OLD WORLD WARBLER

(Redirected from Sylviidae)

The '"Old World Warblers"', family 'Sylviidae' - although 'sylviid warblers' or 'true warblers' may be more appropriate -, are a family of small passerine bird species. The Sylviidae mainly occur as breeding species, as the name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent Africa. However, most birds of temperate regions are strongly migratory, and winter in the latter continent or tropical Asia. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, though some Asian species are boldly marked. The sexes are often identical, but may be well distinct e.g. in ''Sylvia''. Many are accomplished songbirds, though perhaps not as much as other warblers or some thrushes.
The American wood warblers (Parulidae), the Olive Warbler (Peucedramidae) and the stenostirid warblers or "flycatcher tits" (Stenostiridae) are not closely related to the sylviids. The Australian warblers (Acanthizidae), apart from also being Passeri, are entirely unrelated.

Contents

Systematics

Sylviidae

"Sylviidae" ''incertae sedis''

References

Notes

External links

Systematics

In the late 20th century, the Sylviidae were thought to unite nearly 300 small insectivorous bird species in nearly 50 genera. They had themselves being split out of the Muscicapidae. The latter family had for most of its existence served as perhaps the ultimate wastebin taxon on the history of ornithology. By the early 20th century, about every insectivorous Old World "songster" known to science had at one point been placed therein, and most continued to do so.
Only after the mid-20th century began the dismantling of the "pan-Muscicapidae" for earnest. However, the Sylvidae remained a huge family, with few clear patterns of relationships recognizable. Though they were by no means as diverse as the Timaliidae (Old World babblers) - another "wastebin taxon" containing more thrush-like forms - the frontiers between the former "pan-Muscicapidae" were much blurred. The largely southern warbler family Cisticolidae was traditionally included in the Sylviidae. The Kinglets, a small genus in a monotypic family Regulidae, were also frequently placed in this family. The American Ornithologists' Union includes the gnatcatchers, family Polioptilidae, in the Sylviidae.
Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) united the "Old World warblers" with the babblers and other taxa in a superfamily Sylvioidea as a result of DNA-DNA hybridization studies. This demonstrated that the Muscicapidae as initially defined were a form taxon which collected entirely unrelated songbirds. Consequently, the monophyly of the individual "songster" lineages themselves was increasingly being questioned.
More recently, DNA sequence data has been analyzed to provide information on the Sylvioidea. Usually, the scope of the clade was vastly underestimated and only one or two specimens were sampled for each presumed "family". Minor or little-known groups such as the parrotbills were left out entirely (e.g. Ericson & Johansson 2003, Barker ''et al.'' 2004). These could only confirm that the Cisticolidae were indeed distinct, and suggested that bulbuls (Pycnonotidae) were apparently the closest relatives of a group containing Sylviidae, Timaliidae, cisticolids and white-eyes.
In 2003, Alice Cibois published a study of Timaliidae relationships (Cibois 2003a). Her mtDNA cytochrome ''b'' and 12S/16S rRNA data indicated that the Sylviidae and Old World babblers were not reciprocally monophyletic to each other. Moreover, ''Sylvia'', the type genus of the Sylvidae, turned out to be closer to taxa such as the Yellow-eyed Babbler (''Chrysomma sinense'') - traditionally held to be an atypical timaliid - and the Wrentit (''Chamaea fasciata''), an enigmatic species generally held to be the only American Old World babbler. The parrotbills, formerly considered a family Paradoxornithidae - roughly, "puzzling birds" - of unclear affiliations also were part of what apparently was a well distinctive clade.
Cibois suggested that the Sylviidae would officially be suppressed by the ICZN as a taxon and the genus ''Sylvia'' merged into the Timaliidae (Cibois 2003b), but doubts remained. Clearly, the sheer extent of the groups concerned made it necessary to study a wide range of taxa. This was begun by Beresford ''et al.'' (2005) and Alström ''et al.'' (2006). They determined that the late-20th-century Sylviidae united at least 4, but probably as much as major 7 distinct lineages. The authors propose the creation of several new families (Phylloscopidae, Cettiidae, Acrocephalidae, Megaluridae) to better reflect the evolutionary history of the sylvioid group.
The Sylviidae, in turn, receive several taxa from other families. Nonetheless, the now-monophyletic has shrunk by nearly 80% for the time being, containing now 55 species in 10 genera at least. It is entirely likely however that with further research, other taxa from those still ''incertae sedis'' among its former contents, the Timaliidae, the Cisticolinae, or even the Muscicapidae will be moved into this group.

