Pellorneidae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Cladus: Telluraves
Cladus: Australaves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Sylvioidea

Familia: Pellorneidae
Genera: Gampsorhynchus – Graminicola – Gypsophila – Illadopsis – Kenopia – Laticilla – Malacocincla – Malacopteron – Napothera – Pellorneum – Ptilocichla – Schoeniparus – Turdinus

Genera synonymized: Jabouilleia – Rimator – into Napothera; Trichastoma – into Pellorneum; Ptyrticus – into Illadopsis.
Genus transferred to other familia: Alcippe – to Alcippeidae.
Name

Pellorneidae Delacour, 1946

Typus: Pellorneum Swainson, 1832

References
Primary references

Les timaliines. L'Oiseaux 16: 7-36 [as Pellorneinae].

Additional references

Gelang, M.; Cibois, A.; Pasquet, E.; Olsson, U.; Alström, P.; Ericson, P.G.P. 2009. Phylogeny of babblers (Aves, Passeriformes): major lineages, family limits and classification. Zoologica scripta 38: 225–236. DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008.00374.x PDF Reference page.
Cai, T., Cibois, A., Alström, P., Moyle, R.G., Kennedy, J.D., Shao, S., Zhang, R., Irestedt, M., Ericson, P.G.P, Gelang, M., Qua, Y., Lei, F. & Fjeldså, J. 2019. Near-complete phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the world’s babblers (Aves: Passeriformes). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 130: 346–356. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.10.010 Reference page.

Vernacular names
中文: 幽鹛科

The jungle babblers, Pellorneidae, are mostly Old World passerine birds belonging to the superfamily Sylvioidea.[1][2] They are quite diverse in size and coloration, and usually characterised by soft, fluffy plumage and a tail on average the length of their body, or longer. These birds are found in tropical zones, with the greatest biodiversity in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Morphological diversity is rather high; most species resemble warblers, jays or thrushes, making field identification difficult.

The family Pellorneidae was first introduced by the French-American ornithologist Jean Théodore Delacour in 1946.[3] Pellorneidae used to be one of four subfamilies of Timaliidae (tree- and scimitar-babblers), but was then elevated to its own family rank in 2011 based on molecular markers.[4][5]
Contents

1 Description
2 Behaviour
3 Distribution and habitat
4 Taxonomy and systematics
5 References
6 Further reading

Description

Jungle babblers are small to medium-sized birds which are on average 14 cm long and weigh around 30g, but range from 10–26 cm, and 12-36g [6]

Divided between being terrestrial and arboreal, Pellorneidae have strong legs. They usually have generalised bills, similar to those of a thrush or warbler, with the exception of the long-billed wren-babbler (Rimator malacoptilus) and both species of scimitar babbler from the Jabouilleia genus which have long, curved bills. Most jungle babblers have predominantly brown plumage with little sexual dimorphism, but brightly coloured species of this family also exist.[7] Many jungle babblers have distinctive 'eyebrows' and 'caps' which may help to differentiate them from similarly-sized and coloured species.[6]

This group is not strongly migratory, and most species have short rounded wings, and weak flight. They live in lightly wooded, scrubland, or jungle environments, ranging from swamp to near-desert. They are primarily insectivorous, although many will also take berries, and the larger, omnivorous species will even eat small lizards and other vertebrates.[7]
Behaviour

Jungle babblers are generally non-migratory, social birds, defined by their lack of seasonal plumage and unspotted juvenile plumage.[8] These birds tend to be shy, but a few species are highly territorial and respond to playbacks of their vocalisations.[9] Breeding behaviour is not well known for all species of jungle babbler, but some birds, such as the Streaked wren-babbler (Napothera brevicaudata) have adapted to their habitat by nesting in holes or shallow cavities in the limestone cliffs and boulders of their region.[10] Others nest on the ground or in trees or shrubs. Care of nestlings by both parents is common, and cooperative breeding is prevalent among babblers [11]
Distribution and habitat

Pellorneidae are found throughout the tropics of Asia and Africa. Preferring sheltered places, these birds tend to stick to the undergrowth or forest edge.[8]
Taxonomy and systematics

Originally placed within Timaliidae as a subfamily, Pellorneidae was elevated into family status following a closer analysis of the superfamily Sylvioidea.[1] Sylvioidea was initially considered too complex to differentiate using morphology due to multiple instances of convergent evolution, and it wasn't until molecular analysis was conducted that the superfamily was recognised to be non-monophyletic - hence Pellorneidae being recognised as a family.[1] Pellorneidae is ia sister to a clade containing the families Leiothrichidae and Alcippeidae.[12]

Another taxonomy revision was the renaming of the rufous-vented grass babbler (Laticilla burnesii) and swamp grass babbler (Laticilla cinerascens) from Prinia (in the family Cisticolidae) to Laticilla.[13] Data sequencing using mitochondrial and nuclear markers revealed that P. burnesii and P. cinerascens belonged in a different family to the other members of Cisticolidae, with the results supported by Bayesian inference[13]
 

Pycnonotidae – bulbuls (160 species)

	Sylviidae – sylviid babblers (34 species)

	Paradoxornithidae – parrotbills and myzornis (37 species)

Zosteropidae – white-eyes (146 species)

Timaliidae – tree babblers (56 species)

Pellorneidae – ground babblers (65 species)

	Alcippeidae – Alcippe fulvettas (10 species)

	Leiothrichidae – laughingthrushes and allies (133 species)

 
 
 
Phylogeny based on a study of the babblers by Cai and colleagues published in 2019.[12][14]

The family includes 65 species divided into 13 genera:[14]

Graminicola

Indian grassbird (Graminicola bengalensis)
Chinese grassbird (Graminicola striatus)

Turdinus

Black-throated wren-babbler (Turdinus atrigularis)
Large wren-babbler (Turdinus macrodactylus)
Marbled wren-babbler (Turdinus marmoratus)

Malacopteron

Moustached babbler (Malacopteron magnirostre)
Sooty-capped babbler (Malacopteron affine)
Scaly-crowned babbler (Malacopteron cinereum)
Rufous-crowned babbler (Malacopteron magnum)
Melodious babbler (Malacopteron palawanense)
Grey-breasted babbler (Malacopteron albogulare)

Gampsorhynchus

White-hooded babbler (Gampsorhynchus rufulus)
Collared babbler (Gampsorhynchus torquatus)

Schoeniparus

Yellow-throated fulvetta (Schoeniparus cinereus)
Rufous-winged fulvetta (Schoeniparus castaneceps)
Black-crowned fulvetta (Schoeniparus klossi)
Golden-fronted fulvetta (Schoeniparus variegaticeps)
Rufous-throated fulvetta (Schoeniparus rufogularis)
Rusty-capped fulvetta (Schoeniparus dubius)
Dusky fulvetta (Schoeniparus brunneus)

Pellorneum

Puff-throated babbler (Pellorneum ruficeps)
Brown-capped babbler (Pellorneum fuscocapillus)
Marsh babbler (Pellorneum palustre)
Malayan black-capped babbler (Pellorneum nigrocapitatum)
Javan black-capped babbler (Pellorneum capistratum)
Bornean black-capped babbler (Pellorneum capistratoides)
Short-tailed babbler (Pellorneum malaccense)
Ashy-headed babbler (Pellorneum cinereiceps)
Spot-throated babbler (Pellorneum albiventre)
Buff-breasted babbler (Pellorneum tickelli)
Sumatran babbler (Pellorneum buettikoferi)
Temminck's babbler (Pellorneum pyrrogenys)
White-chested babbler (Pellorneum rostratum)
Ferruginous babbler (Pellorneum bicolor)
Sulawesi babbler (Pellorneum celebense)

Laticilla (species moved here from Prinia in the Cisticolidae)[15]

Rufous-vented grass babbler (Laticilla burnesii)
Swamp grass babbler (Laticilla cinerascens)

Illadopsis

Brown illadopsis (Illadopsis fulvescens)
Pale-breasted illadopsis (Illadopsis rufipennis)
Tanzanian illadopsis (Illadopsis distans)
Mountain illadopsis (Illadopsis pyrrhoptera)
Blackcap illadopsis (Illadopsis cleaveri)
Scaly-breasted illadopsis (Illadopsis albipectus)
Spotted thrush-babbler (Illadopsis turdina)
Puvel's illadopsis (Illadopsis puveli)
Rufous-winged illadopsis (Illadopsis rufescens)

Kenopia - monotypic

Striped wren-babbler (Kenopia striata)

Malacocincla

Abbott's babbler (Malacocincla abbotti)
Horsfield's babbler (Malacocincla sepiaria)
Black-browed babbler (Malacocincla perspicillata)

Gypsophila

Rusty-breasted wren-babbler (Gypsophila rufipectus)
Variable limestone babbler (Gypsophila crispifrons)
Streaked wren-babbler (Gypsophila brevicaudata)
Mountain wren-babbler (Gypsophila crassa)
Annam limestone babbler (Gypsophila annamensis)
Rufous limestone babbler (Gypsophila calcicola)

Ptilocichla

Falcated wren-babbler (Ptilocichla falcata)
Bornean wren-babbler (Ptilocichla leucogrammica)
Striated wren-babbler (Ptilocichla mindanensis)

Napothera

Eyebrowed wren-babbler (Napothera epilepidota)
Long-billed wren-babbler (Napothera malacoptila)
Sumatran wren-babbler (Napothera albostriata)
White-throated wren-babbler (Napothera pasquieri)
Short-tailed scimitar babbler (Napothera danjoui)
Naung Mung scimitar babbler (Napothera naungmungensis)

References

Fregin, Silke; Haase, Martin; Olsson, Urban; Alström, Per (2012). "New insights into family relationships within the avian superfamily Sylvioidea (Passeriformes) based on seven molecular markers". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 12 (1): 157. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-12-157. ISSN 1471-2148. PMC 3462691. PMID 22920688.
Cibois, Alice; Gelang, Magnus; Alström, Per; Pasquet, Eric; Fjeldså, Jon; Ericson, Per G. P.; Olsson, Urban (2018-06-07). "Comprehensive phylogeny of the laughingthrushes and allies (Aves, Leiothrichidae) and a proposal for a revised taxonomy". Zoologica Scripta. 47 (4): 428–440. doi:10.1111/zsc.12296. ISSN 0300-3256.
Delacour, Jean Théodore. "Les timaliinés". L'Oiseaux (in French). 16: 7–36.
"IOC World Bird List 5.4". doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.5.4.
GUSTAFSSON, DANIEL R.; CLAYTON, DALE H.; BUSH, SARAH E. (2018-02-21). "Twelve new species of Priceiella (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) from Old World babblers, with keys to species of two subgenera and checklists of species for the genus". Zootaxa. 4382 (3): 401–449. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4382.3.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 29689927.
"Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive | HBW Alive". www.hbw.com. Retrieved 2018-10-15.
Perrins, C. (1991). Forshaw, Joseph (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds. London: Merehurst Press. pp. 188–190. ISBN 978-1-85391-186-6.
Gelang, Magnus; Cibois, Alice; Pasquet, Eric; Olsson, Urban; Alström, Per; Ericson, Per G. P (May 2009). "Phylogeny of babblers (Aves, Passeriformes): major lineages, family limits and classification". Zoologica Scripta. 38 (3): 225–236. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008.00374.x. ISSN 0300-3256.
A., Lindsell, Jeremy (2001). Ranging behaviour and habitat selection in the scaly-breasted illadopsis. OCLC 52066676.
Jiang, Aiwu; Jiang, Demeng; Zhou, Fang; Goodale, Eben (2017-10-20). "Nest-site selection and breeding ecology of Streaked Wren-Babbler (Napothera brevicaudata) in a tropical limestone forest of southern China". Avian Research. 8 (1). doi:10.1186/s40657-017-0086-1. ISSN 2053-7166.
Panyaarj, Patchareeyaporn; Wangpakapattanawong, Prasit; Sitasuwan, Narit; Sanitjan, Sawat (October 2017). "Breeding ecology of buff-breasted babbler ( Pellorneum tickelli ) at Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Research Station, Chiang Mai province, Thailand". Agriculture and Natural Resources. 51 (5): 425–431. doi:10.1016/j.anres.2017.10.004. ISSN 2452-316X.
Cai, T.; Cibois, A.; Alström, P.; Moyle, R.G.; Kennedy, J.D.; Shao, S.; Zhang, R.; Irestedt, M.; Ericson, P.G.P.; Gelang, M.; Qu, Y.; Lei, F.; Fjeldså, J. (2019). "Near-complete phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the world's babblers (Aves: Passeriformes)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 130: 346–356. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2018.10.010.
Olsson, Urban; Irestedt, Martin; Sangster, George; Ericson, Per G.P.; Alström, Per (2013). "Systematic revision of the avian family Cisticolidae based on a multi-locus phylogeny of all genera". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 66 (3): 790–799. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.11.004. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 23159891.
Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Babblers, scimitar babblers, ground babblers, Alcippe fulvettas". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 23 September 2021.

Olsson, U.; Irestedt, M.; Sangster, G.; Ericson, P.G.P.; Alström, P. (2013). "Systematic revision of the avian family Cisticolidae based on a multi-locus phylogeny of all genera". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 66 (3): 790–799. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2012.11.004. PMID 23159891.