Asian Barred Owlet

SCI Name:  Glaucidium cuculoides
Protonym:  Nodua cuculoïdes Proc.Zool.Soc.London Pt1 no.1 p.8
Taxonomy:  Strigiformes / Strigidae / Glaucidium
Taxonomy Code:  asbowl1
Type Locality:  Himalayas, i.e. Simla-Almora district.
Author:  Vigors
Publish Year:  1831
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

GLAUCIDIUM
(Strigidae; Ϯ Northern Pygmy Owl G. passerinum) Gr. γλαυκιδιον glaukidion  little owl, owlet  < dim. γλαυξ glaux, γλαυκος glaukos  owl; "IV. Fam. Strigidae   ...  Glaucidium: St. nana Tem; passerina Lin. u. a. m." (Boie 1826); "Glaucidium Boie, Isis von Oken, 1826, Bd. 2, col. 970. Type, by subsequent designation, Strix passerina Linné (Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 6)." (Peters, 1940, IV, p. 127).
Var. Gaucidium.
Synon. Microglaux, Microptynx, Noctua, Nyctipetes, Phalaenopsis, Smithiglaux, Taenioglaux, Taenioptynx.

cuculoides
L. cuculus  cuckoo; Gr. -οιδης -oidēs  resembling (e.g. grey-coloured, long-tailed, barred underparts).
● "AUTOUR COUCOÏDE.  FALCO CUCULOIDES.  TEMM.  ...  CET Autour, beaucoup plus petit que notre Epervier d'Europe, est à peu près de la taille du Rochier, mais ses formes sont celles de l'Autour et de l'Epervier.  ...  Le petit rapace de cet article a été indiqué d'une manière trop succincte par M. Horsfield, sous le nom de Falco soloënsis." (Temminck 1822) (syn. Accipiter soloensis). 
● "CUCKOO FALCON.  Aviceda cuculoides, SWAINS.  PLATE 1.  Above cinereous, with the back and scapulars brown; the throat and breast pale cinereous; body whitish, crossed by broad brown bars; vent and under tail coverts fulvous, immaculate; tail even, cinereous, with a broad terminal bar.  ...  It is such a perfect prototype of the hook-billed kites [Harpagus] of tropical America, that but for its bill, it would be impossible to distinguish the two genera, while both are disguised in the plumage of the cuckoos; or that family they both represent in their respective circles." (Swainson 1837) (Aviceda).
● "CYMINDIS, Cuvier.  ...  Tarsi very short, not exceeding the hind toe and claw; the anterior part plumed half way from the knee.  ...  Wings long; the fourth quill the longest.   C. cuculoïdes.  Pl. Col. 103, 104." (Swainson 1837) (syn. Chondrohierax uncinatus).
● "from the Himalayan mountains.   ...   As also a small Owl, very nearly allied to the Noctuæ passerina and Tengmalmi of Europe.   NOCTUA CUCULOÏDES.  Noct. brunneo-fusca; capite, dorso, tectricibus alarum, corporeque subtus albo graciliter fasciatis; remigibus externe albo maculatis; rectricibus utrinque fasciis albis quinque notatis; gula alba." (Vigors 1831) (Glaucidium).
● "GENUS NOCTUA, Sav.  ...  46.—N. cuculoides, Vig.—Gould Cent. pl. 4.—Junglee choghud, H.—Jungle Hawk Owl.   This very handsomely plumaged little owl is said in Gould's Century to be "supposed to be confined to the Himalayas."  I have found it wherever there is lofty jungle.  In Goomsoor, on the eastern side; and on the west, in Travancore and Malabar, where it is by no means rare." (Jerdon 1839) (syn. Glaucidium radiatum malabaricum).
● "Mr. Smith's next species is by far a more interesting bird, as it seems to form the connecting link between the ground and tree Cuckoos, partaking of the manners and general appearance of the former, and having the short hind toes of the latter.  It will probably form a new genus of Cuculidæ; but in the meantime till this be determined, perhaps the name of Centropus Cuculoïdes may be admitted." (C. W. Smith 1841) (syn. Taccocua leschenaulti sirkee).