Sylviidae

'True warblers' (or 'sylviid warblers') and 'parrotbills'. A fairly diverse group of smallish taxa with longish tails. Mostly in Asia, to a lesser extent in Africa. A few range into Europe; one monotypic genus on west coast of North America.

★ 'Genus ''Sylvia''' - typical warblers (c.20 species). Paraphyletic or contains ''Parisoma''

★ 'Genus ''Parisoma''' - paraphyletic with ''Sylvia''?


★ 'Genus ''Pseudoalcippe''' - formerly in ''Illadopsis'' (Timaliidae)

★
★ African Hillbabbler, ''Pseudoalcippe abyssinica''

★ 'Genus ''Rhopophilus''' - formerly in Cisticolidae

★
★ White-browed Chinese Warbler, ''Rhopophilus pekinensis''

★ 'Genus ''Lioparus''' - formerly in ''Alcippe'' (Timaliidae)

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

★ 'Genus ''Paradoxornis''' - parrotbills (18 species). Formerly in Paradoxornithidae; polyphyletic

★ 'Genus ''Conostoma''' - formerly in Paradoxornithidae; tentatively placed here

★
★ Great Parrotbill, ''Conostoma oemodium''

★ 'Genus ''Fulvetta''' - typical fulvettas. Formerly in ''Alcippe'' (Timaliidae)

★
★ Spectacled Fulvetta, ''Fulvetta ruficapilla''

★
★ Chinese Fulvetta, ''Fulvetta striaticollis''

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

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

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

★ 'Genus ''Chrysomma''' - formerly in Timaliidae

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

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

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

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

★ 'Genus ''Chamaea''' - Wrentit
===To Timaliidae===

★ 'Genus ''Graminicola'''

★
★ Rufous-rumped Grassbird ("-babbler"), ''Graminicola bengalensis''
===To Cisticolidae===

★ 'Genus ''Bathmocercus''' - rufous-warblers

★
★ Black-capped Rufous-warbler, ''Bathmocercus cerviniventris''

★
★ Black-faced Rufous-warbler, ''Bathmocercus rufus''

★ 2-14 of the 15 tailorbirds

===New family Acrocephalidae===
'Marsh- and tree warblers' or 'acrocephalid warblers'. Usually rather large "warblers", most are olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. Usually in open woodland, reedbeds or tall grass. Mainly southern to western Asia and surroundings ranging far into Pacific, some in Africa. The genus limits are seriously in need of revision; either most species are moved into ''Acrocephalus'', or the latter is split up though there is presently insufficient knowledge as to how.

★ 'Genus ''Acrocephalus''' - marsh-warblers (about 35 species)

★ 'Genus ''Hippolais''' - tree warblers (8 species)

★ 'Genus ''Chloropeta''' - yellow warblers

★
★ Yellow Flycatcher-warbler, ''Chloropeta natalensis''

★
★ Mountain Flycatcher-warbler, ''Chloropeta similis''

★
★ Papyrus Flycatcher-warbler, ''Chloropeta gracilirostris''
===To Malagasy warblers===
See Cibois ''et al.'' (2001)

★ 'Genus ''Thamnornis'''

★
★ Thamnornis, ''Thamnornis chloropetoides''

★ 'Genus ''Cryptosylvicola'''

★
★ Cryptic Warbler, ''Cryptosylvicola randriansoloi''
===New family Megaluridae===

'Grass warblers and allies' or 'megalurid warblers'. Mid-sized and usually long-tailed species; sometimes strongly patterned but generally very drab in overall coloration. Often forage on the ground. Old World and into Australian region, centered around Indian Ocean; possibly also one species in South America. A not too robustly supported clade that requires further study.

★ 'Genus ''Bradypterus''' - Megalurid bush-warblers (more than 20 species). Paraphyletic with at least one species (''"B." victorini'') not belonging into this family.

★ 'Genus ''Locustella''' - grass warblers (9 species)

★ 'Genus ''Megalurus''' - typical grassbirds. Probably polyphyletic

★
★ Marsh Grassbird, ''Megalurus pryeri''

★
★ Tawny Grassbird, ''Megalurus timoriensis''

★
★ Little Grassbird, ''Megalurus gramineus''

★
★ Striated Grassbird, ''Megalurus palustris''

★
★ Fly River Grassbird, ''Megalurus albolimbatus''
The Black-capped Donacobius (''Donacobius atricapillus'') which was long considered an aberrant wren might constitute the only American species of this family.
===New family Cettiidae===
'Typical bush warblers and relatives' or 'cettiid warblers'. Another group of generally very drab species, tend to be smaller and shorter-tailed than Megaluridae. Usually frequent shrubland and undergrowth. Continental Asia, and surrounding regions, ranging into Africa.

