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Oreoicidae
Oreoicidae is a newly recognized family of small insectivorous songbirds from New Guinea and Australia, commonly known as the Australo-Papuan bellbirds. The family contains three genera, each containing a single species: ''Aleadryas'', which contains the rufous-naped bellbird; ''Ornorectes'', which contains the piping bellbird; and ''Oreoica'', which contains the crested bellbird. Taxonomy and systematics The three species contained in the family have been moved around between different families for fifty years, including the Colluricinclidae (shrike-thrushes), Falcunculidae (shrike-tits) and Pachycephalidae (whistlers). A series of studies of the DNA of Australian birds between 2001 and 2006 found strong support for treating the three genera as a new family, which was formally named in 2016 (although the name had first been proposed by Sibley and Ahlquist in 1985). Within the passerines, the relationship of the Australo-Papuan bellbirds to other bird families has been diff ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crested Bellbird
The crested bellbird (''Oreoica gutturalis'') is a medium-sized passerine bird in the family Oreoicidae. It is native to drier parts of Australia where its typical habitats are acacia scrublands, eucalypt woodlands, spinifex and saltbush plains, and dunes. The male is about long and has a grey head, a black crest and breast, and a grey or olive brown body. The female and juvenile are similar but the colours are more muted and the black breast is lacking. The distinctive call is a high pitched bell-like sound, audible at some distance. Sometimes a pair of birds duet. The crested bellbird feeds on seeds and small invertebrates, foraging on the ground or in low bushes. The deep, cup-shaped nest is usually within a couple of metres of the ground, built in the fork of a branch or in a crevice in a stump. It is made from small twigs and bark and lined with finer material. Up to four eggs are laid and these are incubated by both parents. Overall this bird is quite common, but in some ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |