OLD WORLD BABBLER

The 'Old World babblers' or 'timaliids' are a large family of mostly Old World passerine birds. They are rather diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in southeast Asia. The American Wrentit is an enigmatic species that was in recent times placed with the Old World babblers but probably does not belong here. The timaliids are one of two unrelated groups of birds known as babblers, the other being the Australasian Babblers of the family Pomatostomidae (also known as pseudo-babblers).
These birds have strong legs, and many are quite terrestrial. This group is not strongly migratory, and most species have short rounded wings, and a weak flight. Morphological diversity is rather high; most species resemble "warblers", jays or thrushes. This group is among those Old World bird families with the highest number of species still being discovered.

Contents

Systematics

Timaliidae ''sensu stricto''

White-eye clade

Sylviid clade

Genera ''incertae sedis

Formerly placed here

''Incertae sedis''

References

External links

Systematics

The systematics of Old World babblers have long been contended. During much of the 20th century, the family was used as a "wastebin taxon" for numerous hard-to-place Old World songbirds (such as Picathartidae or the Wrentit). Ernst Hartert was only half-joking when he summarized this attitude with the statement that, in the passerines,

"Was man nicht unterbringen kann, sieht man als Timalien an." (What one can't place systematically is considered an Old World babbler)

The most obviously misplaced taxa were removed piecemeal towards the end of the last century.
Since then, with the aid of DNA sequence data, it has been confirmed that even the remaining group is not monophyletic. Analysis of mtDNA cytochrome ''b'' and 12S/16S rRNA data (Cibois 2003a) spread the Timaliidae that were studied across what essentially was a badly resolved polytomy with Old World warblers and white-eyes. As the typical warblers (genus ''Sylvia'') grouped with some presumed timaliids (such as the fulvettas), it was suggested that some Sylviidae should be moved to the Timaliidae.
As this would include the type genus of the latter, this would lead to a nomenclatorial problem requiring ICZN intervention (Cibois 2003b) and was, at that time, not sensible in any case as the phylogeny of the remaining Old World warblers had not been fully resolved either. The problem with such an approach would be - as many Old World warblers have not been studied with the new results in mind and neither have a number of timaliids - to risk creating a huge, ill-defined family-level clade; consequently, this approach seems to have been put on hold for the time being in favor of a general resorting of the Sylvioidea.
Alström ''et al.'' (2006) supported the taxonomic proposal of Cibois (2003b), "if the Timaliidae and several groups of warblers are recognized at the same family level" but of course it is not necessary to unite them to achieve monophyly in both. Notably, one of the few conclusions beyond genus level which received quite robust support in Cibois (2003a) was the ''distinctness'' of ''Sylvia'' and the related "babblers" from the Timaliidae ''sensu stricto''. Thus, for the time being, it seems wisest to maintain the Sylviidae and Timaliidae as distinct and just split off or move about genera as needed to achieve monophyly.
The parrotbills are somewhat titmouse-like birds that in the past were moved about between the timaliids, the titmice, and own family status (under the telling name Paradoxornithidae - literally, "puzzling birds"). They are certainly not a distinct family; rather, they belong into the ''Sylvia'' clade (Cibois 2003a, Alström ''et al.'' 2006).
The relationships of the white-eyes (presently Zosteropidae) are not resolved at present. Based on nDNA RAG-1 and ''c-mos'' sequence data, Barker ''et al.'' (2002) found them likelier to group closer to the timaliids proper than to ''Sylvia'' and allies, as did Cibois (2003a). Combining data from nDNA ''c-myc'' exon 3, RAG-1 and myoglobin intron 2 sequences with that of mtDNA cytochrome ''b'' (Ericson & Johansson 2003) supports their scenario as does a restudy using the myoglobin intron 2 and cytochrome ''b'' sequences of a wider (though not denser) range of taxa (Alström ''et al.'' 2006)
On the other hand, DNA-DNA hybridization (Sibley & Ahlquist 1990) placed the white-eyes closer to ''Sylvia''. This method is nowadays considered inferior to comparison of long and various DNA sequences, however. Still, it should be noted that no molecular study thus far could resolve the white-eyes' relationships with sufficient confidence beyond the mere fact that they form a clade with "core" Sylviidae and "core" Timaliidae. In this assemblage, they most likely form a monophyletic lineage with the yuhinas (and possibly other "babblers"). Consequently, were the Zosteropidae to be retained as a family, these would be moved there.
In addition, the new studies have shown that several genera (such as ''Garrulax'' and ''Fulvetta'') are not monophyletic and need to be split up (Cibois 2003, Pasquet ''et al.'' 2006).