★ 'Genus ''Pholidornis''' - formerly in Remizidae; tentatively placed here

★
★ Tit-hylia, ''Pholidornis rushiae''

★ 'Genus ''Hylia''' - tentatively placed here ^[1]

★
★ Green Hylia, ''Hylia prasina''

★ 'Genus ''Abroscopus''' - Abroscopus warblers

★
★ Rufous-faced Warbler, ''Abroscopus albogularis''

★
★ Yellow-bellied Warbler, ''Abroscopus superciliaris''

★
★ Black-faced Warbler, ''Abroscopus schisticeps''


★ 'Genus ''Erythrocercus''' - monarch-warblers. Formerly Monarchinae.

★ Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, ''Erythrocercus mccallii''

★ Yellow Flycatcher, ''Erythrocercus holochlorus''

★ Livingstone's Flycatcher, ''Erythrocercus livingstonei''

★ 'Genus ''Urosphena''' - stubtails

★
★ Timor Stubtail, ''Urosphena subulata''

★
★
★ Babar Stubtail, ''Urosphena subulata advena'' - extinct (mid-20th century)

★
★ Bornean Stubtail, ''Urosphena whiteheadi''

★
★ Asian Stubtail, ''Urosphena squameiceps''

★ 'Genus ''Tesia''' - tesias

★
★ Chestnut-headed Tesia, ''Tesia castaneocoronata''

★
★ Javan Tesia, ''Tesia superciliaris''

★
★ Slaty-bellied Tesia, ''Tesia olivea''

★
★ Grey-bellied Tesia, ''Tesia cyaniventer''

★
★ Russet-capped Tesia, ''Tesia everetti''

★ 'Genus ''Cettia''' - typical bush-warblers (about 15 species). Polyphyletic.

★ 'Genus ''Tickellia'''

★
★ Broad-billed Warbler, ''Tickellia hodgsoni''

★ Mountain Tailorbird and possibly other tailorbirds
===To Aegithalidae===

★ 'Genus ''Leptopoecile''' - tit-warblers. Tentatively placed here

★
★ White-browed Tit-warbler, ''Leptopoecile sophiae''

★
★ Crested Tit-warbler, ''Leptopoecile elegans''
===New family Phylloscopidae===
'Leaf-warblers' or 'phylloscopid warblers'. A group very variable in size, often vivid green coloration above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colors. Catch food on the wing fairly often. Eurasia, ranging into Wallacea and Africa.


★ 'Genus ''Phylloscopus''' - leaf-warblers (c.55 species). Polyphyletic.

★ 'Genus ''Seicercus''' - polyphyletic

★
★ Golden-spectacled Warbler, ''Seicercus burkii''

★
★
★ Grey-crowned Warbler, ''Seicercus (burkii) tephrocephalus''

★
★
★ Whistler's Warbler, ''Seicercus (burkii) whistleri''

★
★
★ Bianchi's Warbler, ''Seicercus (burkii) valentini''

★
★ Emei Shan Warbler, ''Seicercus omeiensis''

★
★ Plain-tailed Warbler, ''Seicercus soror''

★
★ White-spectacled Warbler, ''Seicercus affinis'' - paraphyletic

★
★
★ Bar-winged White-spectacled Warbler, ''Seicercus (affinis) intermedius''

★
★ Grey-cheeked Warbler, ''Seicercus poliogenys''

★
★ Grey-hooded Warbler, ''Seicercus xanthoschistos''

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★ Chestnut-crowned Warbler, ''Seicercus castaniceps''

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★ Yellow-breasted Warbler, ''Seicercus montis''

★
★ Sunda Warbler, ''Seicercus grammiceps''
==="African warblers"===
Also "''Sphenoeacus'' group". An assemblage of usually species-poor and apparently rather ancient "odd warblers" from Africa. Ecomorphologically quite variable. Monophyly requires confirmation.

★ 'Genus ''Sylvietta''' - crombecs

★
★ Green Crombec, ''Sylvietta virens''

★
★ Lemon-bellied Crombec, ''Sylvietta denti''

★
★ White-browed Crombec, ''Sylvietta leucophrys''

★
★
★ Chapin's Crombec, ''Sylvietta (leucophrys) chapini'' - possibly extinct (late 20th century?)

