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Myophonus

(Genus)

Overview

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The whistling-thrushes comprise a genus Myophonus (Myiophoneus1]) of the thrush family Turdidae.

They are all medium-sized mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds. They are all brightly colored species found in India and southeast Asia. The male is usually blue, and the females are either similar to the male or brown.

The brighter blue patches found on the shoulders and sometimes the head, of whistling thrushes, uniquely for a passerine, reflect strongly in the ultraviolet.[2]

Many of the species are confined to single islands or countries.

Species:

Javan, Bornean and Chestnut-winged were formerly lumped as Sunda Whistling-thrush, but split by Collar (2004).

Habits

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Shape of bill M. caeruleus

Whistlin g Thrushes are mostly seen in hilly areas except during winter when they may descend to streams near the plains. They specialize in feeding on snails and their strong hooked bills are used to deal with them. They may choose a particular rock on which they crack the shells.[3]

The nests are usually in crevices of rocks and boulders close to water. The cup nests have moss and twigs and is lined with roots and leaves. The eggs are usually three and sometimes four, elongate with a gray ground color and marked with speckles.[3]

s, Sumatra
  • Javan Whistling-thrush Myophonus glaucinus, Java
  • Bornean Whistling-thrush Myophonus borneensis, Borneo
  • Malayan Whistling-thrush, Myophonus robinsoni, peninsular Malaysia
  • Malabar Whistling-thrush, Myophonus horsfieldii, peninsular India
  • Formosan Whistling-thrush or Taiwan Whistling-thrush, Myophonus insularis, Taiwan
  • Blue Whistling-thrush, Myophonus caeruleus, from Central Asia east to China and south to the Sundas

    • Javan, Bornean and Chestnut-winged were formerly lumped as Sunda Whistling-thrush, but split by Collar (2004).

    Habits

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    Shape of bill M. caeruleus

    Whistling Thrushes are mostly seen in hilly areas except during winter when they may descend to streams near the plains. They specialize in feeding on snails and their strong hooked bills are used to deal with them. They may choose a particular rock on which they crack the shells.[3]

    The nests are usually in crevices of rocks and boulders close to water. The cup nests have moss and twigs and is lined with roots and leaves. The eggs are usually three and sometimes four, elongate with a gray ground color and marked with speckles.[3]

    Notes

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    1. ^ Delacour 1942 (Auk 146-264) writes "the proper spelling is Myiophoneus Temminck and Laugier, 1822 Myophonus T. and L., 1822 is an orthographic error, as well as Myophoneus in their tables, x859, while Myiophonus Agassiz, 1846, is an unnecessary emendation."
    2. ^ Staffan Andersson (1996). "Bright Ultraviolet coloration in the Asian Whistling-Thrushes (Myiophonus spp.)". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 263 (1372): 843?848. doi:10.1098/rspb.1996.0124. 
    3. ^ a b Delacour 1942

    References

    Taxonomy

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    The Genus Myophonus is further organized into finer groupings including:

    References

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    Footnotes

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    1. ^ Delacour 1942 (Auk 146-264) writes "the proper spelling is Myiophoneus Temminck and Laugier, 1822 Myophonus T. and L., 1822 is an orthographic error, as well as Myophoneus in their tables, x859, while Myiophonus Agassiz, 1846, is an unnecessary emendation."
    2. ^ Staffan Andersson (1996). "Bright Ultraviolet coloration in the Asian Whistling-Thrushes (Myiophonus spp.)". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 263 (1372): 843?848. doi:10.1098/rspb.1996.0124. 
    3. ^ a b Delacour 1942

    Sources

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    Last Revised: August 24, 2012
    2012/08/24 15:47:39