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Vangidae

(Family)

Overview

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The vangas (from vanga, Malagasy for the Hook-billed Vanga, Vanga curvirostris)1] are a group of little-known small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to Madagascar and the Comoros. They are usually classified as the family Vangidae. There are about 22 species, depending on taxonomy. Most species are shrike-like, arboreal forest birds, feeding on reptiles, frogs and insects. Several other Madagascan birds more similar to Old World warblers, Old World babblers or Old world flycatchers are now often placed in this family. Vangas differ greatly in bill shape and have a variety of foraging methods. Their stick nests are built in trees. They do not migrate.

Taxonomy

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Their relationship with other passerine groups is uncertain, but they seem closely related to some enigmatic African groups: the helmetshrikes (Prionops) an d the shrike-flycatchers (Bias and Megabyas).[2] They also appear to be close to some Asian groups: the woodshrikes (Tephrodornis), flycatcher-shrikes (Hemipus) and philentomas.[3]

Though vangas were traditionally believed to be a small family of generally shrike-like birds, recent research suggests that several Madagascan taxa most similar in appearance and habits (and formerly considered to be) Old World warblers, Old World flycatchers or Old World babblers may be vangas. Yamagishi et al. found in 2001 that the newtonias appeared to belong with the vangas rather than the warblers and also that the Tylas was a vanga and not a bulbul.[4] It also appears that Ward's Flycatcher and Crossley's Babbler belong with the vangas.[5][6][7]

Description

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The vangas are an example of adaptive radiation, having evolved from a single founding population into a variety of forms adapted to various niches occupied by other bird families in other parts of the world.[8] They differ in size, color and bill shape but are similar in skull shape and bony palate structure.[9] They are small to medium-sized birds, varying from 12 to 32 cm in length.[10] Many have strong, hooked bills similar to those of shrikes. The Helmet Vanga has a particularly large bill with a casque on top. Other species, such as the newtonias, have a small, thin bill. The Sickle-billed Vanga is notable for its long, curved bill used to probe into holes and cracks.[9]

Most vangas are largely black, brown or grey above and white below. Exceptions include the blue and white Blue Vanga and the blue-grey Nuthatch Vanga. The Helmet Vanga is mostly black with a rufous back. Male Bernier's Vangas are entirely black while the females are brown. It is one of several species with distinct male and female plumage while in other species the sexes are identical.[10]

Most vangas have whistling calls.[10]

Distribution and habitat

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All vangas are endemic to Madagascar apart from the Blue Vanga which also occurs in the Comoros on Moh?li island and, at least formerly, on Grande Comore.[10] They are found throughout Madagascar, in a variety of forest and scrub habitats. Several species including Van Dam's Vanga and Sickle-billed Vanga can be found in the dry deciduous forests in the west of the island. Some such as Crossley's Babbler, Helmet Vanga and Bernier's Vanga are restricted to rainforest in the east of the island. Lafresnaye's Vanga and the recently-discovered Red-shouldered Vanga occur in subarid thorn scrub in the south-west.[10]

Behaviour

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a Helmet Vanga feeding nestlings

Their diet can include insects, earthworms, millipedes, lizards and amphibians.[9] The Blue Vanga and Chabert's Vanga occasionally eat fruit.[8] Many species feed in small groups, often i n mixed-species foraging flocks. The Hook-billed Vanga and Lafresnaye's Vanga tend to forage alone.[9] Vangas have a variety of different foraging strategies. Many species glean food as they move through the branches. The Nuthatch Vanga climbs up trunks and branches like a nuthatch but does not climb downwards as nuthatches do.[10] Crossley's Babbler forages by walking along the forest floor amongst the leaf litter.[10] Chabert's Vanga and the Tylas Vanga often fly into the air to catch prey. The three Xenopirostris vangas use their laterally flattened bills to strip bark off trees to search for food underneath.[8]

Most species nest in pairs, building cup-shaped nests using twigs, bark, roots and leaves. The Sickle-billed Vanga nests in groups and builds a large nest of sticks.[9]

Status and conservation

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Some species of vanga are common such as Chabert's Vanga which can survive in secondary woodland and plantations of introduced trees.[10] Several other species are threatened by loss of their forest habitat. Pollen's Vanga is classed as Near-threatened by BirdLife International and the Red-shouldered Vanga, Bernier's Vanga, Helmet Vanga and Red-tailed Newtonia are regarded as Vulnerable. Van Dam's Vanga is classed as Endangered because it is restricted to a small area of north-west Madagascar where the forest is rapidly disappearing due to clearance for agriculture and uncontrolled bushfires.[11] Bluntschli's Vanga is known only from two old specimens and is classed as Data Deficient.[12]

Species list

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Hook-billed Vanga (Vanga cu rvirostris)
Lafresnaye's Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris)
Chabert's Vanga (Leptopterus chabert)

FAMILY: VANGIDAE

> Many species feed in small groups, often in mixed-species foraging flocks. The Hook-billed Vanga and Lafresnaye's Vanga tend to forage alone.[9] Vangas have a variety of different foraging strategies. Many species glean food as they move through the branches. The Nuthatch Vanga climbs up trunks and branches like a nuthatch but does not climb downwards as nuthatches do.[10] Crossley's Babbler forages by walking along the forest floor amongst the leaf litter.[10] Chabert's Vanga and the Tylas Vanga often fly into the air to catch prey. The three Xenopirostris vangas use their laterally flattened bills to strip bark off trees to search for food underneath.[8]

Most species nest in pairs, building cup-shaped nests using twigs, bark, roots and leaves. The Sickle-billed Vanga nests in groups and builds a large nest of sticks.[9]

Status and conservation

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Some species of vanga are common such as Chabert's Vanga which can survive in secondary woodland and plantations of introduced trees.[10] Several other species are threatened by loss of their forest habitat. Pollen's Vanga is classed as Near-threatened by BirdLife International and the Red-shouldered Vanga, Bernier's Vanga, Helmet Vanga and Red-tailed Newtonia are regarded as Vulnerable. Van Dam's Vanga is classed as Endangered b ecause it is restricted to a small area of north-west Madagascar where the forest is rapidly disappearing due to clearance for agriculture and uncontrolled bushfires.[11] Bluntschli's Vanga is known only from two old specimens and is classed as Data Deficient.[12]

Species list

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Hook-billed Vanga (Vanga curvirostris)
Lafresnaye's Vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris)
Chabert's Vanga (Leptopterus chabert)

FAMILY: VANGIDAE

References

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  1. ^ Jobling, James A. (1991). A Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Oxford University Press. p. 242. ISBN 0-19-854634-3. 
  2. ^ Fuchs, J.; Bowie, R.C.K.; Fjeldsa, J. & Pasquet, E. (2004): Phylogenetic relationships of the African bush-shrikes and helmet-shrikes (Passeriformes: Malaconotidae). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 33(2): 428-439. HTML abstract
  3. ^ Moyle, R.G., J. Cracraft, M. Lakim, J. Nais & F.H. Sheldon (2006), Reconsideration of the phylogenetic relationships of the enigmatic Bornean Bristlehead (Pityriasis gymnocephala), Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 39, 893-898.
  4. ^ Yamagishi, S.; Honda, M.; Eguchi, K. & Thorstrom, R. (2001): Extreme endemic radiation of the Malagasy Vangas (Aves: Passeriformes). J. Mol. Evol. 53(1): 39-46. Abstract
  5. ^ Cibois, A.; Pasquet, E. & Schulenberg, T.S. (1999): Molecular systematics of the Malagasy babblers (Timaliidae) and Warblers (Sylviidae), based on cytochrome b and 16S rRNA sequences. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 13(3): 581-595. HTML abstract
  6. ^ Cibois, A.; Slikas, B.; Schulenberg, T.S. & Pasquet, E. (2001): An endemic radiation of Malagasy songbirds is revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Evolution 55(6): 1198-1206. PDF fulltext>
  7. ^ Schulenberg, T.S. (2003): The Radiations of Passerine Birds on Madagascar. In: Goodman, Steven M. & Benstead, Jonathan P. (eds.): The Natural History of Madagascar: 1130-1134. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-30306-3
  8. ^ a b c Garbutt, Nick (2004) Different by design: the Vangas of Madagascar, in: Africa - Birds & Birding, 9: 28-34.
  9. ^ a b c d e Perrins, Christopher, ed. (2004) The New Encyclopedia of Birds, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Sinclair, Ian & Olivier, Langrand (1998) Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands, Struik, Cape Town.
  11. ^ BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Xenopirostris damii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2/1/2010.
  12. ^ BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Hypositta perdita. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2/1/2010.

External links

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Taxonomy

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The Family Vangidae is a member of the Superfamily Corvoidea. Here is the complete "parentage" of Vangidae:

The Family Vangidae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Genera

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Artamella

The White-headed Vanga (Artamella viridis) is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Artamella.[] It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. [more]

Calicalicus

Calicalicus is a genus of in the Vangidae family. The two species are both endemic to Madagascar. It contains the following species: [more]

Cyanolanius

The Blue Vanga (Cyanolanius madagascarinus) is a bird species in the family Vangidae. It is in the monotypic genus Cyanolanius.[] The taxon comorensis, by most authorities considered a subspecies of the Blue Vanga, has occasionally been considered a separate species, the Comoro Blue Vanga (Cyanolanius comorensis). [more]

Euryceros

The Helmet Vanga (Euryceros prevostii) is a distinctive-looking bird of the vanga family, Vangidae, and is classified in its own genus, Euryceros. It is mainly blue-black, with rufous wings and a huge arched blue bill. It is restricted to lowland and lower montane rainforests of northeastern Madagascar. Its diet is composed of invertebrates, predominantly insects. [more]

Falculea

The Sickle-billed Vanga (Falculea palliata) is a species of bird in the vanga family Vangidae. It is monotypic within the genus Falculea. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are tropical dry forests and tropical dry shrubland. [more]

Hypositta

Hypositta is a of birds in the Vangidae family. It contains the following species: [more]

Leptopterus

The Chabert Vanga (Leptopterus chabert), also erroneously called "Chabert's Vanga", is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Leptopterus.[] It is endemic to Madagascar. Its name comes from a rendition of its call. [more]

Mystacornis

The Crossley's Vanga (Mystacornis crossleyi), also known as Crossley's Babbler-vanga, Crossley's Babbler, or Madagascar Groundjumper, is a bird species in the family Vangidae. It is in the monotypic genus Mystacornis. The species was once placed in the Old World babbler family Timaliidae and its position with the vangas is still not universally accepted. It is endemic to Madagascar. It is distributed in the east of Madagascar in broadleaf forest, from sea level up to 1800 m. [more]

Newtonia

Newtonia could refer to: [more]

Oriolia

The Bernier's Vanga (Oriolia bernieri) is a bird species in the family Vangidae. It is in the monotypic genus Oriolia. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. [more]

Pseudobias

The Ward's Flycatcher (Pseudobias wardi), also known as Ward's Flycatcher-vanga is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Pseudobias.[] It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. [more]

Schetba

The Rufous Vanga (Schetba rufa) is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Schetba.[] It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. [more]

Tylas

The Tylas Vanga (Tylas eduardi) is a species of bird in the Vangidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Tylas.[] It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. [more]

Vanga

The vangas (from vanga, Malagasy for the Hook-billed Vanga, Vanga curvirostris) are a group of little-known small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to Madagascar and the Comoros. They are usually classified as the family Vangidae. There are about 22 species, depending on taxonomy. Most species are shrike-like, arboreal forest birds, feeding on reptiles, frogs and insects. Several other Madagascan birds more similar to Old World warblers, Old World babblers or Old world flycatchers are now often placed in this family. Vangas differ greatly in bill shape and have a variety of foraging methods. Their stick nests are built in trees. They do not migrate. [more]

Xenopirostris

Xenopirostris is a of birds in the Vangidae family. They are all endemic to Madagascar. [more]

At least 3 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Xenopirostris.

More info about the Genus Xenopirostris may be found here.

References

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  1. ^ Jobling, James A. (1991). A Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. Oxford University Press. p. 242. ISBN 0-19-854634-3. 
  2. ^ Fuchs, J.; Bowie, R.C.K.; Fjeldsa, J. & Pasquet, E. (2004): Phylogenetic relationships of the African bush-shrikes and helmet-shrikes (Passeriformes: Malaconotidae). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 33(2): 428-439. HTML abstract
  3. ^ Moyle, R.G., J. Cracraft, M. Lakim, J. Nais & F.H. Sheldon (2006), Reconsideration of the phylogenetic relationships of the enigmatic Bornean Bristlehead (Pityriasis gymnocephala), Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 39, 893-898.
  4. ^ Yamagishi, S.; Honda, M.; Eguchi, K. & Thorstrom, R. (2001): Extreme endemic radiation of the Malagasy Vangas (Aves: Passeriformes). J. Mol. Evol. 53(1): 39-46. Abstract
  5. ^ Cibois, A.; Pasquet, E. & Schulenberg, T.S. (1999): Molecular systematics of the Malagasy babblers (Timaliidae) and Warblers (Sylviidae), based on cytochrome b and 16S rRNA sequences. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 13(3): 581-595. HTML abstract
  6. ^ Cibois, A.; Slikas, B.; Schulenberg, T.S. & Pasquet, E. (2001): An endemic radiation of Malagasy songbirds is revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Evolution 55(6): 1198-1206. PDF fulltext>
  7. ^ Schulenberg, T.S. (2003): The Radiations of Passerine Birds on Madagascar. In: Goodman, Steven M. & Benstead, Jonathan P. (eds.): The Natural History of Madagascar: 1130-1134. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-30306-3
  8. ^ a b c Garbutt, Nick (2004) Different by design: the Vangas of Madagascar, in: Africa - Birds & Birding, 9: 28-34.
  9. ^ a b c d e Perrins, Christopher, ed. (2004) The New Encyclopedia of Birds, Oxford University Pres s, Oxford.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Sinclair, Ian & Olivier, Langrand (1998) Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands, Struik, Cape Town.
  11. ^ BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Xenopirostris damii. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2/1/2010.
  12. ^ BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Hypositta perdita. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2/1/2010.

Sources

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Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 13:45:44