Common Poorwill

SCI Name:  Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Protonym:  Caprimulgus Nuttallii BirdsAm.[8vo] [8vo], 7 p.350 pl.495
Taxonomy:  Caprimulgiformes / Caprimulgidae / Phalaenoptilus
Taxonomy Code:  compoo
Type Locality:  Eastern side of the Upper Missouri, i.e. between Fort Pierre and mouth of the Cheyenne River, South Dakota.
Author:  Audubon
Publish Year:  1844
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PHALAENOPTILUS
(Caprimulgidae; Ϯ Common Poorwill P. nuttallii) Gr. φαλαινα phalaina  moth; πτιλον ptilon  plumage; "266. PHALÆNOPTILUS nuttalli (Aud.) Ridgw. — This species is decidedly peculiar in its salient points of structure, having a lengthened, naked tarsus, like Nyctidromus, a characteristically velvety plumage, short, even tail, and unique wing-formula; features which, taken together, render it a very well-marked genus, which may be characterized as follows: —  PHALÆNOPTILUS, gen. nov.  CH.— Differing from Caprimulgus and "Antrostomus" in the short, even tail (much shorter than the wing), and lengthened, perfectly naked tarsus (longer than the middle toe), the first quill shorter than the fourth, and the plumage with a peculiar, velvety, moth-like surface.   Type, Caprimulgus nuttalli, Aud." (Ridgway 1880).
Var. Phalaenopterus (Gr. πτερον pteron  wing).

nuttalii / nuttalli / nuttallii
Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859) English botanist, ornithologist in the USA 1808-1812, 1815-1841, 1847-1848 (Dryobates, syn. Gelochelidon nilotica aranea, Phalaenoptilus, subsp. Zonotrichia leucophrys).

SUBSPECIES

Common Poorwill (nuttallii)
SCI Name: Phalaenoptilus nuttallii nuttallii
nuttalii / nuttalli / nuttallii
Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859) English botanist, ornithologist in the USA 1808-1812, 1815-1841, 1847-1848 (Dryobates, syn. Gelochelidon nilotica aranea, Phalaenoptilus, subsp. Zonotrichia leucophrys).

Common Poorwill (californicus)
SCI Name: Phalaenoptilus nuttallii californicus
californicum / californicus / californiensis
California.
● ?Erroneous TL. California (= Alta California, Mexico) (syn. Icterus cucullatus nelsoni).
● ex “California Bee-eater” of Ord 1815 (syn. Toxostoma redivivum).

Common Poorwill (hueyi)
SCI Name: Phalaenoptilus nuttallii hueyi
hueyi
● Laurence Markham Huey (1892-1963) US zoologist, collector, photographer, Curator of Mammals and Birds San Diego Natural History Mus. 1923-1961 (subsp. Phalaenoptilus nuttallii, syn. Piranga rubra cooperi, syn. Setophaga petechia castaneiceps).
● William Samuel Huey (1925-2010) US game warden, conservationist, Director of New Mexico Dept. of Game & Fish (‡subsp. Tympanuchus phasianellus).

Common Poorwill (dickeyi)
SCI Name: Phalaenoptilus nuttallii dickeyi
dickeyi
Donald Ryder Dickey (1887-1932) US zoologist, collector, pioneer wildlife photographer and film-maker (‡Branta, subsp. Colinus leucopogon, Cyanocorax, subsp. Egretta rufescens, syn. Eumomota superciliosa apiaster, syn. Penelopina nigra, subsp. Phalaenoptilus nuttallii).

Common Poorwill (adustus)
SCI Name: Phalaenoptilus nuttallii adustus
adustus
L. adustus  burnt  < adurere  to set fire to.