Minivet

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Minivets
Scarlet Minivet.jpg
Female scarlet minivet (P. flammeus)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Campephagidae
Genus: Pericrocotus
Boie, 1826
Type species
Muscicapa miniata
Temminck, 1822
Species

See text.

The minivets are passerine birds belonging to the genus Pericrocotus in the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae. There are about 15 species, occurring mainly in forests in southern and eastern Asia. They are fairly small, slender birds with long tails and an erect posture. Most species have bright red or yellow markings. All species show sexual dichromatism with the male usually having more brightly coloured plumage. They feed mainly on insects, foraging in groups in the tree canopy.

Contents

Taxonomy

The genus Pericrocotus was introduced in 1826 by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie with Muscicapa miniata Temminck, the Sunda minivet, as the type species. [1] [2] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek περι/peri meaning "very" or "all around" with κροκωτος/krokōtos meaning "golden-yellow" from κροκος/krokos meaning "saffron". [3]

Species list

The genus contains 15 species: [4]

References

  1. Boie, Friedrich (1826). "Generalübersicht der ornithologischen Ordnungen, Familien und Gattungen". Isis von Oken (in German). 19. Cols 969–981 [972].
  2. Mayr, Ernst; Greenway, James C. Jr, eds. (1960). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 9. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 207.
  3. Jobling, James A. "Pericrocotus". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  4. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2019). "Bristlehead, butcherbirds, woodswallows, ioras, cuckooshrikes, Shriketit". World Bird List Version 9.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 20 August 2019.