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== Taxonomy ==
This species was first [[Species description|described]] by [[Coenraad Jacob Temminck]] in 1825 from a bird collected on the Guinean coast.<ref name="Fry1">Fry 2000, p. 1</ref> He published his description in the 55<sup>th</sup>55th volume of ''Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux'' and described it as ''Corvus gymnocephalus'', placing it in the crow genus ''[[Corvus (genus)|Corvus]]''.<ref name="Fry1"/> The species name is derived from the [[Ancient Greek]] words ''gymnos'' "naked", and ''kephalē'' "head".<ref>{{cite book | author = [[Henry George Liddell|Liddell, Henry George]]; [[Robert Scott (philologist)|Scott, Robert]] | year = 1980|pages=146, 374 | title = [[A Greek-English Lexicon]] (Abridged Edition) | publisher = [[Oxford University Press]] | location = Oxford | isbn =0-19-910207-4}}</ref> However, only three years later the bird was removed from the genus ''Corvus'' by [[René-Primevère Lesson]] and placed in its own genus, ''Picathartes'', as it did not share characteristics common to members of ''Corvus'' such as a feathered head.<ref name="Lesson"> {{cite book | last = Lesson | first = René-Primevère | authorlink = René-Primevère Lesson| title = Manuel d'ornithologie ou description des genres et des principales espèces d'oiseaux | publisher = Roret, Libraire | volume = IV| date = 1828 | location = Paris | pages = 374–376| language = French | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=QTxW7C1A8CIC&q=picathartes#v=snippet&q=picathartes&f=false| isbn =1-149-12726-0 }}</ref> This generic name comes from a combination of the Latin genera ''pica'' for "magpie" and ''cathartes'' for "vulture".<ref name="Earthwatch"/><ref>{{cite book|page=305|title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names|last=Jobling| first= James A.| year=2010| publisher= Christopher Helm |isbn=1-4081-2501-3}}</ref> Since its initial description, the picathartes have been placed in more than five different families, including those of crows ([[Corvidae]]), starlings ([[Sturnidae]]), Old World flycatchers ([[Muscicapidae]]), babblers ([[Timaliidae]]) and Old World warblers ([[Sylviidae]]).<ref name="HBW60"/> Today the White-necked Rockfowl and its close relative the [[Grey-necked Rockfowl]] are believed to comprise a unique family, [[Picathartidae]].<ref name="Fry1"/> It has also been suggested though not generally accepted that the two rockfowl represent the remnants of an ancient bird order.<ref name="GnPIAPlan">{{cite journal | last = Bian | first = Russell II Mbah | coauthors = T. Awa, Paul Kariuki Ndang’ang’a, Roger Fotso, Dieter Hoffmann, and Eric Sande | title = International Action Plan for the Grey-necked Picathartes ''Picathartes oreas''| publisher = BirdLife International Africa Partnership Secretariat | location = Nairobi | date = 2006 | url = http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/species_action_plans/africa/grey-necked_picathartes_sap.pdf | accessdate =2011-11-11 }}</ref> Recent [[DNA analysis]] has shown that Picathartidae and its closest relatives, southern Africa's [[rockjumper]]s and southeast Asia's [[Rail-babbler]], form a [[clade]].<ref name="Jønsson"> {{cite journal | last = Jønsson | first = Knud | coauthors = Jon Fjeldså, Per G. P. Ericson, and Martin Irestedt | title = Systematic placement of an enigmatic Southeast Asian taxon ''Eupetes macrocerus'' and implications for the biogeography of a main songbird radiation, the Passerida | journal = [[Biology Letters]] | volume = 3 | issue = 3 | pages = 323–326 | publisher = Royal Society | location = London | date = 2007-6-22| url = http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/3/3/323.full | doi = 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0054 }}</ref> The analysis suggests that the rockfowl split from the common ancestor of their clade 44 million years ago.<ref name="Jønsson"/> It is believed that the ancestor of this clade originated in Australia and spread to Africa.<ref name="Jønsson"/> Though the White-necked Rockfowl has no [[subspecies]], it is believed to form a [[superspecies]] with the Grey-necked Rockfowl, with plumage and facial pattern being the primary differences between the two species.<ref name="Fry1"/>
Common names used for this species include White-necked Rockfowl, White-necked Picathartes, Yellow-headed Picathartes, Bare-headed Rockfowl, and the less frequently used White-necked Bald Crow. Rockfowl is a reference to the species' habit of building mud nests on rock surfaces and caves.<ref name="HBW63"/> Picathartes refers to the species' scientific name.<ref name="Earthwatch"/> Bald Crow is a reference to its featherless head and somewhat crow-like appearance, especially its beak.<ref name="HBW61"/>
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