Regulus Calendula Bird

English Name:  Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Latin Name:  Regulus calendula
Protonym:  Motacilla Calendula Syst.Nat.ed.12 ed.12 p.337
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Regulidae / Regulus
Taxonomy Code:  ruckin
Type Locality:  in Pennsylvania = Philadelphia, fide Amer. Ornith. Union, 1983, Check-list North Amer. Birds, ed. 6, p. 541.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1766
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

REGULUS
(Regulidae; Ϯ Goldcrest R. regulus) Specific name Motacilla regulus Linnaeus, 1758; "Roitelets . . . Regulus" (Cuvier 1800); "Dans la tradition nordique, le roitelet (le plus petit des oiseaux) est le druide des oiseaux. Ce term de petit roi n'est donc pas une moquerie, il correspond à une vieille tradition celtique. Le première mention de ce mot pour désigner un oiseau remonte au début du XII^e siècle" (Cabard & Chauvet 2003); "Regulus Cuvier, 1800, Leçons Anatomie Comparée, 1, table 2. Type, by monotypy and tautonymy, "Roitelets" = Motacilla regulus Linnaeus." (Watson in Peters 1986, XI, 286). This genus formerly included the reguline leaf-warblers Phylloscopus.
Var. Regillus (L. regillus  royal, regal  < regius  royal).
Synon. Calendula, Corthylio, Ocelletus, Orchilus, Regaliolus, Rex, Senator.
● (syn. Regulus Ϯ Ruby-crowned Kinglet R. calendula) "Regulus BARTRAM, Travels through Carolina, etc., 1791, p.—  ...  Type, Motacilla calendula LINNAEUS ²  (Present designation.)³   ...   ² Seven species of Regulus are enumerated by Bartram in 1791, but only one is technically available as type at this date. This is "R. cristatus alter vertice rubini coloris; the ruby crown wren. (G. Edwards.)", or Motacilla calendula Linnaeus. Edwards figured and described this species from a specimen sent to him by Bartram.   ...   ³ There appear to be excellent generic differences between Motacilla calendula and M. regulus, as long ago recognized by Cabanis, who, in 1853, proposed the name Corthylio for M. calendula. This genus has been recently revived by Mr. Miller (Auk, vol. 32, 1915, pp. 234-236), but from the above reference to Regulus it will be seen that Motacilla regulus is the species to be provided with a generic name." (Richmond 1917). 

regulus
L. regulus  prince, kinglet  < dim. rex, regis  king  < regere  to rule.
● "15. TROCHILUS (LOPHORNIS) REGULUS.  Troch. plumis in vertice castaneo-fuscis valde elongatis, acuminatis, ad apices viridibus  ...  This beautiful species is nearly allied to the T. ornata and T. magnifica, but differs from them in the lesser development of the feathers of the sides of the neck and in the greater size of the crest, which is more largely developed than in any other species known." (Gould 1846) (syn. Lophornis delattrei).
● "99. MOTACILLA.  ...  Regulus. 30. M. remigibus secundariis exteriori margine flavis, medio albis. Fn. svec. 235.  Regulus cristatus. Will. orn. 163. t. 41.  Raj. av. 79. n. 9.  Alb. av. I. p. 51. t. 53.  Aldr. orn. l. 17. c. 1.  Frisch. av. . t. 24. f. 4.  Catesb. car. 3. p. 13. t. 13.   Habitat in Europa." (Linnaeus 1758) (Regulus).

calendula
“Calendula is a substantive which may be formed from the gerund of the verb caleo, I am warm; figuratively, glowing; in allusion to the fiery color on the head. It was apparently coined by Brisson 1760, for the European Regulus cristatus [= Regulus regulus] but was in 1766 appropriated by Linnaeus to the present species” (Coues 1882); "Bartram sent both the "Ruby-crowned" and "Golden-crowned Wrens" and Edwards figured both, but while he recognized the former as a new species, the latter was considered identical with the European species for many years" (Trotter 1907). An alternative etymology compares the remarkably loud song of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet to that of the Skylark, thus < dim. Gr. καλανδρος kalandros lark; ex "Ruby-crowned Wren" of Edwards 1758, and “Souci de Pensilvanie” of Brisson 1760 (cf. L. caliendrum head-dress; Med. L. calendula plover; Late Med. L. calendula  marigold) (Regulus).

Calendula
• (Alaudidae; syn. Galerida † Large-billed Lark G. magnirostris) Dim. < unattested L. calandra  Calandra Lark  <  Gr. καλανδρος kalandros  Calandra Lark (Eddie Germiquet in litt.); "CALENDULA, Linn.  Bill thick, much compressed; the culmen curved and convex; the commissure arched: the tip of the upper mandible wide above, and inflexed.  ... The dentirostral type.  C. magnirostris.  Ois. d'Af. pl. 193." (Swainson 1837); "Calendula Swainson, Classification of Bds. ii, p. 292, 1837.  Type by monotypy, C. magnirostris Sw. = Alauda magnirostris Stephens." (W. Sclater, 1930, Syst. Av. Aethiop., II, p. 327).
• (Regulidae; syn. Regulus † Goldcrest R. regulus) "LE POUL OU SOUCI, APPELLÉ VULGAIREMENT ROITELET HUPÉ  ...CALENDULA, REGULUS CRISTATUS.   ... LE POUL OU SOUCI DE PENSILVANIE  ...CALENDULA PENSILVANICA" (Brisson 1760); based on "Parus sylvaticus," "Regulus," and "Trochilus" of Gessner 1555, and subsequent authorities, and "Ruby-crowned Wren" of Edwards 1758 (see calendula).

SUBSPECIES

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (grinnelli)
Latin Name: Regulus calendula grinnelli
grinnelli
Dr Joseph Grinnell (1877-1939) US ornithologist (subsp. Agelaius phoeniceus, ‡syn. Caracara plancus prelutosus, subsp. Glaucidium gnoma, syn. Haemorhous mexicanus frontalis, subsp. Lanius ludovicianus, subsp. Loxia curvirostra, syn. Poecile gambeli baileyae, subsp. Regulus calendula, ‡Spizaetus).

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (calendula)
Latin Name: Regulus calendula calendula
calendula
“Calendula is a substantive which may be formed from the gerund of the verb caleo, I am warm; figuratively, glowing; in allusion to the fiery color on the head. It was apparently coined by Brisson 1760, for the European Regulus cristatus [= Regulus regulus] but was in 1766 appropriated by Linnaeus to the present species” (Coues 1882); "Bartram sent both the "Ruby-crowned" and "Golden-crowned Wrens" and Edwards figured both, but while he recognized the former as a new species, the latter was considered identical with the European species for many years" (Trotter 1907). An alternative etymology compares the remarkably loud song of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet to that of the Skylark, thus < dim. Gr. καλανδρος kalandros lark; ex "Ruby-crowned Wren" of Edwards 1758, and “Souci de Pensilvanie” of Brisson 1760 (cf. L. caliendrum head-dress; Med. L. calendula plover; Late Med. L. calendula  marigold) (Regulus).

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (obscurus)
Latin Name: Regulus calendula obscurus
obscurum / obscurus
L. obscurus  dark, dusky.
● ex “Hook-billed Green Creeper” of Latham 1782 (Akialoa).
● ex “Dusky-crowned Humming-bird” of Latham 1782 (syn. Clytolaema rubricauda).
● ex “Dusky Tody” of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Contopus virens).
● ex “Pic verd de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (syn. Dendropicos griseocephalus).
● ex “Dusky Falcon” of Pennant 1787 (syn. Falco columbarius).
● ex “Dusky Grosbeak” (= ☼) of Pennant, 1784 (syn. Hedymeles ludovicianus).
● ex “Obscure Fly-catcher” of Latham 1823 (syn. Hemipus hirundinaceus).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  obscurus.  3. P. macrourus niger, genis nudis, vertice cinereo-nigrescente vario, cauda cinerea. Hasselq. iter. 236.  Habitat in Africa?" (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.: ?‡syn. Mascarinus mascarin).
● ex “White-rumped Woodpecker” of Latham 1782 (syn. Melanerpes erythrocephalus).
● ex “Tolocatzenatl” of Ray 1713, “Sturnus novae Hispaniae” of Brisson 1760, “Tolcana” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Brown-headed Stare” of Latham 1783 (subsp. Molothrus ater).
● ex “Dusky Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Pennula sandwichensis).
● ex “Dusky Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (Phaeornis).
● ex “Black and White Dobchick” of Edwards 1747, “Colymbus minor” of Brisson 1760, “Petit Grèbe” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 942, and “Dusky Grebe” of Pennant 1785, and of Latham 1785 (syn. Podiceps auritus cornutus).
● ex “Dusky Plover” of Latham 1781 (cf. Dusky Bay, New Zealand) (Pluviorhynchus).
● ex “Dusky Petrel” of Latham 1785 (syn. Puffinus assimilis).
● ex “Indian Raven” of Willughby 1676, and “Wreathed Hornbill” of Latham 1781 (syn. Rhyticeros plicatus).
● ex “Dark Thrush” of Latham 1783 (Turdus).
● "This specimen, like many from the Anthony collection, is badly soiled, a condition which may have led Anthony to name a dark race" (Browning 1979) (syn. Vireo huttoni).
● "44. PSITTACUS.   ...   obscurus.  3. P. macrourus niger, genis nudis, vertice cinereo-nigrescente vario, cauda cinerea. Hasselq. iter. 236.  Habitat in Africa ?" (Linnaeus 1758); "Linnæus identified his Psittacus obscurus with P. mascarinus, Briss.  ...  but the evidence is against this identification" (Salvadori 1891) (unident.; nom. dub.).