Timaliidae ''sensu stricto''

These genera would be retained in the timaliids in any case; one has been moved here from the sylviids. They make up a few reasonably well-supported clades and a lot of genera with quite unresolved relationships (termed "assemblages" here):
'Liocichlas and allies clade'

★ 'Genus ''Liocichla''' - liocichlas (4 species)


★ 'Genus ''Actinodura''' - barwings

★
★ Rusty-fronted Barwing, ''Actinodura egertoni''

★
★ Spectacled Barwing, ''Actinodura ramsayi''

★
★ Black-crowned Barwing, ''Actinodura sodangorum''

★
★ Hoary-throated Barwing, ''Actinodura nipalensis''

★
★ Streak-throated Barwing, ''Actinodura waldeni''

★
★ Streaked Barwing, ''Actinodura souliei''

★
★ Taiwan Barwing, ''Actinodura morrisoniana''

★ 'Genus ''Minla''' - minlas (probably paraphyletic)

★
★ Blue-winged Minla, ''Minla cyanouroptera''

★
★ Chestnut-tailed Minla, ''Minla strigula''

★
★ Red-tailed Minla, ''Minla ignotincta''

★ 'Genus ''Leiothrix''' (2 species)

★ 'Genus ''Heterophasia''' - sibias

★
★ Rufous-backed Sibia, ''Heterophasia annectens''

★
★ Rufous Sibia, ''Heterophasia capistrata''

★
★ Grey Sibia, ''Heterophasia gracilis''

★
★ Black-backed Sibia, ''Heterophasia melanoleuca''

★
★ Black-headed Sibia, ''Heterophasia desgodinsi''

★
★ White-eared Sibia, ''Heterophasia auricularis''

★
★ Beautiful Sibia, ''Heterophasia pulchella''

★
★ Long-tailed Sibia, ''Heterophasia picaoides''
'Laughingthrush assemblage'


★ 'Genus ''Alcippe''' - "fulvettas" or typical alcippes (tentatively placed here)

★
★ Grey-cheeked Fulvetta, ''Alcippe morrisonia'' (polyphyletic?)

★
★ Mountain Fulvetta, ''Alcippe peracensis'' (paraphyletic?)

★
★ Brown Fulvetta, ''Alcippe brunneicauda''

★
★ Black-browed Fulvetta, ''Alcippe grotei'' - formerly in ''peracensis''

★
★ Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, ''Alcippe poioicephala''

★
★ Javan Fulvetta, ''Alcippe pyrrhoptera'' - tentatively placed here

★
★ Nepal Fulvetta, ''Alcippe nipalensis'' - tentatively placed here

★ 'Genus ''Cutia'''

★
★ Cutia, ''Cutia nipalensis''

★ 'Genus ''Turdoides'''


★
★ Spiny Babbler, ''Turdoides nipalensis''

★
★ Iraq Babbler, ''Turdoides altirostris''

★
★ Common Babbler, ''Turdoides caudatus''

★
★ Striated Babbler, ''Turdoides earlei''

★
★ White-throated Babbler, ''Turdoides gularis''

★
★ Slender-billed Babbler, ''Turdoides longirostris''

★
★ Large Grey Babbler, ''Turdoides malcolmi''

★
★ Arabian Babbler, ''Turdoides squamiceps''

★
★ Fulvous Chatterer, ''Turdoides fulvus''

★
★ Scaly Chatterer, ''Turdoides aylmeri''

★
★ Rufous Chatterer, ''Turdoides rubiginosus''

★
★ Rufous Babbler, ''Turdoides subrufus''

★
★ Jungle Babbler, ''Turdoides striatus''

