European Starling

SCI Name:  Sturnus vulgaris
Protonym:  Sturnus vulgaris Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.167
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Sturnidae / Sturnus
Taxonomy Code:  eursta
Type Locality:  Sweden.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

STURNUS
(Sturnidae; Ϯ Common Starling S. vulgaris) L. sturnus  starling; "94. STURNUS.  Rostrum subulatum, angulato-depressum, obtusiusculum: Mandibula superiore integerrima, marginibus patentiusculis.  Nares supra marginatæ.  Lingua emarginata, acuta." (Linnaeus 1758); "Sturnus Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, p. 167. Type, by tautonymy, "Sturnus" = Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus." (Amadon in Peters1962, XV, 104). Linnaeus's Sturnus comprised four species (S. vulgaris, S. Luteolus, S. Contra, S. Cinclus). The Common Starling is a widespread commensal of man, native from Britain to Lake Baikal and Kashmir, but introduced throughout much of the globe.
Var. Sturmus.
Synon. Psar, Quiscalis.

vulgaris
L. vulgaris  common, ordinary  < vulgus  people, multitude, the mob.
● ex “Caracara” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 4 (syn. Caracara plancus).
● ex “Chasse-Fiente” of Levaillant 1796 (syn. Gyps coprotheres).
● ex “Pie de la Jamaïque” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (syn. Quiscalus niger crassirostris).
● "94. STURNUS.  ...  vulgaris.  1. S. rostro flavescente, corpore nigro punctis albis. Fn. svec. 183.  Sturnus. Gesn. av. 747. Bell. av. 81. a. Aldr. orn. l. 16. c. 19. Will. orn. 144. t. 37. Raj. av. 67. n. 1. Alb. av. 1. p. 38. t. 40. Olin. av. 18. Hasselqv itin. 284.  Habitat in Europa, Africa, victitans insectis. Nidificat in cavis arborum; migrat in Scaniam; garrula imitatrix; Mas nitens; gregaria avis." (Linnaeus 1758) (Sturnus).

SUBSPECIES

European Starling (granti)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris granti
granti
● William Robert Ogilvie-Grant (1863-1924) English ornithologist at BMNH 1882-1918 (subsp. Acanthisitta chloris, subsp. Accipiter nisus, subsp. Aerodramus vanikorensis, syn. Alopecoenas beccarii solomonensis, subsp. Camaroptera chloronota, Horizocerus, syn. Lophura nycthemera, syn. Melaenornis pallida parvus, subsp. Microptilotis mimikae, subsp. Napothera epilepidota, syn. Neocossyphus poensis praepectoralis, Ninox, syn. Oriolus szalayi, syn. Pellorneum ruficeps olivaceum, Penelope, subsp. Ptiloprora plumbea, Ptilopsis, subsp. Rhipidura rufifrons (ex Rhipidura harterti Ogilvie-Grant), subsp. Sericornis spilodera, subsp. Sturnus vulgaris, Sula).
● Capt. Claude Henry Baxter Grant (1878-1958) British ornithologist at BMNH 1898-1903, 1932-1958, in East Africa 1916-1932 (subsp. Bradypterus lopezi, subsp. Crithagra mozambica, subsp. Cyanomitra olivacea, syn. Malimbus malimbicus, subsp. Phoeniculus damarensis, syn. Pyrenestes ostrinus minor, subsp. Sheppardia poensis, subsp. Smutsornis africanus, subsp. Terpsiphone viridis, subsp. Treron delalandii).
● Lt.-Col. James Augustus Grant (1827-1892) British Army, explorer with Speke in East Africa 1860-1863 (syn. Guttera pucherani).
● Robert Grant (1854-1923) Scottish miner and immigrant to Australia 1879, taxidermist at Australian Mus. 1887-1917, collector, explorer (subsp. Paradisaea raggiana).

European Starling (vulgaris)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris
vulgaris
L. vulgaris  common, ordinary  < vulgus  people, multitude, the mob.
● ex “Caracara” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 4 (syn. Caracara plancus).
● ex “Chasse-Fiente” of Levaillant 1796 (syn. Gyps coprotheres).
● ex “Pie de la Jamaïque” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (syn. Quiscalus niger crassirostris).
● "94. STURNUS.  ...  vulgaris.  1. S. rostro flavescente, corpore nigro punctis albis. Fn. svec. 183.  Sturnus. Gesn. av. 747. Bell. av. 81. a. Aldr. orn. l. 16. c. 19. Will. orn. 144. t. 37. Raj. av. 67. n. 1. Alb. av. 1. p. 38. t. 40. Olin. av. 18. Hasselqv itin. 284.  Habitat in Europa, Africa, victitans insectis. Nidificat in cavis arborum; migrat in Scaniam; garrula imitatrix; Mas nitens; gregaria avis." (Linnaeus 1758) (Sturnus).

European Starling (faroensis)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris faroensis
faroensis
Faro, Rio Jamundá (= Rio Nhamundá), Pará, Brazil.

