Rufous Whistler

SCI Name:  Pachycephala rufiventris
Protonym:  S[ylvia] rufiventris Suppl.ind.orn. p.liv
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Pachycephalidae / Pachycephala
Taxonomy Code:  rufwhi1
Type Locality:  Nova Hollandia; restricted to Sydney, New South Wales, by Mathews, 1920, Birds Australia, 8, p. 235.
Author:  Latham
Publish Year:  1801
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

PACHYCEPHALA
(Pachycephalidae; Ϯ Golden Whistler P. pectoralis) Gr. παχυς pakhus  large, thick; κεφαλη kephalē  head; from the appearance of their large rounded heads the Indomalayan and Australasian whistlers were formerly known as 'thickheads'; "The interval betweeen the present groups and those of the Pari, where we entered on the family [Pipridæ], appears to be filled up by a race of birds peculiar to New Holland, and hitherto uncharacterized, of which the Muscicapa pectoralis, Lath. is the type*. These, uniting many external characters, at least, both of the Berry-Eaters and Flycatchers, exhibit also in general appearance a considerable resemblance to the Pari, and will be found, I conjecture, to be the connecting bond between all these groups.  ...  * Mr. Swainson has lately formed this group into a genus by the name of Pachycephala.  Nov. 1824." (Vigors 1825); "Genus. PACHYCEPHALA*. Swains. MSS.  ... Caput tumidiusculum.  ...  In their general appearance some of the species exhibit a resemblance to the birds of the genus Procnias, Ill., while by the puffed-out appearance of the feathers about the head, we trace an approximation to some of the Linnean Pari.  ...  * παχυς crassus, and κεφαλη caput" (Vigors & Horsfield 1827). 
Var. Pachycephalus. 
Synon. Alisterornis, Gilbertornis, Hylocharis, Hyloterpe, Lewinornis, Malacolestes, Mattingleya, Musciterpe, Muscitrea, Mutevodia, Pachycilodryas, Psaltricephus, Pucherania, Timixos.

rufiventer / rufiventra / rufiventre / rufiventris
Mod. L. rufiventris  red-bellied  < L. rufus  ruddy, rufous; venter, ventris  belly.
● ex “Pepoazá vientre roxizo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 205, and “Pepoaza à ventre rougeâtre” of Vieillot 1819 (Neoxolmis).
● ex “Grignet” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 126 (syn. Parisoma subcaeruleum).
● ex “Traquet à Cul Roux” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 188, fig. 2 (syn. Saxicoloides fulicatus).
● ex “Gobe-mouche de l’île de Bourbon” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 572, fig. 3, and “Rufous-vented Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Setophaga ruticilla).
● ex “Velvet-headed Flycatcher” of Latham 1823 (Terpsiphone).

SUBSPECIES

Rufous Whistler (minor)
SCI Name: Pachycephala rufiventris 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).

Rufous Whistler (falcata)
SCI Name: Pachycephala rufiventris falcata
falcata
L. falcatus  sickle-shaped  < falx, falcis  sickle.
• "—[Anas]— falcata L.  Sichelente  ...   Alarum remiges primores 10, ut earum tectrices griseae, secundariae 15.  Pennae axillares 5. griseae composita ala supra remiges primores porriguntur falcata inflexae.  Speculum viride-splendens, supra fascia alba donatum." (Georgi 1775) (pace Gruson 1972, “reference to the shape of the species’ claws”) (Mareca).
• "PACHYCEPHALA FALCATA Gould.  ...  Adult male.  ..   throat white, bounded below by a distinct crescent of black" (Gould 1843) (subsp. Pachycephala rufiventris).
• "70. PTILOCICHLA FALCATA, sp. n.  ...  dorso toto nigricanti-brunneo, plumis late medialiter fulvis, dorsi postici plumis longis, laxis, falcatis, dependentibus, brunneis vel nigricantibus late albo striatis" (Sharpe 1877) (see Ptilocichla) (Ptilocichla).

Rufous Whistler (pallida)
SCI Name: Pachycephala rufiventris pallida
pallida
L. pallidus  pallid, pale, wan, sallow  < pallere  to be pale.

Rufous Whistler (rufiventris)
SCI Name: Pachycephala rufiventris rufiventris
rufiventer / rufiventra / rufiventre / rufiventris
Mod. L. rufiventris  red-bellied  < L. rufus  ruddy, rufous; venter, ventris  belly.
● ex “Pepoazá vientre roxizo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 205, and “Pepoaza à ventre rougeâtre” of Vieillot 1819 (Neoxolmis).
● ex “Grignet” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 126 (syn. Parisoma subcaeruleum).
● ex “Traquet à Cul Roux” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 188, fig. 2 (syn. Saxicoloides fulicatus).
● ex “Gobe-mouche de l’île de Bourbon” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 572, fig. 3, and “Rufous-vented Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Setophaga ruticilla).
● ex “Velvet-headed Flycatcher” of Latham 1823 (Terpsiphone).

Rufous Whistler (xanthetraea)
SCI Name: Pachycephala rufiventris xanthetraea
xanthetraea
Gr. ξανθος xanthos  yellow; ητραιος ētraios  of the belly  < ητρον ētron  belly.