Proposal (985) to South American Classification Committee

Establish English names for (A) Myiophobus fasciatus, (B) M. crypterythrus, and (C) M. rufescens

With passage of SACC Proposal 963 (Split Myiophobus fasciatus into three species), we need to formally establish English names for the three newly recognized species. The only mention of English names in the proposal was a note that I appended:

“Note from Remsen on English names: if this passes, a separate proposal would be needed, with the starting point presumably the names already adopted in the BLI/BOW accounts, e.g. retaining Bran-colored Flycatcher for widespread M. fasciatus, and adopting Mouse-gray Flycatcher for M. crypterythrus and Rufescent Flycatcher for M. rufescens.”

Del Hoyo and Collar (2016) [“BLI”] treated the three as separate species, and introduced the use of the three English above. Note that Birds of the World/Clements/eBird already instituted this spilt without SACC or NACC having considered the taxonomic split, much less the English names.

A. M. fasciatus

BLI retained “Bran-colored” for narrowly defined M. fasciatus, and this is consistent with AOS/NACC guidelines on the English names when one of the daughters has a vastly larger distribution and associated literature than do the other daughters (rather than coin new names for all the daughters.). Whether any of us could reliably identify the color “bran” remains to be seen, but that’s the long-standing, memorable name.

• A YES vote on means you favor Bran-colored, which we recommend. A NO vote is for something else (and will elaborate).

B. M. crypterythrus

The derivation of “Mouse-gray” for M. crypterythrus is not so clear. We assume this was a BLI-created name. Ridgely and Greenfield (2001) mentioned crypterythrus as having “dull grayish-brown upperparts” with respect to the cis-Andean nominate fasciatus, but because separate species status was not anticipated at that time, no English name was suggested. Indeed, it is a dull grayish brown species, but so are many other small tyrannids. Given the nearly impossible task of creating unique plumage-based names for the 100+ small tyrannids, we don’t think it’s worth exploring whether crypterythrus is indeed actually “mouse-gray” or how many other small tyrannids to which that name might apply. This name is catchy and memorable, reasonably descriptive, has a 7-8 year track record of use in BLI and about a year of use from the bully-pulpit of eBird.

One of us (Alvaro) thought of a name that we regard as better than Mouse-gray and is at least a viable competitor. Cory and Hellmayr (1927) treated crypterythrus as a subspecies of M. fasciatus and called it “Western Banded Flycatcher”; they used “Banded Flycatcher” for nominate fasciatus, and “Something Banded Flycatcher” for 3 of the other 4 subspecies. In the field and in specimens, the cinnamon wing bars, the “bands” in Cory and Hellmayr’s name, are distinctive and contrast well with the dull body coloration. As such, adjusting Cory and Hellmayr’s name to Cinnamon-banded Flycatcher creates a name that is both distinctive and useful in the field; and it provides a tenuous link to older literature. Although it is obviously not the only tyrannid with cinnamon wing bars, within the Bran-colored complex, those wing bars do contrast strongly on this species, more so than in rufescens for example, and more so than in most gray-brown tyrannids.

Here are a couple of photos of crypterythrus from Macaulay:

• For voting on this one, it’s a little awkward to maintain a Y/N system, but let’s try it, with

YES meaning you favor sticking with Mouse-gray, and NO meaning that you like Cinnamon-banded better. We recommend the latter.

C. M. rufescens

The derivation of “Rufescent Flycatcher” for M. rufescens is also straightforward. Although “Rufescent Flycatcher” could apply equally well or better to many other tyrannids, this is the English name used by Cory and Hellmayr (1927), who treated it as a separate species, and so “Rufescent” provides continuity with earlier literature and with the species epithet.

• A YES vote on means you favor Rufescent, which we recommend. A NO vote is for something else (and will elaborate).

Alvaro Jaramillo and Van Remsen, September 2023

Comments from David Donsker (voting for Bonaccorso):

“M. fasciatus: YES. Bran-colored Flycatcher

“M. crypterythrus: NO to Mouse-gray Flycatcher. YES for Cinnamon-banded Flycatcher. A superior name in many respects. I like the link to the Cory and Hellmayr name but with a more evocative revision. Although "Mouse-gray" is used by HBW/BLI, eBird/Clements and the iOC WBL, it don't think it's all that deeply established to insist on retaining it.

“M. rufescens: YES. Rufescent Flycatcher.”

Comments from Rasmussen (voting for Robbins): “I vote for the first two BLI names. I like Alvaro’s suggestion, although some of them (including one I photographed last year) don’t show cinnamon on the wingbars; maybe it’s fresh plumage only? But Mouse-gray seems misleading to me, and it hardly has any gray at all, ever, so just seems meaningless at best and likely to cause people to expect something that looks quite different. Mice come in many shades of gray, but this bird isn’t gray!

Comments From Steve Hilty (voting for Areta):

“M. fasciatus: YES, keep Bran-colored Flycatcher for Myiophobus fasciatus.

“M. crypterythrus: NO. Use Mouse-gray for M. crypterythrus; I am familiar with bird in the field, and this pretty much sums up the color, and it is memorable.

“M. rufescens: YES. Rufescent Flycatcher is fine, and in agreement with sci. name—however, there is a Rufous Flycatcher (Myiarchus) in Peru, and someone will probably complain about these two names (Rufescent and Rufous) being too close. I don't think it's a problem. If we can live with Black and Blackish, and a half dozen or more other black "something-or-other" (antbirds) I don't see why there is a problem with these flycatchers.”

Comments from Gary Rosenberg (voting for Claramunt):

“YES to retaining Bran-colored Flycatcher for M. fasciatus. This makes sense to retain a long-used name that everyone is familiar with. I am always in favor of retaining one name for a split if possible - make it easier to learn the new ones - and refer it back to the more widespread form. I call it Bran-flavored Flycatcher in the field.

“NO to Mouse-gray. I much prefer Cinnamon-banded. Mouse-gray is a misleading name - and sort of is confusing with Mouse-colored Tyrannulet - that is also split and one of the new forms of that (or two) is (are) sympatric with crypterythrus - but the main reason is that the bird is not really “mouse-gray,” and the wing-bars are much more of a prominent feature - thus “cinnamon-banded” seems reasonable. I do worry a little about confusion with Orange-banded Flycatcher - which, of course, is in a different genus now.

“YES to Rufescent for rufescens. I am not worried about confusion with Rufous Flycatcher.”

Comments from Josh Beck (voting for Del-Rio): “Vote: YES/NO/YES. I actually don’t think Mouse-gray is theoretically that bad a name; as others point out the wing bands are not always cinnamon. However, Mouse-gray invites too much confusion with Mouse-colored, so if there is still room to adjust the name it would not be a bad idea, and Cinnamon-banded works well for this species.”

Comments from Stiles: “I have been looking over this one; the names for fasciatus and rufescens have pretty general approval, but insofar as votes go, there is a stalemate in buff-or rufous-banded and mouse-gray for crypterythrus. I note that Pam Rasmussen has seen examples of this taxon with bright buff wingbars and others with these white or nearly so, and i have seen this variation as well in several I have netted and measured in Nariño. So, it seems worth noting that a very common pattern in many tyrannids is for the juveniles to have brighter, more yellowish to buff to rusty wing markings that in adults are paler, more whitish - raising the possibility that the very rufous-barred individuals in the photos shown might simply be young juveniles? In randomly looking about for a way to break the stalemate between mouse-gray and rufous-barred, I chanced to look through the Smithe color guide and found a color swatch that comes pretty close to the color of the dorsum of crypterythrus: Drab! So perhaps with a modifier to adjust the match more precisely, a potential E-name could be "Brownish-drab Flycatcher"..(or grayish-drab if this seems better to some). Either way, it captures the overall nondescript, dingy color of this race - so perhaps worth running this possibility up the flagpole to see if people salute it or shoot it?”

Additional comments from Rasmussen: “Gary makes good points, but I don't think Brownish-drab is an improvement, as it could apply to so many flycatchers. Even though Cinnamon-banded only applies to some individuals, at least for those it is distinctive, which is more than can be said for Brownish-drab. It is also a much more pleasing name, so I'll continue to vote for Cinnamon-banded.”

Comments from Zimmer:

“A) M. fasciatus. “YES to retaining “Bran-colored Flycatcher” for the more narrowly defined, but still, much more widely distributed M. fasciatus. In my opinion, this is a classic case for retaining a well-established and memorable name for one of the daughters in a split, when that daughter’s distribution, familiarity to the ornithological/birding community and literature “footprint” is vastly greater than that of the other daughter.

