Vangidae
The family Vangidae (from ''vanga'', Malagasy language, Malagasy for the hook-billed vanga, ''Vanga curvirostris'') comprises a group of often shrike-like medium-sized birds distributed from Asia to Africa, including the vangas of Madagascar to which the family owes its name. Many species in this family were previously classified elsewhere in other families. Recent molecular techniques made it possible to assign these species to Vangidae, thereby solving several taxonomic enigmas. The family contains 40 species divided into 21 genera. Taxonomy In addition to the small set of Malagasy species traditionally called the vangas, Vangidae includes some Asian groups: the woodshrikes (''Tephrodornis''), flycatcher-shrikes (''Hemipus'') and philentomas. Vangidae belongs to a clade of corvid birds that also includes bushshrikes (Malaconotidae), ioras (Aegithinidae) and the Australian butcherbirds, magpies and currawongs (Cracticidae) and woodswallows (Artamidae), which has been defined ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Prionops
Helmetshrikes are the eight species of smallish to mid-sized songbirds in the genus ''Prionops''. They were previously included with the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, later on split between several presumably closely related groups such as bushshrikes (Malaconotidae) and cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae), but are now considered sufficiently distinctive to be separated from that group into the family Vangidae. Description and ecology This is an African group of species which are found in scrub or open woodland. They are similar in feeding habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush or tree. Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be colourful species with the distinctive crests or other head ornaments, such as wattles, from which they get their name. Helmetshrikes are noisy and sociable birds, some of which breed in loose colonies. They lay 2–4 eggs in neat, well-hidden nests. Systematics As the relationships of the shr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Leptopterus
The chabert vanga (''Leptopterus chabert''), also erroneously called "Chabert's vanga", is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Leptopterus''. The chabert vanga is the smallest bird in the vanga family when compared to the white-headed vanga and the blue vanga. Their biometrics are typically 14 centimeters in length and their weight ranges from 17 to 26.5 grams. Habitat The chabert vanga is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. They tend to reside on sea level and up to 1000m. Very occasionally they are found higher than 1000m above sea level. Vocalizations The chabert vanga's name comes from a rendition of its call. Their calls tend to repeat every two to three seconds making the sound "teedee" or a "tse tse tse" when trying to communicate. Diet They feed on insects such as; beetles, cockroac ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Malaconotoidea
__NOTOC__ Malaconotoidea is a superfamily of passerine birds. They contain a vast diversity of omnivorous and carnivorous songbirds widespread in Africa and Australia, many of which superficially resemble shrikes. It was defined and named by Cacraft and colleagues in 2004 and contains the bushshrikes (Malaconotidae), helmetshrikes (Prionopidae), ioras (Aegithinidae), vangas (Vangidae) and the Australian butcherbirds, magpies, currawongs and woodswallows (Artamidae). Molecular analysis in 2006 added the Bornean bristlehead to the group, though its position in the Malconotoidea is unclear. It was initially thought related to the butcherbirds and woodswallows but now is thought to be an early offshoot. In 2012, Jerome Fuchs and colleagues extensively analysed the Malaconotoidea (called by them Malaconotidea), using both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. The resulting tree suggested that the group originated in Australasia and prolifically diversified in Africa after an ancestor cross ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mystacornis
Crossley's vanga (''Mystacornis crossleyi''), also known as Crossley's babbler-vanga, Crossley's babbler, Madagascar groundhunter, or Madagascar groundjumper, is a bird species in the family Vangidae. It is named after the specimen collector Alfred Crossley. Taxonomy The bird is in the monotypic genus ''Mystacornis''. The species is an example of convergent evolution: its bill and body shape adapted to its habit of looking for insect prey in the leaf litter, eventually becoming so similar to that of ground-babblers that early naturalists initially classified the Crossley's vanga into what was then known as the babbler family, Timaliidae.Ulf S Johansson, Rauri C.K Bowie, Shannon J Hackett y Thomas S Schulenberg. The phylogenetic affinities of Crossley's babbler (Mystacornis crossleyi): adding a new niche to the vanga radiation of Madagascar' Description Crossley's vanga is a small babbler-like bird, 15 cm long and weighing around 25 g. Its most distinctive feature is ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hypositta
