Shrike-babblers
Encyclopedia
The Shrike-babblers is a group of small birds in the genus Pteruthius. They are native to the Indomalayan ecozone, and traditionally placed in the family Timaliidae, although genetic work suggests they belong in the otherwise New World family Vireonidae. Most species are found in montane forests, with some species descending
down to lower altitudes during the winter.
The Shrike-babblers range in size from 11.5–20 cm in length and 10-48 g. They are divergent in plumage and size but all possess a stout black hooked bill, short rictal bristles and a distinctive juvenile plumage
. They all exhibit sexual dimorphism
in plumage, with the males generally brighter. The song is simple and monotonous.
None of the species are considered threatened by human activities.
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...
down to lower altitudes during the winter.
The Shrike-babblers range in size from 11.5–20 cm in length and 10-48 g. They are divergent in plumage and size but all possess a stout black hooked bill, short rictal bristles and a distinctive juvenile plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
. They all exhibit 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 plumage, with the males generally brighter. The song is simple and monotonous.
None of the species are considered threatened by human activities.
Species
- White-browed Shrike-babblerWhite-browed Shrike-babblerThe White-browed Shrike-babbler is a bird species traditionally considered an aberrant Old World babbler and placed in the family Timaliidae. But as it seems, it belongs to an Asian offshoot of the American vireos and may well belong in the Vireonidae...
(Pteruthius flaviscapis) - Black-eared Shrike-babblerBlack-eared Shrike-babblerThe Black-eared Shrike-babbler is a bird species traditionally considered an aberrant Old World babbler and placed in the family Timaliidae. But as it seems, it belongs to an Asian offshoot of the American vireos and may well belong in the Vireonidae...
(Pteruthius melanotis) - Black-headed Shrike-babblerBlack-headed Shrike-babblerThe Black-headed Shrike-babbler is a bird species traditionally placed with the Old World babblers in the family Timaliidae. However, it might be one of the few Eurasian vireos ....
(Pteruthius rufiventer) - Green Shrike-babblerGreen Shrike-babblerThe Green Shrike-babbler is a bird species traditionally considered an aberrant Old World babbler and placed in the family Timaliidae. But as it seems, it belongs to an Asian offshoot of the American vireos and may well belong in the Vireonidae...
(Pteruthius xanthochlorus) - Chestnut-fronted Shrike-babblerChestnut-fronted Shrike-babblerThe Chestnut-fronted Shrike-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is found in southern China, north-east India, the island of Java in Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam...
(Pteruthius aenobarbus)