★
★ Northern Crombec, ''Sylvietta brachyura''

★
★ Short-billed Crombec, ''Sylvietta philippae''

★
★ Red-capped Crombec, ''Sylvietta ruficapilla''

★
★ Red-faced Crombec, ''Sylvietta whytii''

★
★ Somali Crombec, ''Sylvietta isabellina''

★
★ Cape Crombec, ''Sylvietta rufescens''

★ 'Genus ''Melocichla'''

★
★ Moustached Grass-warbler, ''Melocichla mentalis''

★ 'Genus ''Achaetops'''

★
★ Damara Rock-jumper, ''Achaetops pycnopygius''

★ 'Genus ''Sphenoeacus'''

★
★ Cape Grassbird, ''Sphenoeacus afer''

★ 'Genus N.N.' - formerly ''Bradypterus'' (now Megaluridae)

★
★ Victorin's Scrub-warbler, ''"Bradypterus" victorini''

★ 'Genus ''Macrosphenus''' - longbills

★
★ Kemp's Longbill, ''Macrosphenus kempi''

★
★ Yellow Longbill, ''Macrosphenus flavicans''

★
★ Grey Longbill, ''Macrosphenus concolor''

★
★ Pulitzer's Longbill, ''Macrosphenus pulitzeri''

★
★ Kretschmer's Longbill, ''Macrosphenus kretschmeri''
===Not in Sylvioidea===
Entirely unrelated songbirds hitherto placed in Sylviidae

★ 'Genus ''Stenostira''' - Together with some "odd flycatchers", they form the new family Stenostiridae. They are closely related to titmice (Beresford ''et al.'' 2005)

★
★ Fairy Warbler, ''Stenostira scita''

★ 'Genus ''Hyliota''' - hyliotas. Basal Passerida with no known relatives, perhaps somewhat closer to Promeropidae (sugarbirds)^[2]

★
★ Yellow-bellied Hyliota, ''Hyliota flavigaster''

★
★ Southern Hyliota, ''Hyliota australis''

★
★ Usambara Hyliota, ''Hyliota usambarae''

★
★ Violet-backed Hyliota, ''Hyliota violacea''

★ 'Genus ''Newtonia''' - newtonias. Now in Vangidae (vangas); possibly polyphyletic (Yamagishi ''et al.'' 2001)

★
★ Dark Newtonia, ''Newtonia amphichroa''

★
★ Common Newtonia, ''Newtonia brunneicauda''

★
★ Archbold's Newtonia, ''Newtonia archboldi''

★
★ Red-tailed Newtonia, ''Newtonia fanovanae'' - tentatively placed here

"Sylviidae" ''incertae sedis''

Taxa that have not been studied. Most are likely to belong to one of Sylvioidea families listed above. Those in the Australian-Pacific region are probably Megaluridae. These taxa are listed in the sequence used in recent years.

★ 'Genus ''Dromaeocercus''' - emu-tails. Megaluridae?

★
★ Brown Emu-tail, ''Dromaeocercus brunneus''

★
★ Grey Emu-tail, ''Dromaeocercus seebohmi'' - sometimes separated in ''Amphilais''

★ 'Genus ''Sceptomycter''' - sometimes merged into ''Bathmocercus''. Cisticolidae?

★
★ Mrs Moreau's Warbler, ''Sceptomycter winifredae''

★ 'Genus ''Nesillas''' - brush warblers. Malagasy warblers?

★
★ Aldabra Brush-warbler, ''Nesillas aldabrana'' - extinct (c.1984)

★
★ Anjouan Brush-warbler, ''Nesillas longicaudata''

★
★ Madagascar Brush-warbler, ''Nesillas typica''

★
★ Grand Comoro Brush-warbler, ''Nesillas brevicaudata''

★
★ Moheli Brush-warbler, ''Nesillas mariae''

★ 'Genus ''Phyllolais''' - Cisticolidae?

★
★ Buff-bellied Warbler, ''Phyllolais pulchella''

★ 'Genus ''Poliolais''' - Cisticolidae or more basal like bulbuls?

★
★ White-tailed Warbler, ''Poliolais lopezi''

★ 'Genus ''Graueria'''

★
★ Grauer's Warbler, ''Graueria vittata''

★ 'Genus ''Eremomela''' - eremomelas. Cettiidae?

★
★ Salvadori's Eremomela, ''Eremomela salvadorii''

★
★ Yellow-vented Eremomela, ''Eremomela flavicrissalis''

★
★ Yellow-bellied Eremomela, ''Eremomela icteropygialis''

★
★ Senegal Eremomela, ''Eremomela canescens''

★
★ Green-backed Eremomela, ''Eremomela pusilla''

★
★ Greencap Eremomela, ''Eremomela scotops''

★
★ Yellow-rumped Eremomela, ''Eremomela gregalis''

★
★ Rufous-crowned Eremomela, ''Eremomela badiceps''

★
★ Turner's Eremomela, ''Eremomela turneri''

★
★
★ Western Turner's Eremomela, ''Eremomela turneri kalindei'' - probably extinct (early 1980s?)

★
★ Black-necked Eremomela, ''Eremomela atricollis''

★
★ Burnt-neck Eremomela, ''Eremomela usticollis''

★ 'Genus ''Randia''' - Malagasy warblers?

★
★ Rand's Warbler, ''Randia pseudozosterops''

★ 'Genus ''Hemitesia'''

★
★ Neumann's Warbler, ''Hemitesia neumanni''

★ 'Genus ''Amaurocichla''' - Timaliidae or Sylviidae?

★
★ Bocage's Longbill or São Tomé Short-tail, ''Amaurocichla bocagei''

★ 'Genus ''Bowdleria''' - fernbirds. Sometimes merged into ''Megalurus''. Megaluridae?

★
★ Fernbird, ''Bowdleria punctata''

★
★ Chatham Islands Fernbird, ''Bowdleria rufescens'' - extinct (c.1900)

★ 'Genus ''Chaetornis''' - Bristled Grassbird. Megaluridae?

★ 'Genus ''Schoenicola''' - grassbirds. Basal Megaluridae?

★
★ Broad-tailed Grassbird, ''Schoenicola platyura''

★
★ Fan-tailed Grassbird, ''Schoenicola brevirostris''

★ 'Genus ''Cincloramphus''' - songlarks. Basal Megaluridae?

★
★ Brown Songlark, ''Cincloramphus cruralis''

★
★ Rufous Songlark, ''Cincloramphus mathewsi''

★ 'Genus ''Eremiornis''' - probably Megaluridae

★
★ Spinifex-bird, ''Eremiornis carteri''

★ 'Genus ''Buettikoferella''' - probably Megaluridae

★
★ Buff-banded Bushbird, ''Buettikoferella bivittata''

★ 'Genus ''Megalurulus''' - thicketbirds. Probably Megaluridae

★
★ New Caledonian Grassbird, ''Megalurulus mariei''

★
★ Bismarck Thicketbird, ''Megalurulus grosvenori''

★
★ Bougainville Thicketbird, ''Megalurulus llaneae''

★
★ Guadalcanal Thicketbird, ''Megalurulus whitneyi''

★
★ Rusty Thicketbird, ''Megalurulus rubiginosus''

★ 'Genus ''Trichocichla''' - Long-legged Warbler.

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.

★ 'Baker', Kevin (1997): ''Warblers of Europe, Asia, and North Africa''. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.. ISBN 0691011699

★ '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

★ '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

★ 'Fuchs' J., Fjeldsa J., Bowie R.C.K., Voelker G., Pasquet E. 2006. The African warbler genus Hyliota as a lost lineage in the Oscine songbird tree: Molecular support for an African origin of the Passerida. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 39 (1), pp. 186-197.

★ 'Shirihai', Hadoram (2001): ''Sylvia warblers''. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.. ISBN 0691088330

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

★ 'Simms', Eric (1985): ''British warblers''. Collins, London.

★ 'Yamagishi', Satoshi; Honda, Masanao; Eguchi, Kazuhiro & Thorstrom, Russel (2001): Extreme endemic radiation of the Malagasy Vangas (Aves: Passeriformes). ''Journal of Molecular Evolution'' '53'(1): 39-46. (HTML abstract)

Notes

1. Sefc K.M., Payne R.B., Sorenson M.D., 2003: Phylogenetic relationships of African sunbird-like warblers: Moho Hypergerus atriceps, Green Hylia Hylia prasina and Tit-hylia Pholidornis rushiae. The Ostrich 74: 8-17.
2. Fuchs, J., J. Fjeldså, R. C. K. Bowie, G. Voelker, and E. Pasquet. 2006. The African warbler genus Hyliota as a lost lineage in the oscine songbird tree: Molecular support for an African origin of the Passerida. Mol. Phylogen. Evol. 39:186-197.

External links

★ Old World warblers videos on the Internet Bird Collection