Leiothrichidae
| Leiothrichidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| White-crested laughingthrush | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Superfamily: | Sylvioidea |
| Family: | Leiothrichidae Swainson, 1831 |
| Genera | |
|
Dozens; see article text | |
The laughingthrushes are a family of Old World passerine birds. They are diverse in size and coloration. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The entire family used to be included in the Timaliidae.
Characteristics
They are small to medium-sized birds. They have strong legs, and many are quite terrestrial. They typically have generalised bills, similar to those of a thrush. Most have predominantly brown plumage, with minimal difference between the sexes, but many more brightly coloured species also exist.[1]
This group is not strongly migratory, and most species have short rounded wings, and a weak flight. They live in lightly wooded or scrubland environments, ranging from swamp to near-desert. They are primarily insectivorous, although many will also take berries, and the larger species will even eat small lizards and other vertebrates.[1]
List of genera
The family contains 135 species divided into 15 genera:[2]
- Phyllanthus – monotypic, Capuchin babbler
- Kupeornis (3 species)
- Turdoides (30 species)
- Babax (4 species)
- Garrulax (45 species)
- Trochalopteron (19 species)
- Cutia (2 species)
- Minla (3 species)
- Liocichla (5 species)
- Actinodura (7 species)
- Leiothrix (2 species)
- Crocias (2 species)
- Heterophasia (8 species)
- Montecincla (4 species)
References
- 1 2 Perrins, C. (1991). Forshaw, Joseph, ed. Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds. London: Merehurst Press. pp. 188–190. ISBN 1-85391-186-0.
- ↑ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2018). "Laughingthrushes and allies". World Bird List Version 8.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- Cibois, A. 2003. Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny of babblers (Timaliidae). Auk 120: 35–54.
- Collar, N. J., and C. Robson. 2007. Family Timaliidae (babblers). Pages 70–291 in J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, and D.A. Christie (editors), Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
- Gelang, M., A. Cibois, E. Pasquet, U. Olsson, P. Alström and P.G.P. Ericson. 2009. Phylogeny of babblers (Aves, Passeriformes): major lineages, family limits and classification. Zoologica Scripta 38: 225–236.