Cape Sparrow

SCI Name:  Passer melanurus
Protonym:  Loxia melanura Natursyst.Suppl. Suppl. p.153
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Passeridae / Passer
Taxonomy Code:  capspa1
Type Locality:  Cape of Good Hope ; restricted to Cape Town by Macdonald (1957, Contr. Orn. W. South Africa, p. 157).
Author:  Statius Muller
Publish Year:  1776
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PASSER
(Passeridae; Ϯ House Sparrow P. domesticus) L. passer, passeris  sparrow; "Rostro in apicem crassum & brevem exeunte; { Rostri basi capiti latitudine multo cedente. . . . . .Passer. Genus 33.   ...   XXXIII. Genus Passerinum.  Le genre du Moineau.  ...  1. LE MOINEAU FRANC  ...  PASSER DOMESTICUS.  ...  Ils se nourrissent de graines & d'Insectes. Ils font leur nid dans les trous des murs." (Brisson 1760): based on "Passer" and "Passer domesticus" of many authors (Brisson lists over 20 species and forms of 'Moineau'); "Passer Brisson, 1760, Orn., 1, p. 36 [; 3, p. 71]. Type, by subsequent designation (Gray, 1840, List Gen. Birds, ed. 1, p. 46), Fringilla domestica Linnaeus." (Greenway in Peters 1962, XV, 8).  No thanks to positive introduction, the House Sparrow, with a natural Palaearctic and western Indomalayan range, is now found throughout the world as a commensal of man. If the New Zealand wrens (Acanthisittiformes) and the tyrants and allies (Subosciniformes) are separated from the Passeriformes sens. lat. the remaining species could be titled Osciniformes.
Synon. Ammopasser, Auripasser, Caffropasser, Chrysospiza, Corospiza, Leucophrya, Megapasser, Pseudostruthus, Pyrgita, Pyrgitopsis, Salicipasser, Sorella.

passer
L. passer, passeris  sparrow.

melanurum / melanurus
Gr. μελανουρος melanouros  with a black tail  < μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.
● ex “Mbatuitui zancúdo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 393 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● ex “Black-tailed Parrakeet” (= ♂) of Lear 1831 (syn. Polytelis anthopeplus).

SUBSPECIES

Cape Sparrow (damarensis)
SCI Name: Passer melanurus damarensis
damarensis
Damaraland, Namibia.

Cape Sparrow (melanurus)
SCI Name: Passer melanurus melanurus
melanurum / melanurus
Gr. μελανουρος melanouros  with a black tail  < μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; -ουρος -ouros  -tailed  < ουρα oura  tail.
● ex “Mbatuitui zancúdo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 393 (subsp. Himantopus himantopus).
● ex “Black-tailed Parrakeet” (= ♂) of Lear 1831 (syn. Polytelis anthopeplus).

Cape Sparrow (vicinus)
SCI Name: Passer melanurus vicinus
vicinus
L. vicinus  very near  < vicus  town district, street.