Ruddy Kingfisher

SCI Name:  Halcyon coromanda
Protonym:  Alcedo coromanda IndexOrn. 1 p.252
Taxonomy:  Coraciiformes / Alcedinidae / Halcyon
Taxonomy Code:  rudkin1
Type Locality:  Coromandel, India.
Author:  Latham
Publish Year:  1790
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

HALCYON
(Alcedinidae; Ϯ Woodland Kingfisher H. senegalensis) Gr. αλκυων alkuōn, αλκυονος alkuonos  mythical bird, long associated with the kingfisher, which nested on the sea.  It was beloved of the gods, who calmed the waves whilst it incubated and raised its young, and such periods of peace and calm became known as “halcyon days”; "HALCYON collaris.  Collared Crabeater.   GENERIC CHARACTER.  Rostrum longissimum, rectum, validum, ad basin latius quam altius, lateribus tetragonis; mandibula superiore rectissima, ad basin rotundata; inferiore carinata, recurvata, margine superioris inferiorum obtegente.  Nares basales, membrana tectæ, apertura nuda, lineari obliqua.  Cauda plerumque mediocris.  Pedes gressorii, digito antico interiore minimo aut nullo.  Typus Genericus Alcedo Senegalensis. Linn.   ...   REFERRING to the observations we have already made on Kingsfishers generally, it will be only necessary to observe, that the species now formed into the genus Halcyon appear entirely excluded from the American continent: their bills are much stronger, thicker, and more rounded than the genuine Kingsfishers, and the under mandible beneath invariably carinated and curving upwards. One of them (the Alcedo Senegalensis of Latham) is known to feed on crabs, the breaking and disjointing of which this structure seems admirably calculated to accomplish   ...   The situation of Halcyon will be between Alcedo and Dacelo; from the last of which it is distinguished by its perfectly straight, acute, and entire upper mandible, which, on the contrary, in Dacelo is notched, the tip bent and obtuse." (Swainson 1821); "Halcyon Swainson, Zool. Illustr., 1, 1820-21 (1821), text to pl. 27.  Type, by original designation, Alcedo senegalensis Linné." (Peters, 1945, V, p. 193).       
Var. Halcion.   
Synon. Alcyon, Calialcyon, Cancrophaga, Cecilia, Ceciliella, Cedola, Chelicutia, Chelicutona, Entomobia, Entomophila, Entomothera, Halcyonopa, Nutchera, Pagurothera, Plesialcyon, Pseudhalcyon.
● (syn. Alcedo Ϯ Common Kingfisher A. atthis ispida) "Halcyon alcedo, King Fisher." (Morris 1837).

