Red-headed Bullfinch

SCI Name:  Pyrrhula erythrocephala
Protonym:  Pyrrhula erythrocephala Proc.Zool.Soc.London Pt1 no.14 p.174
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Fringillidae / Pyrrhula
Taxonomy Code:  rehbul1
Type Locality:  Himalayas ; restricted to Simla-Almora district by Ticehurst and Whistler, 1924, Ibis, p. 471.
Author:  Vigors
Publish Year:  1832
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PYRRHULA
(Fringillidae; Ϯ Eurasian Bullfinch P. pyrrhula) Late Med. L. pyrrhula  Bullfinch  < Gr. πυρρουλας purrhoulas  worm-eating bird, mentioned by Aristotle, later identified as either the Robin Erithacus or the Bullfinch; "Le genre du Bouvreuil.  Genus Pyrrhulæ" (Brisson 1760): based on "Pyrrhula" and "Rubicilla" of many authors, "Rubrica" of Gessner 1555, "Fringilla sanguinea" of Schwenckfeld 1603, "Fringilla Rubecula" of Frisch 1733-1743, "Coccothraustes sanguinea" of Klein 1750, and "Loxia artubus nigris ..." of Linnaeus 1746; "Pyrrhula Brisson, 1760, Ornithologie, 1, p. 36. Type, by tautonymy, Loxia pyrrhula Linnaeus." (Paynter in Peters 1968, XIV, 293). In ornithology the combination pyrrhul- is often used for thick-billed birds, or for those with red breasts. The Eurasian Bullfinch is accused of eating cultivated fruits or nipping buds and is still persecuted in some areas.
Var. Pyhrrhula, Pyrhula, Phyrrula, Pyrrhulas, Pirrula, Pirula, Pitalla, Purrhula.
Synon. Protopyrrhula, Pyrrhia.

pyrrhula
Gr. πυρρουλας purrhoulas  worm-eating bird mentioned by Aristotle, since identified as either the robin Erithacus or the bullfinch; "96. LOXIA.  ...  Pyrrhula.  4. L. artubus nigris, tectricibus caudæ remigumque posticarum albis. Fn. svec. 178.  Rubicilla s. Pyrrhula. Gesn. av. 733. Aldr. orn. l. 17. c. 31. Jonst. av. . . t. 43. Will. ornith. 130. t. 43. Raj. av. 86. Alb. orn. I. t. 59. 60. Frisch. av. . . t. 2. f. 1. 2. Olin. av. 40.  Habitat in Europæ sylvis, Sorbi disseminator.  Mas subtus ruber, Femina subtus fusco-cinerea." (Linnaeus 1758) (Pyrrhula).

erythrocephala / erythrocephalum / erythrocephalus
Gr. ερυθρος eruthros  red; -κεφαλος -kephalos  -headed  < κεφαλη kephalē  head.
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  eryocephala [sic].  9. L. cinerascens, capite purpurascente, pectore albo maculato.  Passer paradisæus, capite rubro, pectore nigro albo maculato. Edw. av. 180. t. 180.   Habitat in Africa.  Corpus supra cinereum, griseo maculatum; subtus totum fuscum maculis albis rotundis. Alæ fuscæ. Remiges margine griseæ. Cauda nigra, forficata. Caput purpureum." (Linnaeus 1758) (Amadina).
● ex “Barbu de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 206, fig. 1 (syn. Capito niger).
● "100. PARUS.  ...  erythrocephalus.  10. P. niger, capite femoribusque fulvis.  Parus auricapillus. Klein. av. 86.  Parus niger, capite fulvo. Edw. av. 21. p. 21.  Habitat in America australi." (Linnaeus 1758) (Ceratopipra).
● ex “Petit Pic à Baguettes d’Or” of Levaillant 1808, pl. 253 (syn. Dendropicos fuscescens).
● ex “Red-headed Finch” of Latham 1783 (syn. Foudia rubra).
● "54. PICUS.  ...  erythrocephalus.  5. P. capite toto rubro, alis caudaque nigris, abdomine albo.  Picus capite toto rubro. Catesb. car. I. p. 20. t. 20.  Habitat in America." (Linnaeus 1758) (Melanerpes).
● ex “Apiaster indicus erythrocephalus” of Brisson 1760, “Guêpier à tête rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Red-headed Bee-eater” of Shaw 1778 and Latham 1782 (syn. Merops leschenaulti).
● ex “Red-headed Swallow” of Latham 1783 (unident.; ?syn. Petrochelidon fluvicola).
● ex “Psittaca ginginiana erythrocephalos” of Brisson 1760, “Perruche à tête rouge de Gingi” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 264, “Perruche à tête rouge” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Blossom-headed Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (syn. Psittacula roseata).