Western Bluebird

SCI Name:  Sialia mexicana
Protonym:  Sialia Mexicana FaunaBor.-Am.[Swainson&Richardson] 2(1831) p.202
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Turdidae / Sialia
Taxonomy Code:  wesblu
Type Locality:  tableland of Mexico.
Author:  Swainson
Publish Year:  1832
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

SIALIA
(Turdidae; Ϯ Eastern Bluebird S. sialis) Specific name Sylvia Sialis Wilson, 1808; "SIALIA. Sw. in Zool. Journ. No. 10.  37. Sialia azurea?  Sylvia Sialis? Wilson i. pl. 3. f. 3.  Common on the Table land at Real del Monte and other places. I have some doubts whether this is not a distinct species: my specimen is of a young bird." (Swainson 1827, Philos. Mag., new ser., I (May)); "SIALIA.   ...   Bill short, the base depressed, the sides compressed, culmen slightly elevated: nostrils partly hid by setaceous feathers: mouth wide, and slightly bearded" (Swainson 1827, Zool. Journ., III (September)); "Sialia Swainson, 1827, Phil. Mag., n.s., 1 (5), p. 369. Type, by monotypy [and virtual tautonymy], Sialia azurea Swainson = Motacilla sialis Linnaeus." (Ripley in Peters 1964, X, 83). Although famed in song and literature, the Eastern Bluebird is a declining bird of eastern North America.
Synon. Erythaca, Scyrornis, Sialis.

mexicana
Mexico (probably named after Mexihtli, another name for Huitzilopochtli the Aztec god of war).
● ex “Acatechichictli” of Ray 1713, “Ligurinus mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Acatéchili” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Siskin” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Carduelis tristis).
● ex “Bruant du Méxique” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 386, fig. 1, and “Thérèse jaune” of de Buffon 1770-1786 (syn. Haemorhous mexicanus).
● ex “Yohoalcoachitlin” of Ray 1713, “Fulica mexicana” of Brisson 1760, and “Mexican Coot” of Latham 1785 (syn. Porphyrula martinica).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (?= New Granada); ex “Avis Ani mexicana cauda longissima” of Seba 1734-1765, “Promerops mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Promérops à ailes bleues” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Promerops” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Ptilogonys caudatus).
● Erroneous TL. Upper California, Mexico (= Bahia, Brazil) (syn. Spinus yarrellii).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Cayenne); ex “Touauhtototl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray 1713, and “Tangara bleu de Cayenne” of Brisson 1760 (Tangara).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  mexicana.  8. L. rubra, alis nigris.  Avis mexicana rubra passeris species. Seb. mus. I. p. 101. t. 95. f. 1.  Habitat in America australi." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; ?Thraupidae).

SUBSPECIES

Western Bluebird (occidentalis)
SCI Name: Sialia mexicana occidentalis
occidentale / occidentalis
L. occidentalis  western  < occidens, occidentis  west  < occidere  to set. This toponym was frequently given to taxa discovered in locations west of previously known populations.
● Cocal, Western Andes, Colombia (Dysithamnus).
● Jamaica; ex “Onocrotalus” or “Pelecanus fuscus” of Sloane 1725, “Pelican of America” of Edwards 1747, and “Pelecanus” of Browne 1756 (Pelecanus).
● TL. Day Dawn, Western Australia; "Westralian Wedgebill" (Mathews 1912) (Psophodes).

Western Bluebird (bairdi)
SCI Name: Sialia mexicana bairdi
bairdi / bairdii
● Spencer Fullerton Baird (1823-1887) US ornithologist, collector, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (Acanthidops, syn. Buteo swainsoni, Calidris, syn. Calidris melanotos, ‡Campephilus, syn. Coccyzus americanus, syn. Coccyzus euleri, syn. Coereba flaveola bahamensis, syn. Dryobates pubescens, syn. Dryobates scalaris, subsp. Empidonax affinis, Geothlypis, ‡subsp. Icterus leucopteryx, Junco, subsp. Melanerpes formicivorus, syn. Myioborus melanocephalus ruficoronatus, Myiodynastes, Oreomystis, Passerculus, syn. Phalacrocorax pelagicus resplendens, syn. Polioptila albiloris, Prinia, subsp. Sialia mexicana, syn. Sterna paradisaea, syn. Thryomanes bewickii mexicanus, Trogon, Vireo).
● Dr Robert F. Baird (fl. 1996) Australian palaeontologist (‡Centropus).

