''Smithornis'' is a genus of

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

s in the family Calyptomenidae, the broadbills. The genus comprises three species native to Africa. Before 1914 this genus was classified in the

Old World flycatcher The Old World flycatchers are a large family, the Muscicapidae, of small passerine birds restricted to the Old World (Europe, Africa and Asia), with the exception of several vagrants and two species, bluethroat (''Luscinia svecica'') and north ...

family, Muscicapidae, due to certain similarities.Chapin, J. P. The Birds of the Belgian Congo: Part 3. Vol. 75A. New York: Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 1953. Print.Prum, R. O. (1993)
Phylogeny, biogeography, and evolution of the broadbills (Eurylaimidae) and asities (Philepittidae) based on morphology.
''The Auk'' 110(2) 304-24. Closer examination of the morphology and anatomical features of these birds resulted in their being reclassified in the Eurylaimidae. It is hypothesized that ''Smithornis'' is a monophyletic genus, well separated from other birds in the Eurylaimidae. The differentiation occurred as a result of a division and diversification between Asian and African broadbills.

Species

Etymology

''Smithornis'': Sir Andrew Smith (1797–1872), Scottish surgeon, zoologist, ethnologist, explorer in South Africa; ''ornis'', ορνιθος ''ornithos'' "bird"

Physiology

The species in genus ''Smithornis'' lack the vocal ability that many other birds possess. This is due to the muscular anatomy of the main vocal organ, the

syrinx In classical Greek mythology, Syrinx () was an Arcadian nymph and a follower of Artemis, known for her chastity. Being pursued by Pan, she fled into the river Ladon, and at her own request was metamorphosed into a reed from which Pan then mad ...

. The muscle A1 is widened into a hammer shape and A2 is seen to be oblique. They lack a pessulus, which divides the tympaniform membranes and produces a song in other species of birds. They also lack intrinsic syringeal muscles which contract to change the song.

Behavior

''Smithornis'' are known for the rare ability to make sound with their wings. The typical behavior includes a short circular flight off of the perch and back on again, the vibration of the wings producing the sound.Bates, G. L. (1914)
Some facts bearing on the affinities of ''Smithornis''.
''Ibis'' 56(3) 495-502. This behavior is commonly seen in the early morning and late evening. The behavior may be related to

courtship Courtship is the period wherein some couples get to know each other prior to a possible marriage or committed romantic, ''de facto'' relationship. Courtship traditionally may begin after a betrothal and may conclude with the celebration of marri ...

; the male produces the sound while flashing a white patch on its back when females are present.Clark, C. J., et al. (2016)
''Smithornis'' broadbills produce loud wing song by aeroelastic flutter of medial primary wing feathers.
''Journal of Experimental Biology'' 219(7) 1069-75. The sound is made by all species of ''Smithornis''; in ''S. capensis'' both sexes perform the behavior, but in ''S. rufolateralis'' only the male does so. One observation involved two individual ''S. capensis'' in which one individual flicked its wings, making the sound, while another was close by. They then alternated, taking turns performing the behavior. The behavior did not seem to be aggressive and was thought to be a courtship display.Lawson, W. J. (1961). Probable courtship behaviour of the broadbill ''Smithornis capensis.'' ''Ibis'' 103 289-90. It was previously assumed that the sound was produced by the long outer 9th and 10th major

covert feather A covert feather or tectrix on a bird is one of a set of feathers, called coverts (or ''tectrices''), which cover other feathers. The coverts help to smooth airflow over the wings and tail. Ear coverts The ear coverts are small feathers behind t ...

s. A recent study tested the assumption by using high-speed video and audio recordings, which indicated that coverts 6 and 7 were actually producing the sound.

Gallery

Smithornis capensis capensis 1838.jpg, ''Smithornis capensis capensis'', 1838 SmithornisRufolateralisWolf.jpg, ''Smithornis rufolateralis''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1080965 Bird genera Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte Taxonomy articles created by Polbot