Bismarck Boobook

SCI Name:  Ninox variegata
Protonym:  Noctua variegata Voy.AstrolabeZool. 1 p.166 AtlasOis. pl.1 fig.2
Taxonomy:  Strigiformes / Strigidae / Ninox
Taxonomy Code:  bishao1
Type Locality:  Carteret Harbor, New Ireland.
Author:  Quoy & Gaimard
Publish Year:  1830
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

NINOX
(Strigidae; Ϯ Brown Hawk Owl N. scutulata lugubris) Portmanteau of genera Nisus Cuvier, 1800, hawk, and Noctua de Savigny, 1809, owl; “Genus NINOX, nobis (a Niso et Noctua).   Type NINOX Nipalensis, nobis.   Character.—Bill, disc, conch, and feet as in Noctua.—General contour, with the character of the plumage, strictly falconidine.  Wings long and firm, 3d quill longest, 1st and 2d moderately gradated; the primes, pretty strongly emarginated high up from the tips; their edges, entirely or nearly so.  Tail long, straight and even.  Type, Ninox Nipalensis, nobis.  Habitat, central region of Nepal.  Habits, insectivorous and crepuscular.  The experienced Shikaree who brought me, recently, a fine male specimen of this bird, asked me, when he put it in my hand, whether it was a Baaz (hawk) or an Ulu (owl)? And the more I examined its graceful form, its unrelaxed plumage, its strong and ample wings and tail, and even its peculiar colouring, the greater reason did I perceive to admire the man’s acuteness of observation. It is an owl, undoubtedly, but the most accipitrine of owls; and, much as the peculiar attributes of Noctua had prepared me to expect, in or near this group of the Strigidæ, the type and symbol of the Accipitrinæ, I did not hope that the forests of Nepal would so soon yield that type to my own hands.*   SPECIES new, Nipalensis nobis.   ...   *I regret I have no species of Surnia wherewith to compare our bird. Surnia may possibly dispute with it the honour of typifying the nobler races of the Falconidæ: but the thickly plumed toes and wedged tail of Surnia, sufficiently indicate that our bird is not of that genus.” (Hodgson 1837); "Ninox Hodgson, Madras Journ. Lit. Sci., 5, 1837, p. 23. Type, by monotypy, Ninox nipalensis Hodgson = Strix lugubris Tickell." (Peters 1940, IV, 136).
Synon. Berneyornis, Cephaloglaux, Cephaloptynx, Ctenoglaux, Hieracoglaux, Rhabdoglaux, Rhodoglaux, Spiloglaux.

variegata
L. variegatus  variegated  < variare  to variegate  < varius  various, diverse.
● ex “Avicula americana, variis coloribus picta” of Seba 1734-1765, “Certhia americana varia” of Brisson 1760, “Guit-guit varié” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Variegated Creeper” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Coereba flaveola).
● ex “Variegated Lory” of Latham 1781 (syn. Eos squamata).
● ex “Garza varia” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 361 (syn. Ixobrychus involucris).
● ex “Lavandière Variée” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 179 (syn. Motacilla maderaspatana).
● ex “Variegated Tanager” of Latham 1783 (syn. Piranga rubra).
● ex “Guirapunga” of Marcgrave 1648, and “Averano” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Procnias averano).
● ex “Variegated Goose” of Latham 1785 (Tadorna).
● ex “Fringilla varia novae Hispaniae of Brisson 1760, “Touite” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Variegated Finch” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Bismarck Boobook (superior)
SCI Name: Ninox variegata superior
superior
L. superior, superioris  higher, greater (e.g. larger)  < comp. superus  upper, higher.

Bismarck Boobook (variegata)
SCI Name: Ninox variegata variegata
variegata
L. variegatus  variegated  < variare  to variegate  < varius  various, diverse.
● ex “Avicula americana, variis coloribus picta” of Seba 1734-1765, “Certhia americana varia” of Brisson 1760, “Guit-guit varié” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Variegated Creeper” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Coereba flaveola).
● ex “Variegated Lory” of Latham 1781 (syn. Eos squamata).
● ex “Garza varia” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 361 (syn. Ixobrychus involucris).
● ex “Lavandière Variée” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 179 (syn. Motacilla maderaspatana).
● ex “Variegated Tanager” of Latham 1783 (syn. Piranga rubra).
● ex “Guirapunga” of Marcgrave 1648, and “Averano” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Procnias averano).
● ex “Variegated Goose” of Latham 1785 (Tadorna).
● ex “Fringilla varia novae Hispaniae of Brisson 1760, “Touite” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Variegated Finch” of Latham 1783 (unident.).