Western Bluebird (anabelae)
SCI Name: Sialia mexicana anabelae
anabelae
Anabel Klink Anthony (1867-1949) wife of US ornithologist A. W. Anthony (syn. Sialia mexicana occidentalis).

Western Bluebird (amabilis)
SCI Name: Sialia mexicana amabilis
amabile / amabilis
L. amabilis  amiable, lovable  < amare  to love.

Western Bluebird (mexicana)
SCI Name: Sialia mexicana mexicana
mexicana
Mexico (probably named after Mexihtli, another name for Huitzilopochtli the Aztec god of war).
● ex “Acatechichictli” of Ray 1713, “Ligurinus mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Acatéchili” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Siskin” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Carduelis tristis).
● ex “Bruant du Méxique” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 386, fig. 1, and “Thérèse jaune” of de Buffon 1770-1786 (syn. Haemorhous mexicanus).
● ex “Yohoalcoachitlin” of Ray 1713, “Fulica mexicana” of Brisson 1760, and “Mexican Coot” of Latham 1785 (syn. Porphyrula martinica).
● Erroneous TL. New Spain (?= New Granada); ex “Avis Ani mexicana cauda longissima” of Seba 1734-1765, “Promerops mexicanus” of Brisson 1760, “Promérops à ailes bleues” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Mexican Promerops” of Latham 1782 (?syn. Ptilogonys caudatus).
● Erroneous TL. Upper California, Mexico (= Bahia, Brazil) (syn. Spinus yarrellii).
● Erroneous TL. Mexico (= Cayenne); ex “Touauhtototl” of Hernandez 1651, and Ray 1713, and “Tangara bleu de Cayenne” of Brisson 1760 (Tangara).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  mexicana.  8. L. rubra, alis nigris.  Avis mexicana rubra passeris species. Seb. mus. I. p. 101. t. 95. f. 1.  Habitat in America australi." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; ?Thraupidae).

Western Bluebird (australis)
SCI Name: Sialia mexicana australis
australe / australis
L. australis  southern  < auster, austri  south.
● Tierra del Fuego; ex “Thorn-tailed Warbler” of Latham 1783 (syn. Aphrastura spinicauda).
● Cayenne; ex “Southern Sandpiper” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Calidris canutus).
● Erroneous TL "Friendly Islands" (= Tasmania); ex "South-Sea Raven" of Latham 1781 (syn. Corvus coronoides).
● Erroneous TL. New Guinea (= Luzon, Philippines); ex “Manikor de la Nouvelle Guinée” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Dicaeum).
● Australia; ex “New Holland Snipe” of Latham 1801 (syn. Gallinago hardwickii).
● Australia; ex “Pacific Paroquet (var.)” of Phillip 1789 (syn. Glossopsitta concinna).
● Australia; ex “New Holland Pelican” of Latham 1824 (syn. Pelecanus conspicillatus).
● Australia; ex “Cold-river Goatsucker” of Latham 1823 (syn. Podargus strigoides).
● Australia; ex “New Holland Quail” of Latham 1802 (Synoicus).
● Tasmania; ex Brown MS (syn. Lathamus discolor).
● Dusky Sound, New Zealand (syn. Nestor meridionalis).
● Staten I., off Tierra del Fuego (= Isla de los Estados, Argentina); ex “Statenland Eagle” of Latham 1781 (Phalcoboenus).
● Christmas I.; ex "Southern Tern" of Latham 1785 (syn. Procelsterna caerulea) (so identified by Stresemann 1950).
● Kerguelen I.; ex “Southern Tern” of Latham 1785 (?syn. Sterna vittata).
● Madagascar; ex “Palumbus viridis Madagascariensis” of Brisson 1760 (Treron).
● Erroneous TL. Sandwich Is. (= Samoa); ex “Blue-crested Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (Vini).
● Tierra del Fuego; ex “Rusty-collared Finch” of Latham 1783 (subsp. Zonotrichia capensis).