The nuthatch vanga (''Hypositta corallirostris''), also known as the coral-billed nuthatch-vanga and formerly as the coral-billed nuthatch, is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. References nuthatch vanga Endemic birds of Madagascar nuthatch vanga The nuthatch vanga (''Hypositta corallirostris''), also known as the coral-billed nuthatch-vanga and formerly as the coral-billed nuthatch, is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropi ... Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Vangidae-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Calicalicus
''Calicalicus'' is a genus of bird in the family Vangidae. It contains two species, both of which are endemism, endemic to Madagascar: Species The genus was introduced by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1854 with the red-tailed vanga as the type species. The name ''Calicalicus'' is from the Malagasy language, Malagasy word ''Cali-cali'' reported by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson for the male red-tailed vanga. References Calicalicus, Bird genera Endemic birds of Madagascar Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Vangidae-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Crossley's Babbler
Crossley's vanga (''Mystacornis crossleyi''), also known as Crossley's babbler-vanga, Crossley's babbler, Madagascar groundhunter, or Madagascar groundjumper, is a bird species in the family Vangidae. It is named after the specimen collector Alfred Crossley. Taxonomy The bird is in the monotypic genus ''Mystacornis''. The species is an example of convergent evolution: its bill and body shape adapted to its habit of looking for insect prey in the leaf litter, eventually becoming so similar to that of ground-babblers that early naturalists initially classified the Crossley's vanga into what was then known as the babbler family, Timaliidae.Ulf S Johansson, Rauri C.K Bowie, Shannon J Hackett y Thomas S Schulenberg. The phylogenetic affinities of Crossley's babbler (Mystacornis crossleyi): adding a new niche to the vanga radiation of Madagascar' Description Crossley's vanga is a small babbler-like bird, 15 cm long and weighing around 25 g. Its most distinctive feature is ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ward's Flycatcher
Ward's flycatcher (''Pseudobias wardi''), also known as Ward's flycatcher-vanga, is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Pseudobias''. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Its common name and Latin binomial commemorate the English naturalist Christopher Ward, who collected the type specimen In biology, a type is a particular wikt:en:specimen, specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to ancho ... of the bird. References Ward's flycatcher Endemic birds of Madagascar Ward's flycatcher Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Vangidae-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tylas
The tylas vanga (''Tylas eduardi'') is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Tylas''. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Description TSMF is generally found in large .... References tylas vanga Endemic birds of Madagascar tylas vanga Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Vangidae-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Newtonia (bird)
''Newtonia'' is a genus of passerine birds containing four species. They were formerly classified in the Old World warbler family Sylviidae or Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae but have recently been shown to belong to the vanga family Vangidae.Yamagishi, Satoshi; Honda, Masanao; Eguchi, Kazuhiro & Thorstrom, Russel (2001"Extreme endemic radiation of the Malagasy Vangas (Aves: Passeriformes)"''Journal of Molecular Evolution'', 53: 39-46 They are endemic to Madagascar where they occur in forest or scrubland. They forage in pairs for insects, often joining mixed-species feeding flocks. They are small plump birds, about 12 centimetres in length. They have slender bills and usually have a pale eye. Their plumage is mainly grey or brown, paler on the underparts. They have loud, repeated songs. Species list The genus contains four species: * Dark newtonia, ''Newtonia amphichroa'' * Common newtonia The common newtonia (''Newtonia brunneicauda'') is a species of bird in the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hook-billed Vanga
The hook-billed vanga (''Vanga curvirostris'') is a species of bird in the family Vangidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the hook-billed vanga in his ''Ornithologie'' based on a specimen collected on the island of Madagascar. He used the French name ''L'écorcheur de Madagascar'' and the Latin ''Collurio Madagascariensis''. The two stars (**) at the start of the section indicates that Brisson based his description on the examination of a specimen. Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his ''Systema Naturae'' for the twelfth edition, he added 240 species that had be ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |