The mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) is a small thrush found in western North America, including the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada. Its scientific name comes from the genus Sialia, which includes other bluebird species, and the species name currucoides, which refers to its similarity to the European redstart.
The mountain bluebird is a beloved songbird known for its bright blue plumage and melodious song. It can be found in open mountain meadows and forest clearings across western North America. But what exactly is the scientific name for this beautiful bird? In this article, we’ll explore the origins and meaning behind the mountain bluebird’s scientific or binomial name.
All living organisms, from mighty oak trees to microscopic bacteria, are given a two-part scientific name in order to universally identify them among the scientific community. The first part of the name refers to the genus, while the second part denotes the specific species. Together, these two terms create a unique biological handle for each organism.
Binomial Nomenclature
This standardized naming system is referred to as binomial nomenclature. “Binomial” simply means “two names,” while “nomenclature” refers to the assignment of names. Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus is credited with popularizing binomial nomenclature in the 18th century, although other earlier scholars also used the two-word naming system.
Prior to binomial nomenclature, animals and plants often had unwieldy Latin names that were paragraphs long and difficult to standardize across languages. Linnaeus’s binomial system brought order to the chaotic assortment of names assigned to the planet’s organisms. The system caught on quickly due to its simplicity and logical structure.
Genus Name
The first part of a scientific name represents the genus to which an organism belongs. Genera (the plural of genus) gather organisms by common attributes and evolutionary relationships. For instance, the mountain bluebird belongs to the genus Sialia, which includes it and its close relatives the eastern bluebird and western bluebird. All members of a genus share similar physical traits and ancestry.
Specific Epithet
The second component of the scientific name is unique to each species within a genus. Referred to as the specific epithet, it pins down the exact species. For the mountain bluebird, its specific epithet is currucoides. Together with its genus Sialia, we have its full scientific name – Sialia currucoides.
Origins of “Sialia currucoides”
Now let’s break down the origins and etymology behind both parts of the mountain bluebird’s binomial name.
Sialia
The genus name Sialia has an ancient Greek origin stemming from the word sialis meaning “bird.” The genus likely acquired its name due to the bright blue plumage shared among the three bluebird species it contains. However, a few sources suggest the name could also possibly derive from the Greek sialon meaning “saliva,” perhaps referencing the bluebird’s own drool-like sticky saliva used for catching insects.
currucoides
The mountain bluebird’s specific epithet currucoides comes from the Latin curruca meaning “redstart,” a type of small songbird found throughout Europe. Again, this references the visual similarity between North America’s bluebirds and Europe’s redstarts, particularly in their reddish-orange tail feathers and chestnut coloring.
Scientific Classification
In addition to its unique binomial name, the mountain bluebird is also classified within a larger hierarchical taxonomy used to categorize all living organisms. Its full scientific classification looks like:
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Turdidae |
| Genus | Sialia |
| Species | S. currucoides |
This classification progressively narrows down the mountain bluebird’s placement in the tree of life, with Kingdom (Animalia) being the broadest category and Species (S. currucoides) pinpointing one specific organism.
Subspecies
Within the species level, organisms can be further divided into subspecies. The mountain bluebird itself has three recognized subspecies based on slight geographic variations:
- S. c. currucoides – Rocky Mountains
- S. c. bairdi – Sierra Nevada and central California
- S. c. palmeri – southern California and Baja
However, the differences between the mountain bluebird subspecies are subtle. They are still considered the same species and can successfully interbreed. The designation of subspecies is useful for studying diversity across the range of a widespread species.
Naming Conventions
There are some standard conventions when it comes to writing and abbreviating scientific names:
- The genus name is always capitalized, while the specific epithet is not.
- When handwritten, the names are italicized or underlined. In typeset, the names are italicized.
- After the first usage, the genus can be abbreviated. For example, Sialia currucoides would become S. currucoides.
Following these rules allows scientific names to be consistently formatted, recognized, and understood across all contexts.
Why Consistent Names Matter
Having a universally accepted scientific name for each species is hugely important for clear communication and documentation across borders, languages, and educational levels. Common names vary widely even within regions. But a scientific name like Sialia currucoides leaves no doubt as to the exact species of bluebird being referenced.
Standard scientific names also cut down on confusion and inaccuracies. They prevent the same species from being named and renamed multiple times, which was a burden under older naming systems. Scientific names also give insights into an organism’s evolutionary history and relationships based on its genus placement and etymology.
Conclusion
In summary, the mountain bluebird’s scientific name is Sialia currucoides. Sialia indicates its membership in the bluebird genus, while currucoides references its visual likeness to the European redstart. Together, they create a unique two-word designation used to universally identify this flashy thrush. The origins of its scientific name shed light on the mountain bluebird’s ancestral affinities.
So next time you see a flash of sky-blue in the mountains, you can confidently call it by its binomial name – Sialia currucoides!
