Gray Wagtail

SCI Name:  Motacilla cinerea
Protonym:  Motacilla Cinerea Orn.Brit. p.2
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Motacillidae / Motacilla
Taxonomy Code:  grywag
Type Locality:  no locality = Wycliffe, Yorkshire, England, fide Clancey, 1946.
Author:  Tunstall
Publish Year:  1771
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MOTACILLA
(Motacillidae; Ϯ White Wagtail M. alba) Late Med. L. (1555) motacilla  pied wagtail  < L. motacilla  wagtail  < Gr. μυττηξ muttēx  type of bird mentioned by Hesychius. The mistaken use of -cilla ­for “tail” in ornithology goes back to mediaeval writers who misread motacilla, Varro’s name for the wagtail ("quod semper movet caudam") and a diminutive from motare to move about or shake (i.e. a little shaker or wagger), as “shaketail”; "99. MOTACILLA.  Rostrum subulatum, rectum: Mandibulis subæqualibus.  Nares obovatæ.  Lingua lacero-emarginata." (Linnaeus 1758);"Motacilla Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 184. Type, by tautonymy, "Motacilla" = M. alba Linnaeus." (Vaurie in Peters 1960, IX, 130). Linnaeus's Motacilla comprised thirty-four species (M. Luscinia, M. Calidris, M. modularis, M. Schœnobænus, M. campestris, M. Curruca, M. Hippolais, M. Salicaria, M. Sylvia, M. Philomela, M. Ficedula, M. alba, M. flava, M. Tiphia, M. Ruticilla, M. hispanica, M. Oenanthe, M. Rubetra, M. Atricapilla, M. Emeria, M. Phœnicurus, M. Erithacus, M. Titys, M. svecica, M. Sialis, M. Velia, M. Spiza, M. Rubecula, M. Troglodytes, M. Regulus, M. Trochilus, M. Acredula, M. Pendulinus, M. minuta). The White Wagtail has a wide range in the Palaearctic, although several subspecies are sometimes treated specifically (e.g. yarrellii, subpersonata, personata, lugens).
Var. Matacilla, Metacilla, Motacilea, Motacitta, Mottacilla, Montacilla, Notacilla, Notorcilla.
Synon. Aguimpia, Atolmodytes, Boarula, Budytes, Calobates, Pallenura, Pecula, Psomophilus, Seisura.

motacilla
L. motacilla  wagtail  < Gr. μυττηξ muttēx  type of bird mentioned by Hesychius (subsp. Myiothlypis fulvicauda, Parkesia).