★
★ Orange-billed Babbler, ''Turdoides rufescens''

★
★ Yellow-billed Babbler, ''Turdoides affinis''

★
★ Blackcap Babbler, ''Turdoides reinwardtii''

★
★ Dusky Babbler, ''Turdoides tenebrosus''

★
★ Black-lored Babbler, ''Turdoides melanops''

★
★ Scaly Babbler, ''Turdoides squamulatus''

★
★ White-rumped Babbler, ''Turdoides leucopygius''

★
★ Southern Pied Babbler, ''Turdoides bicolor''

★
★ Northern Pied Babbler, ''Turdoides hypoleucus''

★
★ Hinde's Pied Babbler, ''Turdoides hindei''

★
★ Cretzschmar's Babbler, ''Turdoides leucocephalus''

★
★ Brown Babbler, ''Turdoides plebejus''

★
★ Arrow-marked Babbler, ''Turdoides jardineii''

★
★ Bare-cheeked Babbler, ''Turdoides gymnogenys''

★ 'Genus ''Garrulax''' - laughingthrushes (c.50 species, polyphyletic)

★ 'Genus ''Babax''' - babaxes

★
★ Chinese Babax, ''Babax lanceolatus''

★
★ Giant Babax, ''Babax waddelli''

★
★ Tibetan Babax, ''Babax koslowi''
'''Pellorneum - Napothera'' assemblage'

★ 'Genus ''Illadopsis''' - illadopsises

★
★ Blackcap Illadopsis, ''Illadopsis cleaveri''

★
★ Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, ''Illadopsis albipectus''

★
★ Rufous-winged Illadopsis, ''Illadopsis rufescens''

★
★ Puvel's Illadopsis, ''Illadopsis puveli''

★
★ Pale-breasted Illadopsis, ''Illadopsis rufipennis''

★
★ Brown Illadopsis, ''Illadopsis fulvescens''

★
★ Mountain Illadopsis, ''Illadopsis pyrrhoptera''

★ 'Genus ''Pellorneum''' - possily polyphyletic (Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006)

★
★ Brown-capped Babbler, ''Pellorneum fuscocapillum''

★
★ Marsh Babbler, ''Pellorneum palustre''

★
★ Buff-breasted Babbler, ''Pellorneum tickelli''

★
★ Temminck's Babbler, ''Pellorneum pyrrogenys''

★
★ Spot-throated Babbler, ''Pellorneum albiventre''

★
★ Puff-throated Babbler, ''Pellorneum ruficeps''

★
★ Black-capped Babbler, ''Pellorneum capistratum''


★ 'Genus ''Kenopia'''

★
★ Striped Wren-babbler, ''Kenopia striata''

★ 'Genus ''Malacopteron'''

★
★ Palawan Babbler, ''Malacopteron palawanense''

★
★ Moustached Babbler, ''Malacopteron magnirostre''

★
★ Sooty-capped Babbler, ''Malacopteron affine''

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★ Scaly-crowned Babbler, ''Malacopteron cinereum''

★
★ Rufous-crowned Babbler, ''Malacopteron magnum''

★
★ Grey-breasted Babbler, ''Malacopteron albogulare''

★ 'Genus ''Schoeniparus''' - "fulvettas" or atypical alcippes, formerly in ''Alcippe''

★
★ Rufous-throated Fulvetta, ''Schoeniparus rufogularis''

★
★ Dusky Fulvetta, ''Schoeniparus brunnea''

★
★ Rusty-capped Fulvetta, ''Schoeniparus dubia''

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★ Rufous-winged Fulvetta, ''Schoeniparus castaneceps''

★
★ Yellow-throated Fulvetta, ''Schoeniparus cinerea''

★
★ Gold-fronted Fulvetta, ''Schoeniparus variegaticeps'' - tentatively placed here

★ 'Genus ''Gampsorhynchus'''

★
★ White-hooded Babbler, ''Gampsorhynchus rufulus''

★ 'Genus ''Malacocincla'''

★
★ Abbott's Babbler, ''Malacocincla abbotti''

★
★ Horsfield's Babbler, ''Malacocincla sepiarium''

★
★
★ Vanderbilt's Babbler, ''Malacocincla sepiarium vanderbilti'' - extinct? (late 20th century?)

