Bradypterus

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Bradypterus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Subclass: Neornithes Infraclass: Neognathae Superorder: Neoaves Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Infraorder: Passerida Superfamily: Sylvioidea Family: Megaluridae Genus: Bradypterus Swainson, 1837
Species
More than 20, but see text

Bradypterus is a genus of small insectivorous songbirds ("warblers") in the newly recognized grass warbler family (Megaluridae). They were formerly placed in the Sylviidae, which at that time was a wastebin taxon for the warbler-like Sylvioidea. The range of this genus extends through the warm regions from Africa around the Indian Ocean and far into Asia.

The megalurid bush-warblers are related to the grass-warblers of Locustella and Megalurus, but share lifestyle and related adaptations and apomorphies with Cettia, the other genus of bush-warblers. These belong to an older lineage of Sylvioidea. Both "bush-warbler" genera are smallish birds well adapted to glimbing among shrubbery. They are markedly long-tailed birds, at first glance somewhat reminiscent of wrens.

These are quite terrestrial birds, which live in densely vegetated habitats like thick forest and reedbeds. The will walk away from disturbance rather than flush. The plumage similarities and skulking lifestyle makes these birds hard to see and identify.

Megalurid bush-warblers tend towards greyish browns above and buffish or light grey tones below. They have little patterning apart from the ubiquitious supercilium. Altogether, they appear much like the plainer species among Acrocephalus marsh-warblers in coloration. Cettid bush-warblers tend to be somewhat more compact, with less pointed tails, but are otherwise very similar.

[edit] Species

This genus is in need of revision. Victorin's Scrub-warbler, "Bradypterus" victorini, does not belong into that genus. In fact, it seems to belong into a distinct family not even closely related to Bradypterus, and including such birds as the crombecs (Sylvietta) and longbills (Macrosphenus). A new genus would need to be established for Victorin's Scrub-warbler, but this has not happened yet.^[1]

Others, like the Chestnut-backed Bush-warbler and the Chinese Bush-warbler, appear to belong in Locustella.

• African Bush-warbler, Bradypterus baboecala
• Ja River Scrub-warbler, Bradypterus grandis
• White-winged Scrub-warbler, Bradypterus carpalis
• Grauer's Scrub-warbler, Bradypterus graueri
• Bamboo Scrub-warbler, Bradypterus alfredi
• Knysna Scrub-warbler or Knysna Warbler, Bradypterus sylvaticus
• Cameroon Scrub-warbler, Bradypterus lopezi
• African Scrub-warbler, Bradypterus barratti
• Bangwa Scrub-warbler, Bradypterus bangwaensis
• Cinnamon Bracken-warbler, Bradypterus cinnamomeus
• Spotted Bush-warbler, Bradypterus thoracicus
• David's Bush-warbler, Bradypterus davidi
• Long-billed Bush-warbler, Bradypterus major
• Chinese Bush-warbler, Bradypterus tacsanowskius
• Benguet Bush-warbler, Bradypterus seebohmi
• Timor Bush-warbler, Bradypterus timorensis - formerly included in B. seebohmi
• Russet Bush-warbler, Bradypterus mandelli - formerly included in B. seebohmi
• Javan Bush-warbler, Bradypterus montis - formerly included in B. seebohmi
• Brown Bush-warbler, Bradypterus luteoventris
• Taiwan Bush-warbler, Bradypterus alishanensis
• Sri Lanka Bush-warbler, Bradypterus palliseri
• Friendly Bush-warbler, Bradypterus accentor
• Long-tailed Bush-warbler, Bradypterus caudatus
• Chestnut-backed Bush-warbler, Bradypterus castaneus

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• Beresford, P.; Barker, F.K.; Ryan, P.G.; & Crowe, T.M. (2005): African endemics span the tree of songbirds (Passeri): molecular systematics of several evolutionary 'enigmas'. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B 272 (1565): 849–858. doi:10.1098/rspb.2004.2997 PDF fulltext Electronic appendix
• del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew & Sargatal, Jordi (eds.) (2006): Handbook of Birds of the World (Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 849655306X