European Starling (zetlandicus)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris zetlandicus
zetlandicus
Zetland, a former spelling for the Shetland Is., Scotland

European Starling (tauricus)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris tauricus
taurica / tauricus
L. Tauricus Taurian (= Crimean) < Tauri a barbarian people of the Crimea.

European Starling (purpurascens)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris purpurascens
purpurascens
L. purpurascens, purpurascentis   purplish, somewhat purple   < purpurascere  to grow purple  < purpura  purple  < Gr. πορφυρα porphura   purple.
● ex “Purple-headed Crow” of Latham 1787 (unident.).

European Starling (caucasicus)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris caucasicus
caucasica / caucasicus
Mod. L. Caucasicus Caucasian < L. Caucasius Caucasian, of the Caucasus Mts. < Caucasus Caucasus Mts. < Gr. Καυκασος Kaukasos Caucasus Mts.

European Starling (nobilior)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris nobilior
nobilior
L. nobilior, nobilioris  more noble, celebrated  < nobilis  noble, famous, renowned  < noscere  to acknowledge.

European Starling (poltaratskyi)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris poltaratskyi
poltaratskyi
Maj.-Gen. Vladimir Alexandrovich Poltaratsky (1830-1886) Russian Gov. of Kazan and Semipalatinsk, explorer in Central Asia and Siberia (subsp. Sturnus vulgaris).

European Starling (porphyronotus)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris porphyronotus
porphyronotos / porphyronotus
Gr. πορφυρονωτος porphuronōtos  purple-backed  < πορφυρα porphura  purple; -νωτος -nōtos  -backed  < νωτον nōton  back.

European Starling (humii)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris humii
humii
Allan Octavian Hume (1829-1912) English civil servant in India 1850-1894, ornithologist, collector, founder of journal ‘Stray Feathers’ (subsp. Carpodacus puniceus, Chrysophlegma, subsp. Coccothraustes coccothraustes, subsp. Hypsipetes ganeesa, syn. Periparus ater aemodius, syn. Psilopogon mystacophanos, Pycnonotus leucogenys x P. leucotis hybrid, subsp. Sturnus vulgaris (ex Sturnus nitens Hume, 1871), subsp. Suthora nipalensis, subsp. Todiramphus chloris).

European Starling (minor)
SCI Name: Sturnus vulgaris minor
minor
L. minor  smaller  < comp. parvus  small. “Comparative names ... Specific names expressive of comparative size are also to be avoided, as they may be rendered inaccurate by the after-discovery of additional species. The names ... maximus, minor, minimus, etc. are examples of this objectionable practice” (Strickland Code 1842).
● ex “Short-eared Owl” of Pennant 1761 (syn. Asio flammeus).
● ex “Little Thrush” of Catesby 1731-1743, Edwards 1758-1764, Latham 1783, and Pennant 1785, “Turdus iliacus carolinensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Grivette de l’Amérique” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Catharus fuscescens).
● ex “Whip-poor-will” of Catesby 1731 (Chordeiles).
● ex “Coucou des palétuviers de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 813, “Petit Vieillard” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mangrove Cuckow” of Latham 1782 (Coccyzus).
● "54. PICUS.  ...  minor.  12. P. albo nigroque varius vertice rubro, ano albido.  Picus albo nigroque varius, rectricibus tribus lateralibus seminigris. Fn. svec. 83. Hasselqv. iter. 242.  Picus varius tertius. Raj. av. 43.  Picus varius minor. Alb. av. I. p. 20. t. 20.  Habitat in Europa.” (Linnaeus 1758) (Dryobates).
● ex “Fregata minor” of Brisson 1760, “Petite Frégate” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Man of War Bird” of Edwards 1760, and “Lesser Frigate Pelican” of Latham 1785 (Fregata).
● ex “Petit Indicateur” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 242 (Indicator).
● ex “Pie-grièsche d’Italie” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 32, fig. 1 (Lanius).
● ex “Perruche à ailes noires” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Petite perruche de l’isle de Luçon, 4ème ésp.” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Luzonian Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (syn. Loriculus philippensis).
● ex “Apiaster Philippensis minor” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Merops viridis americanus).
● ex “Little Woodcock” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (Microptera).
● ex “Troupiale de la Caroline” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 606, fig. 1, “Petit Troupiale noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Lesser black Oriole” of Latham 1782 (syn. Molothrus ater).
● ex “Lesser Bird of Paradise” of Latham 1783 (Paradisaea).
● ex “Barbican à ventre rose” of Levaillant 1806 (Pogonornis).
● ex “Porphyrio minor” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Porphyrula martinica).
● ex “Colymbus fluviatilis” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Tachybaptus ruficollis).
● ex “Huppe d’Afrique” of Audebert & Vieillot 1800-1802 (syn. Upupa africana).
● ex “Ringvia” of Brünnich 1764, and “Lesser Guillemot” of Pennant 1785 (syn. Uria aalge).