coromanda / coromandela / coromandelanensis / coromandelensis / coromandeliana / coromandelianus / coromandelica / coromandelicus / coromandeliensis / coromandelus / coromander / coromandra / coromandus
Coromandel Coast, south-eastern India. Coromandel is a Portuguese corruption of the Tamil name Cholamandalam Kingdom of the Cholas, for the area.
● ex “Bec-ouvert des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Coromandel Heron” of Latham 1785 (syn. Anastomus oscitans).
● ex “Petit Hibou de la côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Coromandel Eared Owl” of Latham 1787 (Bubo).
● ex “Crabier de la côte de Coromandel” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 910, and “Crabier de Coromandel” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (subsp. Bubulcus ibis).
● ex “Coucou huppé de Coromandel” of Brisson 1760 (Clamator).
● ex “Petite caille de Gingi” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Coromandel Quail” of Latham 1783 (Coturnix).
● ex “Coure-vite de la côte de Coromandel” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 892, and “Coromandel Plover” of Latham 1785 (Cursorius).
● Erroneous TL. Coromandel, India (= Pegu coast, Burma); ex “Martin-pêcheur violet de la côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782 (Halcyon).
● ex “Martin-pêcheur violet des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Halcyon coromanda).
● ex “Guêpier jaune de la Côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Merops viridis).
● ex “Sarcelle de Coromandel” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Coromandel Teal” of Latham 1785 (Nettapus).
● Erroneous TL. Coromandel Coast (= Cape Province, South Africa); ex “Indian Coly” of Latham 1787 (syn. Urocolius indicus).
● ex “Petit traquet des Indes” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Coromandel Warbler” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Ruddy Kingfisher (major)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda major
major
L. maior, maioris  greater, larger  < comp. magnus  great, large, powerful.
● ex “Poule d’eau de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 352; “Even if [Statius Müller, 1776] ...should some day be repudiated by ornithologists on account of his carelessness and his apparent colour-blindness, then the proper name of the species would be Aramides major (Boddaert), founded on Daubenton’s plate” (Sharpe 1894) (syn. Aramides cajanea).
● ex “Grand Corbeau” of Levaillant 1800, pl. 51 (unident.;?Corvus sp.).
● ex “Crotophagus major” of Brisson 1760, “Grand bout de Petun” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 102, fig. 1, “Ani des palétuviers” of Salerne 1767, and “Greater Ani” of Latham 1781 (Crotophaga).
● 54. PICUS.  ...  major.  10. P. albo nigroque varius, ano occipiteque rubro.  Picus albo nigroque varius, rectricibus tribus lateralibus utrinque albescentibus. Fn. svec. 81.  Picus varius major. Ges. av. 708. Aldr. ornith. l. 12. c. 32. Will. orn. 94. t. 21. Raj. av. 43. Alb. av. I. p. 19. t. 19. Frisch. av. . . t. 36. f. 1.  Habitat in Europa." (Linnaeus 1758) (Dendrocopos).
● ex “Grande Egrette d’Amérique” of d’Aubenton, 1765-1781, pl. 925 (syn. Egretta garzetta).
● ex “Scolopax media” of Frisch 1733-1763, “Great Snipe” of Pennant 1768, and Latham 1785 (syn. Gallinago media).
● ex “Grand Indicateur, mâle” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 241, fig. 1 (syn. Indicator indicator).
● ex “Pie-grièche Blanchot” of Levaillant 1810, pl. 285 (syn. Malaconotus blanchoti).
● ex “An other sort of Loggerhead” of Sloane 1707-1725, “Sitta” or “Picus cinereus major, rostro curvo” of Ray 1713, “Grand Sittelle à bec crochu” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Great Nuthatch” of Latham 1781 (?syn. Myiarchus validus).
● ex “Parus major” of Gessner 1555, Belon 1555, Aldrovandus 1599, and Willughby 1676, “Fringillago”, “Great Titmouse” or “Ox Eye” of Ray 1713, and Albin 1731, and “Parus capite nigro, temporibus albis, nucha luteis” of Linnaeus 1746 (Parus).
● ex “Grèbe de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 404, fig. 1, and “Grand Grèbe” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Podiceps).
● ex “Barbican des côtes de Barbarie” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 602 (syn. Pogonornis dubius).
● ex “Grande Quiscale” of Vieillot 1819 (Quiscalus).
● ex “Tangara des grands bois de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 205 (syn. Saltator maximus).
● ex “Batara mayor” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 211 (Taraba).
● ex “Macucagua” of Marcgrave 1648, Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Perdix brasiliensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Magoua” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Tinamus).
● ex “Trepadore grande” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 241 (Xiphocolaptes).

Ruddy Kingfisher (coromanda)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda coromanda
coromanda / coromandela / coromandelanensis / coromandelensis / coromandeliana / coromandelianus / coromandelica / coromandelicus / coromandeliensis / coromandelus / coromander / coromandra / coromandus
Coromandel Coast, south-eastern India. Coromandel is a Portuguese corruption of the Tamil name Cholamandalam Kingdom of the Cholas, for the area.
● ex “Bec-ouvert des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Coromandel Heron” of Latham 1785 (syn. Anastomus oscitans).
● ex “Petit Hibou de la côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Coromandel Eared Owl” of Latham 1787 (Bubo).
● ex “Crabier de la côte de Coromandel” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 910, and “Crabier de Coromandel” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (subsp. Bubulcus ibis).
● ex “Coucou huppé de Coromandel” of Brisson 1760 (Clamator).
● ex “Petite caille de Gingi” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Coromandel Quail” of Latham 1783 (Coturnix).
● ex “Coure-vite de la côte de Coromandel” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 892, and “Coromandel Plover” of Latham 1785 (Cursorius).
● Erroneous TL. Coromandel, India (= Pegu coast, Burma); ex “Martin-pêcheur violet de la côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782 (Halcyon).
● ex “Martin-pêcheur violet des Indes” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Halcyon coromanda).
● ex “Guêpier jaune de la Côte de Coromandel” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Merops viridis).
● ex “Sarcelle de Coromandel” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Coromandel Teal” of Latham 1785 (Nettapus).
● Erroneous TL. Coromandel Coast (= Cape Province, South Africa); ex “Indian Coly” of Latham 1787 (syn. Urocolius indicus).
● ex “Petit traquet des Indes” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Coromandel Warbler” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

