Grasshopper Buzzard

SCI Name:  Butastur rufipennis
Protonym:  Poliornis rufipennis Oefv.Vet.-Akad.Forh. 7 p.131
Taxonomy:  Accipitriformes / Accipitridae / Butastur
Taxonomy Code:  grabuz1
Type Locality:  Near Khartoum.
Author:  Sundevall
Publish Year:  1850
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

BUTASTUR
(Accipitridae; Ϯ White-eyed Buzzard B. teesa) Portmanteau of genera Buteo de Lacépède, 1799, buzzard, and Astur de Lacépède, 1801, goshawk; “18. Buteoninæ.  Genus Butastur, Hodgson.  Buteo teesa, Auct., type. [Circus teesa, Franklin; Astur Hyder, Sykes.]  It differs from the true Buzzards in its less corpulent form, and general adaptation for more active habits: the tarsi are longer and more prominently scutellated in front, the toes also being scutellated above nearly to their base, and the talons are comparatively powerful. The markings also are somewhat peculiar, and recal to mind those of various South American Raptores; but still manifest a relationship to the true Buzzards, which is further conspicuously shewn by the rufous tail.” (Hodgson 1843); "Butastur Hodgson, 1843, Jour. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 12: 311.  Type, by original designation, Circus teesa Franklin." (Ripley, 1961, Synopsis Birds India Pakistan, p. 49).
Synon. Bupernis, Percnopsis, Poliornis, Valeria.

rufipenne / rufipennis
Mod. L. rufipennis  red-winged, red-feathered  < L. rufus  red, rufous;
-pennis  -winged  < penna  feather.
● ex “Roupenne” of Levaillant 1801, pll. 83-84  < French homophone roux  red; penne  large feather (syn. Onychognathus morio).