Cassin's Kingbird

SCI Name:  Tyrannus vociferans
Protonym:  Tyrannus vociferans Q.J.Sci.Lit.Arts 20 p.273
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Tyrannidae / Tyrannus
Taxonomy Code:  caskin
Type Locality:  Temascaltepec, Mexico.
Author:  Swainson
Publish Year:  1826
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

TYRANNUS
(Tyrannidae; Ϯ Eastern Kingbird T. tyrannus) Based on "Le Tyran.    Tyrannus" of Brisson 1760: "Tandis que la femelle couve, le mâle chasse d'auprès de son nid tous les Oiseaux; même les Faucons & les Aigles." (see tyrannus ●); "NEUVIÈME ORDRE.  Bec échancré.   24. PIE-GRIÈCHE. Lanius.   ...   25.TYRAN. Tyrannus. {Le bec long, droit, et garni de soies à sa base.    26. GOBE-MOUCHE. Muscicapa.   ...   27. MOUCHEROLLE. Muscivora" (de Lacépède 1799); "Tyrannus Lacepède, 1799, Tabl. Méth. Mamm. Ois., p. 5. Type, by tautonymy, Lanius tyrannus Linnaeus." (Traylor in Peters 1979, VIII, 221). The tyrants, pittas, broadbills and their allies form a very distinct group and should, perhaps, be separated from other passerines in a new order Subosciniformes.
Var. Tirannus, Tiranus, Tryannus.
Synon. Despotes, Dioctes, Drymonax, Laphyctes, Melittarchus, Milvulus, Muscivora, Myiocapta, Satellus, Semnarchus, Tolmarchus.

tyrannus
L. tyrannus  tyrant  < Gr. τυραννος turannos  tyrant.
● ex “Tyran à queue fourchue” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Tyrannus savana).
● “The courage of this little bird is singular. He pursues and puts to flight all kinds of birds that come near his station, from the smallest to the largest, none escaping his fury” (Catesby 1731); "43. LANIUS.  ...  Tyrannus.  4. L. vertice nigro: stria longitudinali fulva.  Muscicapa corona rubra. Catesb. car. I. p. 55. t. 55.  Pica americana cristata. Frisch. av. 4. t. 62.  Habitat in America septentrionali.  Color obscure cinereus, abdomine albo." (Linnaeus 1758)  (Tyrannus).

vociferans
L. vociferans, vociferantis  shouting  < vociferari  to shout  < vox, vocis  voice, cry; ferre  to carry.
● ex “Chachalacametl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray 1713, “Chacamel” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Crying Curassaw” of Latham 1783 (unident.; ?Ortalis sp.).

SUBSPECIES

Cassin's Kingbird (vociferans)
SCI Name: Tyrannus vociferans vociferans
vociferans
L. vociferans, vociferantis  shouting  < vociferari  to shout  < vox, vocis  voice, cry; ferre  to carry.
● ex “Chachalacametl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray 1713, “Chacamel” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Crying Curassaw” of Latham 1783 (unident.; ?Ortalis sp.).

Cassin's Kingbird (xenopterus)
SCI Name: Tyrannus vociferans xenopterus
xenopterum / xenopterus
Gr. ξενος xenos  different; -πτερος -pteros  -winged  < πτερον pteron  wing.