Ruddy Kingfisher (mizorhina)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda mizorhina
mizorhina
Gr. μειζων meizōn  greater, longer  < comp. μεγας megas  great; ῥις rhis, ῥινος rhinos  nose.

Ruddy Kingfisher (minor)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda minor
minor
L. minor  smaller  < comp. parvus  small. “Comparative names ... Specific names expressive of comparative size are also to be avoided, as they may be rendered inaccurate by the after-discovery of additional species. The names ... maximus, minor, minimus, etc. are examples of this objectionable practice” (Strickland Code 1842).
● ex “Short-eared Owl” of Pennant 1761 (syn. Asio flammeus).
● ex “Little Thrush” of Catesby 1731-1743, Edwards 1758-1764, Latham 1783, and Pennant 1785, “Turdus iliacus carolinensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Grivette de l’Amérique” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Catharus fuscescens).
● ex “Whip-poor-will” of Catesby 1731 (Chordeiles).
● ex “Coucou des palétuviers de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 813, “Petit Vieillard” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mangrove Cuckow” of Latham 1782 (Coccyzus).
● "54. PICUS.  ...  minor.  12. P. albo nigroque varius vertice rubro, ano albido.  Picus albo nigroque varius, rectricibus tribus lateralibus seminigris. Fn. svec. 83. Hasselqv. iter. 242.  Picus varius tertius. Raj. av. 43.  Picus varius minor. Alb. av. I. p. 20. t. 20.  Habitat in Europa.” (Linnaeus 1758) (Dryobates).
● ex “Fregata minor” of Brisson 1760, “Petite Frégate” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Man of War Bird” of Edwards 1760, and “Lesser Frigate Pelican” of Latham 1785 (Fregata).
● ex “Petit Indicateur” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 242 (Indicator).
● ex “Pie-grièsche d’Italie” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 32, fig. 1 (Lanius).
● ex “Perruche à ailes noires” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Petite perruche de l’isle de Luçon, 4ème ésp.” of Sonnerat 1776, and “Luzonian Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (syn. Loriculus philippensis).
● ex “Apiaster Philippensis minor” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Merops viridis americanus).
● ex “Little Woodcock” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (Microptera).
● ex “Troupiale de la Caroline” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 606, fig. 1, “Petit Troupiale noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Lesser black Oriole” of Latham 1782 (syn. Molothrus ater).
● ex “Lesser Bird of Paradise” of Latham 1783 (Paradisaea).
● ex “Barbican à ventre rose” of Levaillant 1806 (Pogonornis).
● ex “Porphyrio minor” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Porphyrula martinica).
● ex “Colymbus fluviatilis” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Tachybaptus ruficollis).
● ex “Huppe d’Afrique” of Audebert & Vieillot 1800-1802 (syn. Upupa africana).
● ex “Ringvia” of Brünnich 1764, and “Lesser Guillemot” of Pennant 1785 (syn. Uria aalge).

