Erdracken

Erdracken
Sorrel ( Brachypteracias leptosomus )
Systematics
Class : Birds (aves) Order : Rockers (Coraciiformes) Family : Erdracken
Scientific name
Brachypteraciidae
Bonaparte , 1854

Long-tailed Erdracke ( Uratelornis chimaera )

The Erdracken (Brachypteraciidae) are a small family of birds in the order of the rocket birds (Coraciiformes). This family includes four genera and five species .

Mudslides are common in the dense forests of Madagascar . An exception is the long-tailed Erdracke ( Uratelornis chimaera ), which inhabits bushland in the southwest of Madagascar. They owe their name to their earth-related way of life. Trees are mostly only used as an escape route. They are stocky, shy birds with short, rounded wings and short, strong legs, which are longer and stronger than the rest of the hoes. Their powerful beaks are slightly bent downwards. On the forest floor they scratch with their claws for insects , other invertebrates and small reptiles . They can hardly be made out in the thick vegetation. Only the call betrays their presence. They create their nests in self-dug burrows.

Genera and species

• Atelornis
  • Bib pad ( Atelornis crossleyi )
  • Blue-headed Erdracke ( Atelornis pittoides )
• Brachypteracias
  • Sorrel ( Brachypteracias leptosomus )
• Geobiastes
  • Schuppenerdracke ( Geobiastes squamigera )
• Uratelornis
  • Long-tailed Erdracke ( Uratelornis chimaera )

The extinct Ampoza-Erdracke ( Brachypteracias langrandi ) is only known from subfossil bone material.

literature

• Joseph Forshaw (Editor): Encyclopedia of Birds , 1999, ISBN 3-8289-1557-4

Web links

Commons : Erdracken (Brachypteraciidae)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System Brachypteraciidae