★
★ Black-browed Babbler, ''Malacocincla perspicillata'' - extinct? (20th century?)

★
★ Short-tailed Babbler, ''Malacocincla malaccensis''

★
★ Ashy-headed Babbler, ''Malacocincla cinereiceps''

★ 'Genus ''Napothera''' - atypical wren-babblers (paraphyletic)

★
★ Large Wren-babbler, ''Napothera macrodactyla''

★
★
★ Javan Large Wren-babbler, ''Napothera macrodactyla lepidopleura'' - extinct? (mid-20th century?)

★
★ Rusty-breasted Wren-babbler, ''Napothera rufipectus''

★
★ Black-throated Wren-babbler, ''Napothera atrigularis''

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★ Marbled Wren-babbler, ''Napothera marmorata''

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★ Limestone Wren-babbler, ''Napothera crispifrons''

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★ Streaked Wren-babbler, ''Napothera brevicaudata''

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★ Mountain Wren-babbler, ''Napothera crassa''

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★ Luzon Wren-babbler, ''Napothera rabori''

★
★ Eyebrowed Wren-babbler, ''Napothera epilepidota''

★ 'Genus ''Jabouilleia''' - atypical scimitar-babblers (2 species)

★ 'Genus ''Graminicola''' - formerly in Sylviidae, tentatively placed here

★
★ Rufous-rumped Grassbird (or "-babbler"), ''Graminicola bengalensis''
'Timaliine clade'

★ 'Genus ''Pomatorhinus''' - scimitar-babblers (9 species)

★ 'Genus ''Xiphirhynchus''' - Slender-billed Scimitar-babbler

★ 'Genus ''Stachyris''' (polyphyletic)

★ ''Stachyris'' group

★
★ Grey-throated Babbler, ''Stachyris nigriceps''

★ ''Stachyridopsis'' group

★
★ Rufous-fronted Babbler, ''Stachyris rufifrons''

★
★
★ Deignan's Babbler, ''Stachyris (rufifrons) rodolphei''

★
★ Rufous-capped Babbler, ''Stachyris ruficeps''

★
★ Golden Babbler, ''Stachyris chrysaea''

★ Unresolved

★
★ Buff-chested Babbler, ''Stachyris ambigua''

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★ Black-chinned Babbler, ''Stachyris pyrrhops''

★
★ Flame-templed Babbler, ''Stachyris speciosa''

★
★ White-breasted Babbler, ''Stachyris grammiceps''

★
★ Sooty Babbler, ''Stachyris herberti''

★
★ Grey-headed Babbler, ''Stachyris poliocephala''

★
★ Snowy-throated Babbler, ''Stachyris oglei''

★
★ Spot-necked Babbler, ''Stachyris striolata''

★
★ White-necked Babbler, ''Stachyris leucotis''

★
★ Black-throated Babbler, ''Stachyris nigricollis''

★
★ White-bibbed Babbler, ''Stachyris thoracica''

★
★ Chestnut-rumped Babbler, ''Stachyris maculata''

★
★ Chestnut-winged Babbler, ''Stachyris erythroptera''

★
★ Crescent-chested Babbler, ''Stachyris melanothorax''

★ 'Genus ''Spelaeornis''' - typical wren-babblers

★
★ Rufous-throated Wren-babbler, ''Spelaeornis caudatus''

★
★ Mishmi Wren-babbler, ''Spelaeornis badeigularis''

★
★ Bar-winged Wren-babbler, ''Spelaeornis troglodytoides''

★
★ Spotted Wren-babbler, ''Spelaeornis formosus''

★
★ Long-tailed Wren-babbler, ''Spelaeornis chocolatinus''

★
★ Tawny-breasted Wren-babbler, ''Spelaeornis longicaudatus''

★
★ Wedge-billed Wren-babbler, ''Sphenocichla humei''

★ 'Genus ''Macronous''' - tit-babblers (5 species)

★ 'Genus ''Timalia'''

