Eastern Marsh-Harrier

SCI Name:  Circus spilonotus
Protonym:  Circus spilonotus Isis 40 col.953
Taxonomy:  Accipitriformes / Accipitridae / Circus
Taxonomy Code:  easmah1
Type Locality:  Asia.
Author:  Kaup
Publish Year:  1847
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CIRCUS
(Accipitridae; Ϯ Western Marsh Harrier C. aeruginosus) Gr. κιρκος kirkos  partly mythical hawk, named for its circling flight  < κιρκος kirkos  circle, mentioned by many classical authors and later identified with the Hen Harrier (cf. κιρκη kirkē  bird referred to by Aelianus, different to κιρκος kirkos but not otherwise identified); "BUSARD. Circus.  { Le bec courbé dès la base; la tête plate en dessus, et garnie de plumes; la base du bec recouverte d'une cire; les ailes très-longues; la première penne de l'aile, très-courte; le tarse long et grêle." (de Lacépède 1799); "Circus Lacépède, Tabl. Ois., 1799, p. 4. Type, by subsequent designation, Falco aeruginosus Linné. (Lesson, Man. d'Orn., 1, 1828, p. 105.)" (Peters, 1931, I, p. 264).
Var. Cercus.
Synon. Eucircus, Glaucopteryx, Melanocircus, Polyborus, Pseudocircus, Pterocircus, Pygargus, Spilocircus, Spizacircus, Strigiceps.

circus
Gr. κιρκος kirkos  partly mythical hawk, named for its circling flight  < κιρκος kirkos  circle (syn. Circus aeruginosus).

spilonota / spilonotum / spilonotus
Gr. σπιλος spilos  spot; -νωτος -nōtos  -backed  < νωτον nōton  back.