SUBSPECIES

Asian Barred Owlet (cuculoides)
SCI Name: Glaucidium cuculoides cuculoides
cuculoides
L. cuculus  cuckoo; Gr. -οιδης -oidēs  resembling (e.g. grey-coloured, long-tailed, barred underparts).
● "AUTOUR COUCOÏDE.  FALCO CUCULOIDES.  TEMM.  ...  CET Autour, beaucoup plus petit que notre Epervier d'Europe, est à peu près de la taille du Rochier, mais ses formes sont celles de l'Autour et de l'Epervier.  ...  Le petit rapace de cet article a été indiqué d'une manière trop succincte par M. Horsfield, sous le nom de Falco soloënsis." (Temminck 1822) (syn. Accipiter soloensis). 
● "CUCKOO FALCON.  Aviceda cuculoides, SWAINS.  PLATE 1.  Above cinereous, with the back and scapulars brown; the throat and breast pale cinereous; body whitish, crossed by broad brown bars; vent and under tail coverts fulvous, immaculate; tail even, cinereous, with a broad terminal bar.  ...  It is such a perfect prototype of the hook-billed kites [Harpagus] of tropical America, that but for its bill, it would be impossible to distinguish the two genera, while both are disguised in the plumage of the cuckoos; or that family they both represent in their respective circles." (Swainson 1837) (Aviceda).
● "CYMINDIS, Cuvier.  ...  Tarsi very short, not exceeding the hind toe and claw; the anterior part plumed half way from the knee.  ...  Wings long; the fourth quill the longest.   C. cuculoïdes.  Pl. Col. 103, 104." (Swainson 1837) (syn. Chondrohierax uncinatus).
● "from the Himalayan mountains.   ...   As also a small Owl, very nearly allied to the Noctuæ passerina and Tengmalmi of Europe.   NOCTUA CUCULOÏDES.  Noct. brunneo-fusca; capite, dorso, tectricibus alarum, corporeque subtus albo graciliter fasciatis; remigibus externe albo maculatis; rectricibus utrinque fasciis albis quinque notatis; gula alba." (Vigors 1831) (Glaucidium).
● "GENUS NOCTUA, Sav.  ...  46.—N. cuculoides, Vig.—Gould Cent. pl. 4.—Junglee choghud, H.—Jungle Hawk Owl.   This very handsomely plumaged little owl is said in Gould's Century to be "supposed to be confined to the Himalayas."  I have found it wherever there is lofty jungle.  In Goomsoor, on the eastern side; and on the west, in Travancore and Malabar, where it is by no means rare." (Jerdon 1839) (syn. Glaucidium radiatum malabaricum).
● "Mr. Smith's next species is by far a more interesting bird, as it seems to form the connecting link between the ground and tree Cuckoos, partaking of the manners and general appearance of the former, and having the short hind toes of the latter.  It will probably form a new genus of Cuculidæ; but in the meantime till this be determined, perhaps the name of Centropus Cuculoïdes may be admitted." (C. W. Smith 1841) (syn. Taccocua leschenaulti sirkee).

Asian Barred Owlet (austerum)
SCI Name: Glaucidium cuculoides austerum
austera / austerum / austerus
L. austerus  severe, sad, troublesome  < Gr. αυστηρος austēros  harsh, austere (cf. Med. L. auster  south; austrum  southwards).

Asian Barred Owlet (rufescens)
SCI Name: Glaucidium cuculoides rufescens
rufescens
L. rufescens, rufescentis  reddish  < rufescere  to become reddish  < rufus  red.
● ex “Aigrette rousse de la Louisiane” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 902, “Aigrette rousse” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Reddish Egret” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (Egretta).
● ex “Gobe-mouche roux de Cayenne” (= ♀) of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 453, fig. 1, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Rufous Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Pachyramphus rufus).
● ex “Red-backed Pelican” of Latham 1785 (Pelecanus).
● ex Tringa fulicaria Linnaeus, 1758, and “Phalarope roussâtre” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Phalaropus fulicarius).
● ex “Ynambú guazú” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 326 (Rhynchotus).
● ex “Crombec” or “Figuier à Bec Courbi” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 135 (Sylvietta).

Asian Barred Owlet (bruegeli)
SCI Name: Glaucidium cuculoides bruegeli
bruegeli
Dr Karl Brügel (fl. 1906) German collector in Borneo and Thailand (subsp. Glaucidium cuculoides).

