Malaconotus

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Malaconotus
Die Vogel Afrikas (6425136275), Malaconotus blanchoti hypopyrrhus, Anton Reichenow.jpg
Grey-headed bushshrike (Malaconotus blanchoti) in Reichenow (1902)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Malaconotidae
Genus: Malaconotus
Swainson, 1824
Type species
Lanius olivaceus [1]
Vieillot, 1818
Species

6, and see text

Malaconotus is a genus of passerine birds in the bush-shrike family Malaconotidae, which is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Their Greek generic name suggests fluffy back and rump feathers. [2]

Contents

Description

All are large-bodied with robust legs and feet, and formidable shrike-like bills. [2] As in other Malacotini, the upper mandible (maxilla) has a subterminal tooth, opposing a notch on the lower mandible. Both nasal and rictal bristles are present, and they are unique in their family in having syndactyl feet (3rd and 4th digits fused). [2] They have 10 primaries and 12 rectrices like others of their family. The sexes are similar in appearance, but have dissimilar calls.

Habits

They form monogamous pairs that live fairly sedentary in woodlands or tropical forest. They are very vocal, but their duetting is poorly developed compared to the related genus Telophorus . Their displays include bill-snapping, a habit shared with helmetshrikes (and some vangas of Madagascar), which however differ in their social foraging habits and cooperative breeding. Malaconotus bushshrikes breed solitarily, lay a small clutch (5 maximum) of elongate eggs, and their chicks are altricial. [2]

Systematics

They likely occupy a basal position in the family. [2] About 60% of the species formerly placed here are now usually separated in Telophorus or Chlorophoneus . The old taxonomy is also often found though.

Malaconotus sensu stricto contains the following species:

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
LaniariusPoliochlamysSmit (cropped).jpg Malaconotus cruentus Fiery-breasted bushshrike equatorial Africa, from Sierra Leone to western Uganda
MalaconotusLagdeniKeulemans (cropped).jpg Malaconotus lagdeni Lagden's bushshrike Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Die Vogel Afrikas (6425136275), Malaconotus gladiator, Anton Reichenow.jpg Malaconotus gladiator Green-breasted bushshrike Cameroon and adjacent Nigeria
LaniariusSmit, Malaconotus blanchoti.jpg Malaconotus blanchoti Grey-headed bushshrike Sub-Saharan Africa, although relatively absent in Central and Southern Africa
Malaconotus monteiri monteiri Smit.jpg Malaconotus monteiri Monteiro's bushshrike Angola and Cameroon
Malaconotus alius Uluguru bushshrike Uluguru Mountains in Tanzania

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bushshrike</span> Family of birds

The bushshrikes are smallish passerine birds. They were formerly classed with the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, but are now considered sufficiently distinctive to be separated from that group as the family Malaconotidae, a name that alludes to their fluffy back and rump feathers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bokmakierie</span> Species of bird

The bokmakierie is a bushshrike. This family of passerine birds is closely related to the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, and was once included in that group. This species is endemic to southern Africa, mainly in South Africa and Namibia, with an isolated population in the mountains of eastern Zimbabwe and western Mozambique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lagden's bushshrike</span> Species of bird

Lagden's bushshrike is a bird species in the bushshrike family (Malaconotidae) native to Africa. It is a stocky bird with yellow or orange-yellow underparts, olive green upperparts, a grey head and heavy bill. Two subspecies are recognised, one found in west Africa and one in central Africa.

References

  1. ↑ "Malacontidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Hockey, P. A. R.; Dean, W. R. J.; Ryan, P. G. (2005). Roberts Birds of Southern Africa (7th ed.). Cape Town: Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. pp. 47–48. ISBN   0-620-34053-3.
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