Ruddy Kingfisher (bangsi)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda bangsi
bangsi
Outram Bangs (1863-1932) US zoologist, collector (syn. Aethopyga gouldiae dabryii, Amazilia rutila x Amazilia tzacatl, subsp. Amphispiza bilineata, syn. Automolus leucophthalmus, subsp. Buteogallus anthracinus, syn. Catharus aurantiirostris melpomene, subsp. Cuculus canorus, syn. Cyanoderma ruficeps davidi, syn. Emberiza godlewskii omissa, syn. Galerida deva, Grallaria, subsp. Halcyon coromanda, subsp. Hapalocrex flaviventer, subsp. Henicorhina leucophrys, syn. Hydrobates castro, subsp. Leptotila verreauxi, syn. Loxia curvirostra himalayensis, subsp. Manacus manacus, syn. Mirafra cantillans, syn. Myiarchus tuberculifer nigricapillus, syn. Parus major nigriloris, subsp. Peucaea carpalis, subsp. Prinia crinigera, syn. Pterocles orientalis arenarius, subsp. Quiscalus niger, syn. Sheppardia sharpei, subsp. Sitta villosa, subsp. Sterna dougallii, subsp. Tachybaptus dominicus, subsp. Tangara gyrola, subsp. Xiphorhynchus triangularis).

Ruddy Kingfisher (linae)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda linae
linae
● Lina N. Florendo Rabor (d. 1997) wife of Philippine ornithologist Dioscoro S. Rabor (subsp. Halcyon coromanda, subsp. Harpactes ardens).
● Emilie Karoline “Lina” Hähnle (1851-1941) German conservationist, founding chairman of Bundes für Vogelschutz 1899 (syn. Otus bakkamoena semitorques).

Ruddy Kingfisher (claudiae)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda claudiae
claudiae
● Claudia Leigh Hubbard (fl. 1974) US ornithologist, wife of John P. Hubbard (subsp. Halcyon coromanda).
● Claudia Bernadine Elisabeth Hartert née Endris (1863-1958) wife of German ornithologist Ernst Hartert (Phylloscopus).

Ruddy Kingfisher (pelingensis)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda pelingensis
pelingense / pelingensis / pelingi
Peling I., Banggai Is., Celebes, Dutch East Indies / Peleng I., Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Ruddy Kingfisher (rufa)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda rufa
rufa
L. rufus  red, ruddy. In ornithology rufus, rufa and rufum cover a wide spectrum of colours from yellow, orange and brown to crimson, scarlet and purple.
● "91. TETRAO.  ...  rufus.  8. T. rostro pedibusque sanguineis, gula alba cincta fascia nigra albo-punctata.  Tetrao rectricibus cinereis: superiore medietate hinc inde rufis. Fn. svec. 171.  Perdix rufa s. major. Gesn. av. 682. Aldr. orn. l. 13. c. 18. Jonst. av. 68. t. 27. Will. orn. 118. t. 29. Raj. av. 57. Alb. av. I. p. 29. t. 29.  Habitat in Europa australiori.” (Linnaeus 1758) (Alectoris).
● ex “Anhinga roux” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Anhinga).
● ex “Ferrugineous Duck” of Pennant 1776 (?syn. Aythya nyroca).
● ex “Pie rousse de la Chine” of Sonnerat 1782 (syn. Dendrocitta vagabunda).
● ex “Aigrette rousse de la Louisiane” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 902 (syn. Egretta rufescens).
● ex “Hirondelle à ventre roux de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 724, fig. 1, and “Rufous-bellied Swallow” of Latham 1783 (syn. Hirundo erythrogaster).
● ex “Alouette noire de la Encenada” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 738, fig. 2, and “Alouette noire à dos fauve” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Lessonia).
● ex “Lanius madagascariensis rufus” of Brisson 1760 (Schetba).
● ex “Fauvette rousse” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 581, fig. 1 (?syn. Sylvia communis).
● ex “Kleinste Grasmücke” of Frisch 1733, “Curruca rufa” of Brisson 1760, “Fauvette rousse” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 581, fig. 1, and de Buffon 1770-1786, and “Rufous Warbler” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Sylvia communis).
● ex “Schet Roux” of Levaillant 1805, pl. 147 (syn. Terpsiphone mutata).

Ruddy Kingfisher (sulana)
SCI Name: Halcyon coromanda sulana
sulaense / sulaensis / sulana / sulanus
Sula Is., Moluccas, Indonesia.