Red-headed Woodpecker

SCI Name:  Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Protonym:  Picus erythrocephalus Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.113
Taxonomy:  Piciformes / Picidae / Melanerpes
Taxonomy Code:  rehwoo
Type Locality:  America = South Carolina.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

MELANERPES
(Picidae; Ϯ Red-headed Woodpecker M. erythrocephalus) Gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos  black; ἑρπης herpēs  creeper  < ἑρπω herpō  to crawl; "1. MELANERPES ERYTHROCEPHALUS. (Sw.)  Red-headed Woodpecker.   GENUS, Melanerpes*, SWAINS.   Sub-genus, (Typical form) SWAINS.   ...   This Woodpecker, so well known in the United States for the havoc it commits in the orchards, ranges in summer from the northern shores of Lake Huron to the Gulf of Mexico.   ...   *Th. μελας, niger, et ερπο, repo" (Swainson 1832); "Melanerpes Swainson, Fauna Bor.-Am., 2, 1831 (1832), p. 316. Type, by monotypy, Picus erythrocephalus Linné." (Peters 1948, VI, 157).
Var. Melanoherpes, Malanerpes.
Synon. Asyndesmus, Balanosphyra, Cactocraugus, Centurus, Chryserpes, Colombpicus, Leuconerpes, Leucopicus, Linneopicus, Melampicos, Meropicus, Phymatoblepharus, Trichopicus, Trichopipo, Tripsurus, Zebrapicus.

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).