Bearded birds

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The division of living beings into systematics is a continuous subject of research. Different systematic classifications exist side by side and one after the other. The taxon treated here has become obsolete due to new research or is not part of the group systematics presented in the German-language Wikipedia.

Blue-cheeked bearded bird ( Megalaima asiatica )

The bearded birds are a group of animals originally considered to be the woodpecker family with 82 species in 13 genera . The origin of the name lies in the stiff bristles emerging from the base of the beak.

The family described by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1838 is now considered a paraphyletic taxon, as they would only form a monophylum if the toucans (Ramphastidae) were included . They were therefore divided into four families, the African bearded birds (Lybiidae), the American bearded birds (Capitonidae), the Asian bearded birds (Megalaimidae) and the toucan bearded birds (Semnornithidae).

features

Bearded birds are 9 (African dwarf bearded birds) to 32 centimeters (green bearded birds) long. Most species do not exhibit sexual dimorphism. Many species have colorful plumage. Bearded birds have an arsenal of very loud calls. Usually they consist of a phrase that is repeated many times.

Way of life

Bearded birds usually stay in the foliage of the trees; despite their colorful plumage, they are well camouflaged there. Bearded birds feed on insects and fruits.

Bearded birds are usually only found in high-yield sources of food such as large, fruit-bearing trees in large quantities, otherwise they live solitary or in pairs.

Some species of bearded birds breed only in a very limited season, others throughout the year. Like all woodpecker birds, bearded birds are cave-breeders. The caves, chopped into rotten wood with the powerful beak, are characterized by a long passage into a large nesting chamber. These caves are often used as a sleeping place outside of the breeding season. Occasionally bearded birds occupy the old burrows of other woodpecker birds. The females lay about two to five white eggs with longitudinal grooves in the brood cavity, which is padded with sludge or wood chips. The eggs are incubated alternately by both parents, but the male only breeds in exceptional cases at night. The chicks, which are naked and blind when they hatch, have strong callouses on their heels. After four to five weeks, they leave the brood cavity with a much less colorful plumage, which later turns color.

Systematics

African bearded birds

The African bearded birds (Lybiidae) live with 42 species in the forests and savannas of Africa. The birds are nine to 24 centimeters long. Their plumage is usually brownish or olive in color. The vertex black or brown with contrasting yellow, red, black or white spots. African bearded birds are monogamous. They lay two to six eggs. Both parents take part in the rearing of the young, often supported by young birds from previous broods.

Double-toothed bearded bird ( Lybius bidentatus )
Senegal's furry beak ( Lybius dubius )
Pogoniulus coryphaeus
Grünbartvogel
Flamehead bearded bird ( Trachyphonus erythrocephalus )

American bearded birds

The American bearded birds (Capitonidae) live with 14 species in the forests of Central and South America . The birds become 15 to 20 centimeters long. Their plumage is often very brightly colored. Their head is large, their beak large and heavy, often with tooth-like recesses on the edges of the beak. The wings are rounded, the legs short and strong. They feed on fruits, insects and plunder the nests of smaller birds. American bearded birds are monogamous . They lay two to five eggs. Both parents take part in the rearing of the young, often supported by young birds from previous broods.

Andean bearded bird ( Eubucco bourcierii ), male

Toucan bearded birds

Toucan bearded bird
( Semnornis ramphastinus )

The bearded birds of the genus Semnornis are more closely related to the toucans (Ramphastidae) than to the genera of the American bearded birds. They are therefore placed in a separate family in recent publications, the toucan bearded birds (Semnornithidae).

Asian bearded birds

The Asiatic bearded birds (Megalaimidae) live with 26 species in the forests of Asia. The birds become 15 to 33 centimeters long. Their plumage is green, in one species brownish, and has contrasting, colored spots on the head and chest. They feed on fruits, insects and plunder the nests of smaller birds. Asian bearded birds are monogamous . They lay two to four eggs. Both parents take part in the rearing of the young, often supported by young birds from previous broods.

Red tufted bearded bird ( Psilopogon pyrolophus )
Kupferschmied
( Megalaima haemacephala )
Ceylon Green Bearded Bird ( Megalaima zeylanica )

literature

Web links

Commons : Capitonidae  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Commons : Lybiidae  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
Commons : Ramphastidae  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Commons : Semnornithidae  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Cornell University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology African barbets
  2. ↑ Harshman, John. 2008. African barbets. Version 27 June 2008 (under construction). in The Tree of Life Web Project
  3. ^ Cornell University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology New World barbets
  4. ↑ Glenn F. Seeholzer, Benjamin M. Winger, Michael G. Harvey, Daniel Cáceres & Jason D. Weckstein. A new species of barbet (Capitonidae: Capito) from the Cerros del Sira, Ucayali, Peru. The Auk , 2012 doi : 10.1525 / auk.2012.11250
  5. ^ A b Tree of Life Web Project. 2008. New World barbets. Version 27 June 2008 (under construction). in The Tree of Life Web Project
  6. ↑ WorldBirdNames.org ( Memento of May 13, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  7. ↑ birdstack Genera in the family Semnornithidae (Prong-billed and Toucan Barbets) ( Memento of the original from January 2, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / birdstack.com
  8. ^ Cornell University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Asian barbets
  9. ↑ Harshman, John. 2008. Asian barbets. Version 27 June 2008 (under construction). in The Tree of Life Web Project