★
★ Chestnut-capped Babbler, ''Timalia pileata''

White-eye clade

If the white-eyes are maintained as a separate family Zosteropidae, this group would have to be included there:

★ 'Genus ''Yuhina''' - yuhinas (possibly polyphyletic)

★
★ White-collared Yuhina, ''Yuhina diademata''

★
★ Pygmy Yuhina, ''Yuhina plateni'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''; tentatively placed here

★
★ Golden-crowned Yuhina, ''Yuhina dennistouni'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''

★
★ Black-crowned Yuhina, ''Yuhina nigrocapitata'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''; tentatively placed here

★
★ Rusty-crowned Yuhina, ''Yuhina capitalis'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''; tentatively placed here

★
★ Chestnut-faced Yuhina, ''Yuhina whiteheadi'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''

★
★ Luzon Striped Yuhina, ''Yuhina striata'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''

★
★ Panay Striped Yuhina, ''Yuhina latistriata'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''; tentatively placed here

★
★ Negros Striped Yuhina, ''Yuhina nigrorum'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''; tentatively placed here

★
★ Palawan Striped Yuhina, ''Yuhina hypogrammica'' - formerly in ''Stachyris''; tentatively placed here

★
★ Striated Yuhina, ''Yuhina castaniceps''

★
★ Chestnut-crested Yuhina, ''Yuhina everetti''

★
★ White-naped Yuhina, ''Yuhina bakeri''

★
★ Whiskered Yuhina, ''Yuhina flavicollis''

★
★ Burmese Yuhina, ''Yuhina humilis''

★
★ Stripe-throated Yuhina, ''Yuhina gularis''

★
★ Rufous-vented Yuhina, ''Yuhina occipitalis''

★
★ Taiwan Yuhina, ''Yuhina brunneiceps''

★
★ Black-chinned Yuhina, ''Yuhina nigrimenta''

Sylviid clade

Also includes the parrotbills. If the Sylviidae are maintained as a separate family, this group would have to be included there:

★ 'Genus ''Pseudoalcippe'''

★
★ African Hillbabbler, ''Pseudoalcippe abyssinica'' - formerly in ''Illadopsis''

★ 'Genus ''Lioparus''' - formerly in ''Alcippe''

★
★ Golden-breasted Fulvetta, ''Lioparus chrysotis''

★ 'Genus ''Fulvetta''' - typical fulvettas, formerly in ''Alcippe''

★
★ Spectacled Fulvetta, ''Fulvetta ruficapilla''

★
★ Chinese Fulvetta, ''Fulvetta striaticollis''

★
★ White-browed Fulvetta, ''Fulvetta vinipectus''

★
★ Streak-throated Fulvetta, ''Fulvetta cinereiceps'' (possibly polyphyletic)

★
★ Ludlow's Fulvetta, ''Fulvetta ludlowi'' - tentatively placed here

★ 'Genus ''Chrysomma'''

★
★ Yellow-eyed Babbler, ''Chrysomma sinense''

★
★ Jerdon's Babbler, ''Chrysomma altirostre''

★
★
★ Burmese Jerdon's Babbler, ''Chrysomma altirostre altirostre'' - extinct (1940s)

★
★ Rufous-tailed Babbler, ''Chrysomma poecilotis''

★ 'Genus ''Chamaea''' - Wrentit

Genera ''incertae sedis

Relationships unresolved; may or may not be Timaliidae ''sensu stricto''

★ 'Genus ''Crocias''' - crociases (laughingthrush assemblage?)

★
★ Grey-crowned Crocias, ''Crocias langbianis''

★
★ Spotted Crocias, ''Crocias albonotatus''

★ 'Genus ''Micromacronus''' (timaliine clade?)

