Cissinae

Cissinae
The taiwan blue magpie
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Corvidae
Subfamily:	Cissinae Kaup, 1855
Genera
Urocissa Cissa

Cissinae is one of six subfamilies in the crow family (Corvidae). It comprises 9 species, which are spread over two genera. ^[1] The members of Cissinae as a whole are sometimes referred to as blue/green magpies, and are described as some of the most colourful members of the Corvidae family. ^[2]

Description

Species in Cissinae are brightly-coloured magpies; blue or green, generally blue in Urocissa and green in Cissa ^[2] , although members of Cissa have been observed to appear more blue or turquoise in captivity. ^[3]

Distribution and habitat

Members of Cissinae are found across tropical South and Southeast Asia. ^[2]

Taxonomy

Genus	Species	Image of type species	Range
Urocissa Cabanis, 1850	Taiwan blue magpie (U. caerulea) (Gould, 1863) Red-billed blue magpie (U. erythroryncha) (Boddaert, 1783) Yellow-billed blue magpie (U. flavirostris)(Blyth, 1846) Sri Lanka blue magpie (U. ornata)(Wagler, 1829) White-winged magpie (U. whiteheadi)(Ogilvie-Grant, 1899)		Tropical and subtropical South and Southeast Asia
Cissa Boie, 1826	Common green magpie (C. chinensis) (Boddaert, 1783) Indochinese green magpie (C. hypoleuca) (Salvadori & Giglioli, 1885) Javan green magpie (C. thalassina) (Sharpe, 1888) Bornean green magpie (C. jefferyi) (Temminck, 1826)		Tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia

Evolutionary history

Cissinae is thought to have originated in East Asia and Sundaland, during the Miocene. The birds also dispersed into the Indian subcontinent around the mid-Pliocene, and diversification of Cissinae members occurred afterwards. ^[2]

Corvidae	Pyrrhocoracinae Pyrrhocorax Crypsirininae Dendrocitta Crypsirina Temnurus Platysmurus Cissinae Urocissa Cissa Perisoreinae Perisoreus Cyanopica Cyanocoracinae Cyanocorax Calocitta Psilorhinus Aphelocoma Cyanocitta Gymnorhinus Cyanolyca Corvinae Corvus  sensu lato Corvus Coloeus Nucifraga Pica Garrulus Podoces Ptilostomus Zavattariornis
	Laniidae

References

1. "Jboyd.net" . Retrieved 2026-01-20.
2. Sumudu W. Fernando. "Evolutionary Aspects Of The Family Corvidae (Aves): A Synthesis Of Phylogenetics, Biogeography And Niche Evolution" . Retrieved 2026-01-27.
3. "When Javan Green Magpies feel blue – Silent Forest". www.silentforest.eu. Retrieved 2023-04-03.