorsum arcuatum  ...  **1. LE COURLY.  ...  NUMENIUS" (Brisson 1760): based on "Numenius" and "Arquata" of Gessner 1555, and other authors, and Scolopax Arquata Linnaeus, 1758; "Numenius Brisson, Orn., 1760, 1, p. 48; 5, p. 311. Type, by tautonymy, Numenius Brisson = Scolopax arquata Linné." (Peters 1934, II, 260); "Numenius Brisson, Orn., 1, p. 48, 5, p. 311, 1760—type, by tautonymy, "Numenius" Brisson = Scolopax torquata [sic] Linnaeus." (Hellmayr & Conover, 1948, XIII, 90).
Var. Neomenius, Numerius, Numineus, Neumenius.
Synon. Arquata, Cracticornis, Mesoscolopax, Micronumenius, Palnumenius, Phaeopus, Zarapita.

phaeopus
Late Med. L. phaeopus  Whimbrel  < Gr. φαιος phaios  grey; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; "77. SCOLOPAX.  ...  Phæopus.  6. S. rostro arcuato, pedibus cærulescentibus, maculis dorsalibus fuscis rhomboidalibus. Fn. svec. 140.  Phæopus altera s. Arquata minor. Gesn. av. 500. Aldr. orn. l. 20. c. 21.  Arquata minor nostras. Raj. av. 103. n. 2. Will. orn. 217.  Habitat in Europa.  Sursum recta evolans clamando tempestates prænuncians." (Linnaeus 1758) (Numenius).

Phaeopus
(syn. Numenius Ϯ Whimbrel N. phaeopus) Late Med. L. phaeopus  Whimbrel  <  Gr. φαιος phaios  grey; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot (cf. specific name Scolopax phaeopus Linnaeus, 1758); "LES CORLIEUX. (PHÆOPUS. Cuv.) (2).  ...  Le Corlieu d'Europe, vulg. petit Courlis. (Scol. Phæopus. Lin.) Enl. 842.  ...  (2) Phæopus (pied cendré), nom composé par Gesner." (Cuvier 1816); "Phaeopus Cuvier, Règ. Anim, 1, "1817," p. 485, publ. Dec. 7, 1816—type, by tautonymy, Scolopax phaeopus Linnaeus." (Hellmayr & Conover, 1948, XIII, 90).    Var. Phaeopas.

SUBSPECIES

Whimbrel (European)
SCI Name: Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
phaeopus
Late Med. L. phaeopus  Whimbrel  < Gr. φαιος phaios  grey; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; "77. SCOLOPAX.  ...  Phæopus.  6. S. rostro arcuato, pedibus cærulescentibus, maculis dorsalibus fuscis rhomboidalibus. Fn. svec. 140.  Phæopus altera s. Arquata minor. Gesn. av. 500. Aldr. orn. l. 20. c. 21.  Arquata minor nostras. Raj. av. 103. n. 2. Will. orn. 217.  Habitat in Europa.  Sursum recta evolans clamando tempestates prænuncians." (Linnaeus 1758) (Numenius).

Whimbrel (Steppe)
SCI Name: Numenius phaeopus alboaxillaris
alboaxillaris
L. albus white; axillaris of the armpit < axilla armpit.

Whimbrel (Siberian)
SCI Name: Numenius phaeopus variegatus
variegatum / variegatus
L. variegatus  variegated  < variare  to variegate  < varius  various, diverse.
● ex “Actenoïde variée” of Hombron & Jacquinot 1846 (syn. Actenoides hombroni).
● ex “Variegated Sandpiper” of Latham 1785 (syn. Aphriza virgata).
● ex “Grive 2da” of Fermin 1769, and “Variegated Thrush” of Latham 1783 (syn. Campylorhynchus turdinus).
● ex “Tinamou varié de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 828, “Tinamou varié” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and Bajon 1777, and “Variegated Tinamou” of Latham 1783 (Crypturellus).
● ex “Coucou tacheté de l’île de Panay” of Sonnerat 1776 (syn. Eudynamys scolopaceus mindanensis).
● ex “Grand Indicateur, femelle” of Levaillant 1806 (Indicator).
● ex “Garza varia” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 361 (syn. Ixobrychus involucris).
● ex “Mésange Grisette” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 138 (syn. Melaniparus cinerascens).
● ex “Guêpier à collier gros-bleu” or “Guêpier Sonnini” of Levaillant 1807 (Merops).
● ex “Courly tacheté de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (subsp. Numenius phaeopus).
● ex “Râle tacheté de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 775, and “Variegated Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pardirallus maculatus).
● ex “Averano” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Procnias averano).
● “It has been pointed out to me by Mr. T. Iredale that the name Tetrao variegatus Burchell ...[1824] is preoccupied by Tetrao variegatus Gmelin ...[1789], bestowed on the Variegated Tinamou of Latham, and now known as Crypturus variegatus. As there appears to be no synonym for this distinct species of Sandgrouse, I propose to rename it after the discoverer” (W. Sclater 1922) (syn. Pterocles burchelli).

Whimbrel (Hudsonian)
SCI Name: Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus
hudsonia / hudsonias / hudsonica / hudsonicus / hudsonis / hudsonius
Hudson Bay or Hudsons Bay, or Hudson Straits, Canada (named after Capt. Henry Hudson (d. 1611) English navigator and explorer, cast adrift there by his mutinous crew).
● ex “Hudsonian Wagtail” of Latham 1802 (syn. Anthus rubescens).
● ex “Ash-colour’d Heron from North America” of Edwards 1750, and “Héron de la Baye de Hudson” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Ardea herodias).
● ex “Turnstone from Hudson’s Bay” of Edwards 1750 (syn. Arenaria interpres).
● ex “Bittern from Hudson’s Bay” of Edwards 1750 (syn. Botaurus lentiginosus).
● ex “Ring-tailed Hawk” of Edwards 1750 (Circus).
● ex “Hudsonian Thrush” (= ☼) of Pennant 1785 (syn. Euphagus carolinus).
● ex “Hudsonian Godwit” of Latham 1787, and Pennant 1787 (syn. Limosa haemastica).
● ex “Eskimaux Curlew” of Pennant 1785, and “Hudsonian Curlew” of Latham 1787 (subsp. Numenius phaeopus).
● ex “Little Hawk Owl” of Edwards 1743, “Strix freti Hudsonis” of Brisson 1760, “Caparacoch” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Hawk Owl” of Latham 1781, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Surnia ulula caparoch).
● ex “Hudsonian White-headed Oriole” of Pennant 1785 (unident. partial albino).