cinerea
L. cinereus  ash-grey, ash-coloured  < cinis, cineris  ashes.
● ex “Cinereous Creeper” of Latham 1781 (??syn. Anthobaphes violacea).
● "76. ARDEA.  ...  cinerea.  10. A. occipite crista pendula, dorso cærulescente, subtus albida, pectore maculis oblongis nigris.  Ardea crista dependente. Fn. svec. 133.  Ardea cinerea major. Aldr. orn. l. 20. c. 9. Gesn. av. 212. Jonst. av. 151. t. 50. Will. orn. 203. t. 49. Raj. av. 98. Mars. danub. 5. p. 8. t. 2. Alb. av. 1. p. 64. t. 67. & 3. p. . . t. 78.  Habitat in Europa; nidificant in arboribus plures simul." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ardea).
● ex “Cendrille” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Cinereous Lark” of Latham 1783 (Calandrella).
● ex “Tractrac” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 184, fig. 1 (syn. Cercomela tractrac).
● ex “Grand Gobe-mouche cendré de Madagascar” of Brisson 1760 (Coracina).
● ex “Cinereous Coot” of Latham 1785 (syn. Fulica americana).
● ex “Crested Gallinule” of Latham 1785 (Gallicrex).
● ex “Cotinga Cendré” of Levaillant 1801 (syn. Lipaugus vociferans).
● ex “Cinereous Finch” of Latham 1783, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Melospiza insignis).
● (Tunstall 1771) ex “Hoche-queue” or “Bergeronette jaune” of Brisson 1760, and “Gray Water Wagtail” of Pennant 1766 (Motacilla).
● (J. Gmelin 1789) ex “Motacilla cinerea” of Brisson 1760, “Bergeronnette grise” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 674, fig. 1, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Cinereous Wagtail” of Latham 1783 (syn. Motacilla cinerea).
● ex “Hirondelle du Pérou” of Brisson 1760, “Petite Hirondelle noire à ventre cendré” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Ash-bellied Swallow” of Latham 1783 (syn. Notiochelidon murina).
● ex "Pétrel cendré" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Cinereous Fulmar" of Latham 1785 (Procellaria).
● ex “Hirondelle de rivage” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 543, fig. 2 (syn. Riparia riparia).
● ex “Cinereous Owl” of Latham 1781, and “Sooty Owl” of Pennant 1785 (syn. Strix nebulosa).
● ex “Pie-griesche grise” of Brisson 1760, and “Pie-griêche grise de Cayenne” (= ♂) and “Pie-griêche tachetée de Cayenne” (= ♀) of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pll. 304, 377 (syn. Tityra cayana).
● ex “Lanius nengeta var. β” of J. Gmelin 1788, “Cotinga gris de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 699, and “Variété du Guirarou” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (?syn. Xipholena punicea).
● ex “Larus niger fidipes alter, alis brevioribus” of Ray 1713, “Sterna cinerea” of Brisson 1760, and “Cinereous Tern” of Latham 1785 (unident.).
● ex “Muscicapa cayennensis rufa” of Brisson 1760, and “Rufous-bellied Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Gray Wagtail (cinerea)
SCI Name: Motacilla cinerea cinerea
cinerea
L. cinereus  ash-grey, ash-coloured  < cinis, cineris  ashes.
● ex “Cinereous Creeper” of Latham 1781 (??syn. Anthobaphes violacea).
● "76. ARDEA.  ...  cinerea.  10. A. occipite crista pendula, dorso cærulescente, subtus albida, pectore maculis oblongis nigris.  Ardea crista dependente. Fn. svec. 133.  Ardea cinerea major. Aldr. orn. l. 20. c. 9. Gesn. av. 212. Jonst. av. 151. t. 50. Will. orn. 203. t. 49. Raj. av. 98. Mars. danub. 5. p. 8. t. 2. Alb. av. 1. p. 64. t. 67. & 3. p. . . t. 78.  Habitat in Europa; nidificant in arboribus plures simul." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ardea).
● ex “Cendrille” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Cinereous Lark” of Latham 1783 (Calandrella).
● ex “Tractrac” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 184, fig. 1 (syn. Cercomela tractrac).
● ex “Grand Gobe-mouche cendré de Madagascar” of Brisson 1760 (Coracina).
● ex “Cinereous Coot” of Latham 1785 (syn. Fulica americana).
● ex “Crested Gallinule” of Latham 1785 (Gallicrex).
● ex “Cotinga Cendré” of Levaillant 1801 (syn. Lipaugus vociferans).
● ex “Cinereous Finch” of Latham 1783, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Melospiza insignis).
● (Tunstall 1771) ex “Hoche-queue” or “Bergeronette jaune” of Brisson 1760, and “Gray Water Wagtail” of Pennant 1766 (Motacilla).
● (J. Gmelin 1789) ex “Motacilla cinerea” of Brisson 1760, “Bergeronnette grise” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 674, fig. 1, and de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Cinereous Wagtail” of Latham 1783 (syn. Motacilla cinerea).
● ex “Hirondelle du Pérou” of Brisson 1760, “Petite Hirondelle noire à ventre cendré” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Ash-bellied Swallow” of Latham 1783 (syn. Notiochelidon murina).
● ex "Pétrel cendré" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Cinereous Fulmar" of Latham 1785 (Procellaria).
● ex “Hirondelle de rivage” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 543, fig. 2 (syn. Riparia riparia).
● ex “Cinereous Owl” of Latham 1781, and “Sooty Owl” of Pennant 1785 (syn. Strix nebulosa).
● ex “Pie-griesche grise” of Brisson 1760, and “Pie-griêche grise de Cayenne” (= ♂) and “Pie-griêche tachetée de Cayenne” (= ♀) of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pll. 304, 377 (syn. Tityra cayana).
● ex “Lanius nengeta var. β” of J. Gmelin 1788, “Cotinga gris de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 699, and “Variété du Guirarou” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (?syn. Xipholena punicea).
● ex “Larus niger fidipes alter, alis brevioribus” of Ray 1713, “Sterna cinerea” of Brisson 1760, and “Cinereous Tern” of Latham 1785 (unident.).
● ex “Muscicapa cayennensis rufa” of Brisson 1760, and “Rufous-bellied Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

Gray Wagtail (patriciae)
SCI Name: Motacilla cinerea patriciae
patriciae
● Patricia Vaurie née Wilson (1909-1982) US entomologist, collector, wife of ornithologist Dr Charles Vaurie (subsp. Motacilla cinerea, subsp. Suthora nipalensis (OD per Mark Brown)).
● Beryl Patricia Hall née Woodhouse (1917-2010) English ornithologist, collector (syn. Pternistis jacksoni, subsp. Timalia pileata).

Gray Wagtail (schmitzi)
SCI Name: Motacilla cinerea schmitzi
schmitzi
Fr. Ernst Johann Schmitz (1845-1922) German priest, naturalist on Madeira 1886-1898, 1902-1908, Palestine and Syria 1908-1922 (subsp. Motacilla cinerea, subsp. Tyto alba).