Buff-headed Coucal

SCI Name:  Centropus milo
Protonym:  Centropus Milo Proc.Zool.Soc.London Pt24 no.309 p.136
Taxonomy:  Cuculiformes / Cuculidae / Centropus
Taxonomy Code:  buhcou1
Type Locality:  Guadalcanal Solomon Islands.
Author:  Gould
Publish Year:  1856
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CENTROPUS
(Cuculidae; Ϯ Senegal Coucal C. senegalensis) Gr. κεντρον kentron  spur, spike; πους pous, ποδος podos  foot; "This genus is distinguished from all other members of the family by having on the hallux a long nearly straight hind claw, very much like a Lark's." (Blanford 1895).  The coucals were formerly known as 'lark-heeled cuckoos.'  The substantive 'Coucal' is derived from French Coucou  cuckoo, and Alouette  lark; "GENUS 13. CENTROPUS (κεντρον stimulus, calcar  πους pes) (Spornfuß Germ.) Rostrum capiti brevius, incurvum, valde compressum, grypanium.  Tomia integerrima.  Nares plumis recumbentibus tectae.  Lingua . . .  Cauda gradata, elongata.  Pedes scansorii, congrui. Digiti externi internis longiores, antici fissi, posticorum externus versatilis? Ungues incurvi, posticus internus reliquis aliquantum longior, retiusculus, subulatus.  Species: Cuculus Aegyptius, Tolu LinGmel." (Illiger 1811); "Centropus Illiger, Prodromus, 1811, p. 205. Type, by subsequent designation, Cuculus aegyptius Gmelin. (G. R. Gray, List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 56.)" (Peters, 1940, IV, p. 66). 
Var. Certropus, Certtopus, Centrophus. 
Synon. Anacentropus, Centrococcyx, Corydonyx, Grillia, Huhus, Megacentropus, Nesocentor, Nisus, Onixylus, Polophilus, Pyrrhocentor, Toulou.

milo
Milo, giant Greek athlete (fl. 511 BC) (Centropus).

SUBSPECIES

Buff-headed Coucal (albidiventris)
SCI Name: Centropus milo albidiventris
albidiventer / albidiventris
L. albidus whitish  < albus  white; venter, ventris belly.

Buff-headed Coucal (milo)
SCI Name: Centropus milo milo
milo
Milo, giant Greek athlete (fl. 511 BC) (Centropus).