Bristlebill

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Bristlebills
Flickr - Rainbirder - Grey-headed Bristlebill (Bleda canicapilla) (1) (cropped).jpg
Grey-headed bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Bleda
Bonaparte, 1857
Type species
Dasycephala syndactyla
(Red-tailed bristlebill)
Swainson, 1837
Species

See text

Bleda distribution map.png
Synonyms
  • Xenocichla

The bristlebills are a genus Bleda of passerine birds in the bulbul family Pycnonotidae. They are found in the forest understorey of western and central Africa. They forage for insects at or near ground-level, often near water. They will follow driver ant swarms to catch prey items fleeing from the ants and they frequently join mixed-species feeding flocks.

Contents

They are 18–23 cm long with fairly long, stout bills. The upperparts are mainly green-brown while the underparts are yellow. The birds have whistling songs.

The nest is made of leaves or sticks and built in a shrub or small tree. Two eggs are laid.

Taxonomy

The genus Bleda was introduced in 1857 by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte with the red-tailed bristlebill as the type species. [1] The genus was named after Bleda, elder brother of Attila and joint ruler of the Huns. [2]

Species

The genus contains five species: [3]

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Red-tailed bristlebill (Bleda syndactylus syndactylus) Ankasa 2.jpg Red-tailed bristlebill Bleda syndactylus African tropical rainforest
Green-tailed bristlebill (Bleda eximius) Ankasa.jpg Green-tailed bristlebill Bleda eximius Upper Guinean forests
Flickr - Rainbirder - Grey-headed Bristlebill (Bleda canicapilla) (1) (cropped).jpg Grey-headed bristlebill Bleda canicapillus Guinean Forests of West Africa
- Yellow-lored bristlebill Bleda notatusWestern Congolian rainforests
- Yellow-eyed bristlebill Bleda ugandae Congo Basin and Uganda

Former species

Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Bleda:

References

  1. Bonaparte, Charles Lucien (1857). "Notes sur le genre Moquinus, nouvelle forme intermédiaire aux Turdides, aux Laniides et aux Muscicapides; sur le nouveau genre MyiagrienSchwaneria : et sur le Catalogue des Oiseaux d'Europe et d'Algérie". Revue et Magasin de Zoologie Pure et Appliquée. 2nd (in French). 9: 49–63 via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  2. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 73. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  3. Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (eds.). "Family Pycnonotidae". IOC World Bird List . Version 10.2. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  4. "Arizelocichla kakamegae - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
  5. "Arizelocichla kikuyuensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  6. "Arizelocichla nigriceps - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  7. "Arizelocichla fusciceps - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  8. "Arizelocichla chlorigula - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  9. "Arizelocichla milanjensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  10. "Arizelocichla striifacies - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
  11. "Baeopogon clamans - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
  12. "Atimastillas flavicollis soror - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  13. "Atimastillas flavicollis flavigula (pallidigula) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  14. "Phyllastrephus scandens orientalis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
  15. "Phyllastrephus placidus - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
  16. "Phyllastrephus xavieri - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  17. "Phyllastrephus albigularis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  18. "Phyllastrephus flavostriatus tenuirostris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  19. "Phyllastrephus alfredi - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  20. "Phyllastrephus poliocephalus - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  21. "Phyllastrephus debilis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  22. Zoology, British Museum (Natural History) Dept of (1881-01-01). Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum: Passeriformes, or perching birds. Cichlomorphœ: pt. III-IV, containing the ... family Timeliidœ (babbling-thrushes) by R.B. Sharpe. order of the Trustees.

Further reading