“B) M. crypterythrus. “NO, I prefer Cinnamon-banded Flycatcher. If anything, crypterythrus is more “Mouse-brown” than “Mouse-gray”, and either way, is difficult to define, because mice come in all shades of brown and gray, as demonstrated by the fact that we already have a Mouse-colored Tyrannulet and a Mouse-colored Antshrike, and the two are VERY different in color!

“C) M. rufescens. “YES to Rufescent Flycatcher.”

Comments from Lane:

“A) YES to retaining "Bran-colored" for M. fasciatus.

“B) NO to "Mouse-gray" for M. crypterythrus (it's not gray!). Honestly, I'm not enamored of any of the proposed names here. "Cinnamon-banded" draws much attention to the wing-bars (or worse: suggests that there is a cinnamon band on the body plumage--I'd associate "band" with a body feature before I'd think "wing-band" unless "wing" was specifically mentioned) which in my experience aren't really that attention-grabbing, and are often washed out buff or off-white. I'd prefer something that suggested muted colors (paralleling "Bran-colored") or maybe the habitat. Something like "Mud-colored Flycatcher," "Clay-colored Flycatcher," or perhaps "Thicket Flycatcher" or "Thorn-scrub Flycatcher." Just throwing out a few random ideas here.

“C) YES to "Rufescent" for M. rufescens.

Additional comments from Josh Beck: “Despite initially voting for “Cinnamon-banded” for crypterythrus, I increasingly dislike the name. It’s not appropriate for many individuals, and I think a better name can and should be found, or it should be left as Mouse-gray. This case shouldn’t be as hard as the recent Becard names difficulties.

“I think Dan’s suggestion of Thicket Flycatcher has real merit. These are not terribly hard birds to ID. They are vocal and perch up frequently and are in open habitat, so instead of looking for a physical descriptor, perhaps we can find something good in habitat, range, or voice. Otherwise I would actually just as soon leave it with Mouse-gray. 

“For coining a new name, Thicket Flycatcher honestly works pretty well. Ecuadorian, though an oft used name, works (i.e., the range is pretty similar to Ecuadorian Ground-Dove). Tumbes could work though there’s a newly minted Tumbes Tyrannulet, so if we don’t like Mouse-gray because of confusion, Tumbes is perhaps better avoided. Equatorial is a thought. Hopefully others will have thoughts or inspiration here.”

Comments from Barry Walker: “This is something close to home for me birds I have been watching and recording for 40 years. I feel:

“Maintaining Bran-colored for fasciatus is logical and descriptive - don’t fix it if it isn’t broken

“Maintaining Rufescent for rufescens is a no-brainer - we have been unofficially calling it that for years, its descriptive and I don't think it’s an issue with the English name being close to Myiarchus semirufus.

“M crypterythrus is a bit more tricky - lots of Flycatchers inhabit thickets and other suggestions just don’t make the grade for me , especially Cinnamon-banded Flycatcher as many do not have cinnamon bars but white or off white (especially in the Marañon Valley?) - it would be such a wrong name. Mice come in different shades, but some do come in the shade of crypterythrus thus for lack of a viable alternative I would be inclined to stick with status quo of Mouse-gray which we are familiar with.

Additional comments from Remsen: “Based on the comments from Steve Hilty, Barry Walker, and others, I think Mouse-gray is slightly better, if only being in current use, albeit briefly, so I change my vote to YES in favor of retaining Mouse-gray.”

Additional comments from Donsker: “Thanks for sending along Barry’s comments. Please change my vote to Mouse-gray for M. crypterythrus.”

Additional comments from Zimmer: “Given comments by Barry, Steve, and Gary regarding many examples of M. crypterythrus with whitish rather than cinnamon wing bars, I’m fine with sticking with “Mouse-gray Flycatcher”, even though I don’t find it especially evocative. So please change my vote on this one to YES.”

Comments from Stiles: “No problem with names for fasciatus and rufescens, and for crypterythrus, I definitely prefer Mouse-gray (my initial doubt here was whether the Mouse-X should be restricted to the original Mouse-X species, murinus, but that seems not to be a problem). I dislike “Band-winged” because all specimens have wing-bars, but the emphasis on those with bright buffy-to rufous bands for this name leads me to suspect that this would be basing the name on a juvenile plumage, which I rather consider unwise.”