Giant Cowbird

SCI Name:  Molothrus oryzivorus
Protonym:  O.[riolus] oryzivorus Syst.Nat. 1 pt1 p.386
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Icteridae / Molothrus
Taxonomy Code:  giacow
Type Locality:  Cayenne.
Author:  Gmelin, JF
Publish Year:  1788
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MOLOTHRUS
(Icteridae; Ϯ Brown-headed Cowbird M. ater) Unattested Gr. μολοθρος molothros  uninvited guest (Merriam 1884) (cf. Gr. μωλος mōlos  struggle, battle; θρωσκω thrōskō  to sire, to impregnate); alluding to the parasitic habits of the Brown-headed Cowbird; "MOLOTHRUS Sws. 1831.  ...  Die Etymologie des Gattungsnamens ist nicht recht klar. Die Ableitung von μωλος, im Sinne von moles für Gebäude (Nest) und etwa θρωσκω, θορειν, springen, eilen, schleunig eintreten, wäre etwas sehr gesucht. Swainson giebt an "μολοθρος, qui non vocatus alienas aedes intrat" vielleicht soll es heissen μολοβρος, ein Schmarotzer, einer der bei andern zu fressen sucht, mit Bezug auf die Eigenthümlichkeit der Erziehung der Jungen durch an die Vögel; es würde der Name dann richtiger Molobrus zu schreiben sein" (Cabanis 1853); “Swainson wrote molothrus more than once, showing it not to be a misprint or other mistake” (Coues 1882); "[85.]  1. MOLOTHRUS PECORIS. (Swainson.)  Cowpen or Cuckoo-Bunt.   SUB-FAMILY, Agelainae.  Genus, Molothrus *, SWAINS.  Cowpen Finch. PENN. Arct. Zool., ii, p. 371, No. 241.  Cow Bunting (Emberiza pecoris). WILS., ii., p. 145, pl. 18, ff. 1, 2, and 3.  Fringilla pecoris. SAB. Frankl. Journ., p. 676.  Agelaius pecoris. SWAINS. Syn., No. 55.  Icterus pecoris. BONAP. Syn., p. 53, No. 53.  ...  FORM, typical.  Bill short, conic, Finch-like; the culmen or ridge is convex and very slightly arched, the tip not depressed, and both mandibles entire. Wings long, pointed; the first quill generally longest, the second very nearly equal; lesser quills truncate and slightly emarginate. Tail slightly forked in the middle; but its sides rounded (as in the Ceblepyrinæ), reaching an inch and a quarter beyond the wings. Tarsi lengthened; claws slender; anterior lateral toes equal.   ...  *Mολοθρος, qui non vocatus alienas ædes intrat." (Swainson 1831); "Molothrus Swainson, 1832, in Swainson and Richardson, Fauna Bor.-Amer., 2 (1831), p. 277. Type, by original designation, Fringilla pecoris Gmelin = Oriolus ater Boddaert." (Blake in Peters 1968, XIV, 195).  
Var. Molobrus (Gr. μολοβρος molobros beggar, parasite), Molothru, Mothrus.
Synon. Callothrus, Cyanothrus, Cyrtotes, Hypobletis, Pecoris, Psomocolax, Scaphidura, Strepitovagus, Tangavius.

oryzivora / oryzivorus
L. oryza  rice  < Gr. ορυζα oruza  rice; -vorus  eating  < vorare  to devour.
● "98. FRINGILLA.  ...  oryzivora.  1. F. fusca, cervice fulva, macula alarum dorsoque postico albis.  Hortulanus carolinensis. Catesb. car. I. p. 14. t. 14.  Emberiza carolinensis. Klein. av. 92.  Habitat in Cuba, ubi autumno consumta Oryza; feminæ solæ descendunt in Carolinam.  Femina grisea tota a mare colore differt." (Linnaeus 1758) (Dolichonyx).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  oryzivora.  11. L.fusca, temporibus albis, rostro rubro. Chin. Lagerstr. 16.  Loxia remigibus rectricibusque nigris. Mus. Ad. Fr. I. p. 18.  Fringilla capite & gula nigra, temporibus albis. Osb. iter. 103.  Oryzivora. Edw. av. 41. t. 41, 42.  Passer indicus. Aldr. orn. l. 15. c. 24.  Habitat in Asia & Æthiopia inter Oryzam." (Linnaeus 1758) (Lonchura).
● ex “Rice Oriole” of Latham 1782 (Molothrus).

SUBSPECIES

Giant Cowbird (impacifus)
SCI Name: Molothrus oryzivorus impacifus
impacificus / impacifus
L. impacificus  not peaceful, belligerent, noisy  < in- (im- before m)  not; pax, pacis  peace; facere  to make; "Garrula est, altaeque vocis, sonorae" (Hernandez 1651) (subsp. Molothrus oryzivorus).

Giant Cowbird (oryzivorus)
SCI Name: Molothrus oryzivorus oryzivorus
oryzivora / oryzivorus
L. oryza  rice  < Gr. ορυζα oruza  rice; -vorus  eating  < vorare  to devour.
● "98. FRINGILLA.  ...  oryzivora.  1. F. fusca, cervice fulva, macula alarum dorsoque postico albis.  Hortulanus carolinensis. Catesb. car. I. p. 14. t. 14.  Emberiza carolinensis. Klein. av. 92.  Habitat in Cuba, ubi autumno consumta Oryza; feminæ solæ descendunt in Carolinam.  Femina grisea tota a mare colore differt." (Linnaeus 1758) (Dolichonyx).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  oryzivora.  11. L.fusca, temporibus albis, rostro rubro. Chin. Lagerstr. 16.  Loxia remigibus rectricibusque nigris. Mus. Ad. Fr. I. p. 18.  Fringilla capite & gula nigra, temporibus albis. Osb. iter. 103.  Oryzivora. Edw. av. 41. t. 41, 42.  Passer indicus. Aldr. orn. l. 15. c. 24.  Habitat in Asia & Æthiopia inter Oryzam." (Linnaeus 1758) (Lonchura).
● ex “Rice Oriole” of Latham 1782 (Molothrus).