Asian Barred Owlet (delacouri)
SCI Name: Glaucidium cuculoides delacouri
delacouri
Dr Jean Théodore Delacour (1890-1985) French ornithologist, aviculturalist, explorer in Indochina 1923-1939 and Madagascar 1929, conservationist, collector (syn. Caprimulgus manillensis, subsp. Euplectes progne, subsp. Glaucidium cuculoides, syn. Lanius collurioides nigricapillus, subsp. Napothera epilepidota, subsp. Neomixis viridis, subsp. Picoides canicapillus, subsp. Prinia flaviventris, subsp. Pteruthius rufiventer, syn. Saxicola maurus stejnegeri, syn. Schoeniparus cinereus, syn. Sitta nagaensis, subsp. Smithornis capensis, subsp. Treron sphenurus, syn. Yuhina diademata).

Asian Barred Owlet (deignani)
SCI Name: Glaucidium cuculoides deignani
deignani
Herbert Girton Deignan (1906-1968) US ornithologist, collector in Thailand 1928-1932, 1935-1937, 1952-1953, Australia 1948, and Madagascar 1962, OSS officer 1944-1946 (subsp. Aegithina tiphia, subsp. Cyornis banyumas, syn. Eurystomus orientalis, subsp. Glaucidium cuculoides, syn. Lewinia striata, subsp. Lonchura atricapilla, syn. Mixornis gularis connectens, syn. Myadestes occidentalis oberholseri, syn. Pachyglossa agilis modesta, subsp. Pellorneum ruficeps, subsp. Pericrocotus solaris, subsp. Prinia polychroa, syn. Pycnonotus aurigaster thais).

Asian Barred Owlet (whiteleyi)
SCI Name: Glaucidium cuculoides whiteleyi
whiteleyana / whiteleyi / whitelianus
● Henry Whitely, Jr. (1844-1892) English collector in Japan and tropical America (Aulacorhynchus, subsp. Glaucidium cuculoides, subsp. Sporophila plumbea).
● Henry Whitely, Sr. (1817-1898) English taxidermist (syn. Delichon urbicum lagopodum).

Asian Barred Owlet (persimile)
SCI Name: Glaucidium cuculoides persimile
persimile / persimilis
L. persimilis, persimile  very like, similar  < per-  very; similis, simile  similar, resembling.
● "Chlorospingus ophthalmicus persimilis subsp. nov.  Description: (MIN, RTM) closely similar to C. o. albifrons Salvin and Godman, 1889: Omiltemi, Guerrero, but slightly darker brown on forehead, crown, nape, and sides of neck; back and rump deeper green, less yellowish; throat and especially malar area deeper, tawnier (less buffy); and chest slightly deeper, duller ochre." (Phillips 1966) (syn. Chlorospingus flavopectus).
● "Mesopicos griseocephalus persimilis nov. subsp.   ♂♀ dem M. g. ruwenzorii Sharpe vom Ruwenzori un den Kivu-See-Vulkanen sehr ähnlich, aber etwas kurzflügeliger.  ♂♀ Fl. 103—108 gegen 108—117 mm bei M. g. ruwenzorii." (Neumann 1933) (subsp. Dendropicos griseocephalus).
● "99.  Glaucidium cuculoides persimile subspec. nov.  ...  Very similar to G. cuculoides cuculoides from India, but with the upper surface distinctly more rufous, especially on the head, back, scapulars and upper wing-coverts.  Otherwise perfectly similar, of the same size and markings." (Hartert 1910) (subsp. Glaucidium cuculoides).
● "These birds are very much like A. p. pendulinus, but smaller, i.e. with shorter wings and tails, while the bills are equally slender and long, or even a little longer.  The chestnut line above the black forehead is exceedingly narrow, sometimes hardly visible, top of head of male in spring pure white. Lesser upper wing-coverts and rump paler, the latter therefore in sharper contrast to the interscapular region.  ...  I name this form Anthoscopus pendulinus persimilis, subsp. nov." (Hartert 1918) (syn. Remiz pendulinus menzbieri).
● "58.  Thamnomanes caesius persimilis subsp. nov.  ...  ♂ ad.  Very much like T. c. hoffmannsi Hellm., of Pará, but differs in the darker blue-grey colour of the plumage; by lacking the white streaks on the throat and ear-coverts, and by having the edge of the wing dark bluish slate-grey (instead of white).  T. c. caesius (Temm.), of Bahia, which agrees in the last two-named characters, is of a much darker, dull blackish slate-grey colour throughout.   ♀ ad.  Indistinguishable from that of T. c. glaucus Cab., but very different from the females of T. c. caesius and T. c. hoffmannsi by having the breast and abdomen deep ferruginous, only the throat and foreneck being brownish mixed with buff." (Hartert 1907) (subsp. Thamnomanes caesius).