★
★ Miniature Tit-babbler, ''Micromacronus leytensis''


★ 'Genus ''Trichastoma'''

★
★ White-chested Babbler, ''Trichastoma rostratum''

★
★ Sulawesi Babbler, ''Trichastoma celebense''

★
★ Ferruginous Babbler, ''Trichastoma bicolor''

★
★ Bagobo Babbler, ''Trichastoma woodi''

★ 'Genus ''Rimator'''

★
★ Long-billed Wren-babbler, ''Rimator malacoptilus''

★ 'Genus ''Ptilocichla''' - ''Ptilocichla'' wren-babblers

★
★ Bornean Wren-babbler, ''Ptilocichla leucogrammica''

★
★ Striated Wren-babbler, ''Ptilocichla mindanensis''

★
★ Falcated Wren-babbler, ''Ptilocichla falcata''

★ 'Genus '' Pnoepyga''' - ''Pnoepyga'' wren-babblers

★
★ Scaly-breasted Wren-babbler, ''Pnoepyga albiventer''

★
★ Immaculate Wren-babbler, ''Pnoepyga immaculata''

★
★ Pygmy Wren-babbler, ''Pnoepyga pusilla''

★ 'Genus ''Dumetia''' - Tawny-bellied Babbler

★ 'Genus '' Rhopocichla''' - Dark-fronted Babbler

★ 'Genus ''Myzornis'''

★
★ Fire-tailed Myzornis, ''Myzornis pyrrhoura''

★ 'Genus ''Malia''' - Malia

★ 'Genus ''Lioptilus'''

★
★ Bush Blackcap, ''Lioptilus nigricapillus''

★ 'Genus ''Kupeornis''' - mountain-babblers

★
★ White-throated Mountain-babbler, ''Kupeornis gilberti''

★
★ Red-collared Mountain-babbler, ''Kupeornis rufocinctus''

★
★ Chapin's Mountain-babbler, ''Kupeornis chapini''

★ 'Genus ''Parophasma'''

★
★ Abyssinian Catbird, ''Parophasma galinieri''

★ 'Genus ''Phyllanthus'''

★
★ Capuchin Babbler, ''Phyllanthus atripennis''

Formerly placed here

Genera whose relationships are now known to lie entirely outside the Timaliidae, no matter how these are delimited
===Other Sylvioidea===
Basal lineage of 'cisticolid warblers', Cisticolidae (Nguembock ''et al.'' 2007):

★ 'Genus ''Neomixis''' - jeries

★
★ Common Jery, ''Neomixis tenella''

★
★ Green Jery, ''Neomixis viridis''

★
★ Stripe-throated Jery, ''Neomixis striatigula''
Belong to an as yet unnamed 'Malagasy warbler' clade ("Bernieridae"); see Cibois ''et al.'' 2001.

★ 'Genus ''Hartertula''' - formerly in ''Neomixis''

★
★ Wedge-tailed Jery, ''Hartertula flavoviridis''

★ 'Genus ''Crossleyia'''

★
★ Yellow-browed Oxylabes, ''Crossleyia xanthophrys''

★ 'Genus ''Oxylabes'''

★
★ White-throated Oxylabes, ''Oxylabes madagascariensis''
===Other Passerida===
Belong to the 'sugarbirds', Promeropidae (Beresford ''et al.'' 2005):

★ 'Genus ''Arcanator''' - sometimes included in ''Modulatrix''

★
★ Dapple-throat, ''Arcanator orostruthus''

★ 'Genus ''Modulatrix'''

★
★ Spot-throat, ''Modulatrix stictigula''
==="Corvida"===
Apparently related to the vireos, Vireonidae (Barker ''et al.'' 2004):

★ 'Genus ''Erpornis'''

★
★ White-bellied Erpornis or White-bellied "Yuhina", ''Erpornis zantholeuca'' - formerly in ''Yuhina'' (Cibois ''et al.'' 2002)
Belongs to the vireos (Reddy & Cracraft, in press):

★ 'Genus ''Pteruthius''' - shrike-babblers

★
★ Black-headed Shrike-babbler, ''Pteruthius rufiventer''

★
★ White-browed Shrike-babbler, ''Pteruthius flaviscapis''

★
★ Green Shrike-babbler, ''Pteruthius xanthochlorus''

★
★ Black-eared Shrike-babbler, ''Pteruthius melanotis''

★
★ Chestnut-fronted Shrike-babbler, ''Pteruthius aenobarbus''
Belongs to the vangas, Vangidae (Schulenberg 2003):

