Iora
Encyclopedia
The ioras are a family
, Aegithinidae, of small passerine
bird
species
found in India
and southeast Asia
. The family has only four species in a single genus, Aegithina. They are one of only three bird families that are entirely endemic to the Indomalaya
n ecozone
. They were formerly grouped with the other two of those families, the leafbird
s and fairy-bluebird
s, in the family Irenidae.
s, but whereas that group tends to be drab in colouration, the ioras are more brightly coloured. The group exhibits sexual dimorphism
in its plumage, with the males being brightly plumaged in yellows and greens. Unlike the leafbirds, ioras have thin legs, and their bills are proportionately longer. Calls are strident whistles; songs are musical to human ears.
scrub, forest edge, and closed forests, as well as agricultural land and (in the Common Iora
) gardens. They are generally lowland birds, with most reaching only as high as the submontane forests. They are generally highly arboreal and usually occur in the tree canopy, with only very rare records of this family coming down to the ground. The family is overwhelmingly non-migratory
, although in West India there is some evidence that White-tailed Iora
s and Common Iora
s are partly migratory in the seasonal semi-desert fringe.
the leaves of the slenderest outer twigs.
In the two species whose male courtship displays are known, they are elaborate, culminating in the males' parachute-style descent looking like "green balls of fluff". The nests are compact open cups felted to branches with spiderweb. Females lay 2 or 3 eggs, which have pinkish speckles and red and purple lines. They incubate at night; the males, by day. Incubation lasts about 14 days. Both parents are responsible for brooding and feeding the chicks.
. They are mostly not threatened by human activities, although the Green Iora
is listed as near threatened
by the IUCN, habitat loss is responsible for its decline. Unlike many other passerines they are not common species in the cage bird trade.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, Aegithinidae, of small passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
found in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and southeast Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The family has only four species in a single genus, Aegithina. They are one of only three bird families that are entirely endemic to the Indomalaya
Indomalaya
The Indomalaya ecozone is one of the eight ecozones that cover the planet's land surface. It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia....
n ecozone
Ecozone
An ecozone is the broadest biogeographic division of the Earth's land surface, based on distributional patterns of terrestrial organisms.Ecozones delineate large areas of the Earth's surface within which organisms have been evolving in relative isolation over long periods of time, separated from...
. They were formerly grouped with the other two of those families, the leafbird
Leafbird
The leafbirds are a family of small passerine bird species found in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. They are one of only three bird families that are entirely endemic to the Indomalayan ecozone. They were formerly grouped with the ioras and fairy-bluebirds in the family Irenidae...
s and fairy-bluebird
Fairy-bluebird
The two fairy-bluebirds are small passerine bird species found in forests and plantations in tropical southern Asia and the Philippines. They are the sole members of the genus Irena and family Irenidae, and are related to the ioras and leafbirds.These are bulbul-like birds of open forest or thorn...
s, in the family Irenidae.
Description
The ioras are small to medium small sized passerines, ranging from 11.5 to 15.5 cm (4.5 to 6.1 in) in length. Overall the males are larger than the females. These are reminiscent of the bulbulBulbul
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands...
s, but whereas that group tends to be drab in colouration, the ioras are more brightly coloured. The group exhibits sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
in its plumage, with the males being brightly plumaged in yellows and greens. Unlike the leafbirds, ioras have thin legs, and their bills are proportionately longer. Calls are strident whistles; songs are musical to human ears.
Habitat and movements
Their habitats include acaciaAcacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
scrub, forest edge, and closed forests, as well as agricultural land and (in the Common Iora
Common Iora
The Common Iora is a small passerine bird found across the tropical Indian Subcontinent with populations showing plumage variations, some of which are designated as subspecies. A species found in scrub and forest, it is easily detected from its loud whistles and the bright colours...
) gardens. They are generally lowland birds, with most reaching only as high as the submontane forests. They are generally highly arboreal and usually occur in the tree canopy, with only very rare records of this family coming down to the ground. The family is overwhelmingly non-migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
, although in West India there is some evidence that White-tailed Iora
White-tailed Iora
The White-tailed Iora or Marshall's Iora , is a songbird in the genus Aegithina found in parts of India and Sri Lanka.-Distribution and identification:...
s and Common Iora
Common Iora
The Common Iora is a small passerine bird found across the tropical Indian Subcontinent with populations showing plumage variations, some of which are designated as subspecies. A species found in scrub and forest, it is easily detected from its loud whistles and the bright colours...
s are partly migratory in the seasonal semi-desert fringe.
Behaviour
Ioras eat insects and spiders, which they find by nimbly gleaningGleaning (birds)
Gleaning is a term for a feeding strategy by birds in which they catch invertebrate prey, mainly arthropods, by plucking them from foliage or the ground, from crevices such as rock faces and under the eaves of houses, or even, as in the case of ticks and lice, from living animals. This behavior is...
the leaves of the slenderest outer twigs.
In the two species whose male courtship displays are known, they are elaborate, culminating in the males' parachute-style descent looking like "green balls of fluff". The nests are compact open cups felted to branches with spiderweb. Females lay 2 or 3 eggs, which have pinkish speckles and red and purple lines. They incubate at night; the males, by day. Incubation lasts about 14 days. Both parents are responsible for brooding and feeding the chicks.
Relationship with humans
Ioras will commonly live close to humans and even lives in the suburbs of cites like SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. They are mostly not threatened by human activities, although the Green Iora
Green Iora
The Green Iora is a species of bird in the Aegithinidae family. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand....
is listed as near threatened
Near Threatened
Near Threatened is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status...
by the IUCN, habitat loss is responsible for its decline. Unlike many other passerines they are not common species in the cage bird trade.
Species of Aegithinidae
- Common IoraCommon IoraThe Common Iora is a small passerine bird found across the tropical Indian Subcontinent with populations showing plumage variations, some of which are designated as subspecies. A species found in scrub and forest, it is easily detected from its loud whistles and the bright colours...
, Aegithina tiphia - White-tailed IoraWhite-tailed IoraThe White-tailed Iora or Marshall's Iora , is a songbird in the genus Aegithina found in parts of India and Sri Lanka.-Distribution and identification:...
, Aegithina nigrolutea - Green IoraGreen IoraThe Green Iora is a species of bird in the Aegithinidae family. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand....
, Aegithina viridissima - Great IoraGreat IoraThe Great Iora is a species of bird in the Aegithinidae family.It is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Aegithina lafresnayei
External links
- Iora videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection