Tree slide

Tree slide
	Field tree slide ( Climacteris picumnus )
Systematics
Class :	Birds (aves)
without rank:	Neornithes
Subclass :	New-jawed birds (Neognathae)
Order :	Passerines (Passeriformes)
Subordination :	Songbirds (passeri)
Family :	Tree slide
Scientific name
	Climacteridae
	Sélys Longchamps , 1839

The tree slides (Climacteridae) are a family in the order of the passerine birds (Passeriformes) found in Australia and in the mountains of New Guinea . In appearance and behavior, the tree slides resemble the tree walkers (Certhiidae) without being closely related to them. Instead, they are closely related to the bower birds (Ptilonorhynchidae). The similarity to the tree creepers is explained by the convergent evolution of non-closely related species that occupy the same ecological niche .

features

White throated tree slide ( cormobates leucophaeus )

Tree slides are small birds with a cylindrical-oval trunk. The height is between 16 and 18 centimeters. They are predominantly brown in color, gray and reddish tones also occur. The feathers on the chest and belly are usually dark with a whitish stripe in the middle. Both sexes hardly differ. In the females, however, more reddish tints can occur than in the males. The head is medium in size, the neck short and thick. The beak is short to medium long, slender and slightly curved. The wings are of medium length and wide, the tail is short and square. In contrast to the tree walkers, the tree sliders do not use their tail as a support when climbing vertical trunks. Legs and feet are strong, the latter have long, clearly curved claws.

Habitat and way of life

Tree slides occur in open and dense forests and in other tree-populated habitats. They feed primarily on insects, which they look for with their pointed, forward-curved beak in the crevices and under the bark of the trees. The nest used is a natural cavity in a tree that is caused by rot or created by termites, in which the female lays one to three eggs. If there are no tree holes available, the birds also use holes in embankments or in buildings. The incubation period is 16 to 23 days and the nestlings fledge after 25 to 28 days. In the genus Cormobates , the female builds the nest and breeds alone. In the Climacteris species, males and females build the nest together, but the female then breeds all of them. Up to three other birds help rearing the young birds, usually males from previous broods of the parents.

Genera and species

There are two genera and seven species.

Climacteris
- Brown-bellied tree slide ( Climacteris melanura )
- Field tree slide ( Climacteris picumnus )

Cormobates

Papua tree slide ( Cormobates placens )

White throated tree slide ( cormobates leucophaeus )

supporting documents

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d David W. Winkler, Shawn M. Billerman, Irby J. Lovette: Bird Families of the World - An Invitation to the Spectacular Diversity of Birds. Lynx Edicions and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2015, ISBN 978-84-941892-0-3 . Page 324.

Web links

Wiktionary: Tree slide - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Commons : Climacteridae - album with pictures, videos and audio files

[Winkler-1] David W. Winkler, Shawn M. Billerman, Irby J. Lovette: Bird Families of the World - An Invitation to the Spectacular Diversity of Birds. Lynx Edicions and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 2015, ISBN 978-84-941892-0-3 . Page 324.