★ 'Genus ''Mystacornis'''

★
★ Crossley's Babbler-vanga, ''Mystacornis crossleyi''

''Incertae sedis''

★ 'Genus ''Kakamega''' (Cibois 2003a)

★
★ Grey-chested Kakamega or Grey-chested "Illadopsis", ''Kakamega poliothorax''

★ 'Genus ''Ptyrticus'''

★
★ Thrushbabbler, ''Ptyrticus turdinus''

References

★ 'Alström', Per; Ericson, Per G.P.; Olsson, Urban & Sundberg, Per (2006): Phylogeny and classification of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '38'(2): 381–397.

★ 'Barker', F. Keith; Barrowclough, George F. & Groth, Jeff G. (2002): A phylogenetic hypothesis for passerine birds: taxonomic and biogeographic implications of an analysis of nuclear DNA sequence data. ''Proc. R. Soc. B'' '269'(1488): 295-308. PDF fulltext

★ 'Barker', F. Keith; Cibois, Alice; Schikler, Peter A.; Feinstein, Julie & Cracraft, Joel (2004): Phylogeny and diversification of the largest avian radiation. ''PNAS'' '101'(30): 11040-11045. PDF fulltext Supporting information

★ '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. PDF fulltext Electronic appendix

★ 'Cibois', Alice (2003a): Mitochondrial DNA Phylogeny of Babblers (Timaliidae). ''Auk'' '120'(1): 1-20. DOI: 10.1642/0004-8038(2003)120[0035:MDPOBT]2.0.CO;2 HTML fulltext without images

★ 'Cibois', Alice (2003b): ''Sylvia'' is a babbler: taxonomic implications for the families Sylviidae and Timaliidae.''Bull. B. O. C.'' '123': 257-261.

★ 'Cibois', Alice; Slikas, Beth; Schulenberg, Thomas S. & Pasquet, Eric (2001): An endemic radiation of Malagasy songbirds is revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence data. ''Evolution'' '55'(6): 1198-1206. DOI:10.1554/0014-3820(2001)055[1198:AEROMS]2.0.CO;2 PDF fulltext

★ 'Cibois', Alice; Kalyakin, Mikhail V.; Lian-Xian, Han & Pasquet, Eric (2002): Molecular phylogenetics of babblers (Timaliidae): revaluation of the genera ''Yuhina'' and ''Stachyris''. ''J. Avian Biol.'' '33': 380–390. (HTML abstract)

★ 'Ericson', Per G.P. & 'Johansson', Ulf S. (2003): Phylogeny of Passerida (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '29'(1): 126–138 PDF fulltext

★ 'Jønsson', Knud A. & 'Fjeldså', Jon (2006): A phylogenetic supertree of oscine passerine birds (Aves: Passeri). ''Zool. Scripta'' '35'(2): 149–186. (HTML abstract)

★ 'Nguembock', Billy; Fjeldså, Jon; Tillier, Annie & Pasquet, Eric (2007): A phylogeny for the Cisticolidae (Aves: Passeriformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data, and a re-interpretation of an unique nest-building specialization. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '42': 272-286. (HTML abstract)

★ 'Pasquet', Eric; Bourdon, Estelle; Kalyakin, Mikhail V. & Cibois, Alice (2006). The fulvettas (''Alcippe''), Timaliidae, Aves): a polyphyletic group. ''Zoologica Scripta'' '35', 559–566. (HTML abstract)

★ 'Reddy', Sushma & 'Cracraft', Joel (in press): Old World Shrike-babblers (''Pteruthius'') belong with New World Vireos (Vireonidae). ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'', In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 28 February 2007. (HTML abstract)

★ 'Schulenberg', T.S. (2003): The Radiations of Passerine Birds on Madagascar. ''In:'' Goodman, Steven M. & Benstead, Jonathan P. (eds.): ''The Natural History of Madagascar'': 1130-1134. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-30306-3

★ 'Sibley', Charles Gald & 'Ahlquist', Jon Edward (1990): ''Phylogeny and classification of birds''. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

External links

★ Babbler videos on the Internet Bird Collection