The figbirds are a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

(''Sphecotheres'') in the family of

Old World oriole The Old World orioles (Oriolidae) are an Old World family of passerine birds. The family contains 41 species which are divided in 4 genera. The family includes two extinct species from New Zealand that are placed in the genus '' Turnagra''. Tax ...

s found in wooded habitats in Australia,

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...

, and the Lesser Sundas.

Taxonomy and systematics

Formerly, the three species have been considered

conspecific Biological specificity is the tendency of a characteristic such as a behavior or a biochemical variation to occur in a particular species. Biochemist Linus Pauling stated that "Biological specificity is the set of characteristics of living organism ...

, but all major authorities now consider them as separate species.Higgins, P. J., L. Christidis, & H. A. Ford (2008). Family Oriolidae (Orioles). Pp. 692-731 in: del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, & D. A. Christie. eds. (2008). ''Handbook of the Birds of the World.'' Vol. 13. Pendulin-tits to Shrikes. Lynx Edicions. Dickinson, E. C. (editor) (2003). ''The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World.'' 3rd edition, w. updates. Christopher Helm. Andrew, P. (1992). ''The Birds of Indonesia: A Check-list.'' Kukila Check-list No. 1. Indonesian Ornithological Society, Jakarta.Gill, F., M. Wright, & D. Donsker (2009).
IOC World Bird Names
'' Version 2.1. Accessed 04-07-2009Christidis, L., & W. E. Boles (2008). ''Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds.'' CSIRO. The split is primarily based on differences in measurements,

plumage Plumage () is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, there can b ...

, and

biogeography Biogeography is the study of the species distribution, distribution of species and ecosystems in geography, geographic space and through evolutionary history of life, geological time. Organisms and biological community (ecology), communities o ...

Species

Three

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

are recognized:

Description

They are strongly

sexually dimorphic Sexual dimorphism is the condition where sexes of the same species exhibit different Morphology (biology), morphological characteristics, including characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most dioecy, di ...

, with males having olive-green upperparts, a black head, and (uniquely for the family) distinct bright red facial skin.Simpson, K. (editor) & N. Day (illustrator) (1994). ''Field Guide to the Birds of Australia.'' 2nd edition. Christopher Helm. Coates, B. J., & K. D. Bishop (1997). ''A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea.'' Dove Publications Pty. Ltd. Females are drab-coloured, being dull brownish above, and white below with strong dark streaking. They have greyish facial skin, and a greyish-black bill.

Behaviour and ecology

Compared to the "typical" Old World orioles of the genus ''

Oriolus Orioles are colourful Old World passerine birds in the genus ''Oriolus'', the type genus of the corvoidean family Oriolidae. They are not closely related to the New World orioles, which are icterids (family Icteridae) that belong to the superfa ...

'', the figbirds are more

frugivorous A frugivore ( ) is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts and seeds. Approximately 20% of mammalian herbivores eat fruit. Frugivores are highly dependent on the abundance ...

(though they also take some small insects, nectar, and seeds) and gregarious, even breeding in small, loose

colonies A colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule, which rules the territory and its indigenous peoples separated from the foreign rulers, the colonizer, and their '' metropole'' (or "mother country"). This separated rule was often or ...

(at least for the Australasian figbird; the nesting habits are still unknown for the other two species).

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2417877 Birds of Indonesia Taxa named by Louis Pierre Vieillot