Chiappeavis magnapremaxillo

By José Carlos Cortés

Etymology: Chiappe’s Bird

First Described By: O’Connor et al, 2016 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Enantiornithes, Cathayornithiformes 

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: 120 million years ago, in the Aptian age of the Early Cretaceous 

Chiappeavis is known from the Jiufotang Formation of China, specifically in the Shangheshou Beds 

Physical Description: Chiappeavis was an Opposite Bird, ie the group of bird-like dinosaurs that were extremely diverse and widespread during the Cretaceous period. Chiappeavis is known from a nearly complete skeleton, including some feather impressions. It was a fairly large bird, probably around 20 or so centimeters (though this is a very rough estimate). It had a small snout, with small pointed teeth inside of it, and a fairly large head. Its body was long, and it had large wings – good for more powerful flying as opposed to tighter maneuvering in between trees. Interestingly enough, Chiappeavis had a giant tail fan, which was not actually universal among Opposite BIrds as it is in modern birds. It also had fairly thick, strong feet. 

Diet: It is probable that Chiappeavis fed mainly on arthropods and other hard invertebrates. 

By Ripley Cook

Behavior: It is uncertain what the behavior of Chiappeavis was, given that we do not have extensive skeletons of this dinosaur. Still, it probably wouldn’t have flitted about the trees as much as birds with wings better built for maneuvering. The tail fan of Chiappeavis probably would have been extremely useful in sexual display, as well as other forms of communication – especially since it does not appear to have been very good at generating lift during flight (hence it not being widespread in other Opposite Birds). As such, it is more likely than not that Chiappeavis would have been fairly social, living in groups of multiple birds which communicated and recognized each other with feather displays. This, therefore, leads us to yet another likely hypothesis: that it took care of its young, at least to some extent. Beyond that, the behavior of Chiappeavis is a bit of a question – though it may have been able to dig out insects and other grubs with its strong feet, and then bit into the tough exteriors of these animals with its many needle-like teeth. 

Ecosystem: The Jiufotang Formation was one of the Jehol Biota ecosystems, aka a group of extremely diverse and lush environments that preserved birdie dinosaurs of the Early Cretaceous with great detail. In that, Chiappeavis is one of many dinosaurs found in this location with extensive feather preservation. TheJiufotang Environment was a dense forest, surrounding an extensive number of lakes, and near volcanically active mountains. Still, it isn’t quite as well known as the earlier Yixian formation, and in fact doesn’t seem to have as many plants preserved to inform the exact environment and temperature. Still, it’s reasonable to suppose it may have also been a temperate ecosystem, like the earlier Yixian Formation, potentially even with snow. 

By Jack Wood

In this environment, there were an extremely wide variety of animals. There was a decent diversity of fish, quite a few kinds of mammals, and the weird, unclassifiable Choristoderes were represented by Philydrosaurus, Ikechosaurus, and Liaoxisaurus. This ecosystem was lousy with pterosaurs, featuring a variety of Chaoynagopterids – like Chaoyangopterus itself, Eoazhdarcho, Jidapterus, and Shenzhoupterus; Pteranodonts like Guidraco, Ikrandraco, Liaoningopterus, Nurhachius, Liaoxipterus, and Linlongopterus; Tapejarids like “Huaxiapterus”, (probably) Nemicolopterus, and Sinopterus; and the weirdly late-surviving Anurognathid Vesperopterylus. 

As for dinosaurs, there were many, and most were bird like! There was of course the Ankylosaur Chuanqilong, and the early Ceratopsian Psittacosaurus; there was also an unnamed titanosaur. There was a Tyrannosauroid, SInotyrannus, the Chickenparrot Similicaudipteryx, the raptor Microraptor, and tons of early Avialans like Confuciusornis, Dalianraptor, Jeholornis, Omnivoropteryx, Sapeornis, Shenshiornis, and Zhongjianornis. There were also “true” birds (ie, the line of dinosaurs that would evolve into those we see today) such as Bellulornis, Piscivoravis, Archaeorhynchus, Chaoyangia, Jianchangornis, Parahongshanornis, Schizooura, Songlingornis, Yanornis, and Yixianornis. However, the most diverse group of dinosaurs were the Opposite Birds, of which Chiappeavis was only one of many. There was Alethoalaornis, Boluochia, Bohaiornis, Cathayornis, Cuspirostrisornis, Dapingfangornis, Eocathayornis, Piscivorenantiornis, Pengornis, Gracilornis, Huoshanornis, Largirostrornis, Longchengornis, Longipteryx, Rapaxavis, Shangyang, Sinornis, and Xiangornis – just to name a few! As such the Jiufotange remains as a rich ecosystem in which to study the evolution of this fantastic group of Cretaceous dinosaurs. 

By Scott Reid

Other: Chiappeavis is probably not its own thing – it is one of a number of Opposite Birds described without substantial evidence that it was a distinct genus and, indeed, many researchers consider them to be members of other genera. In this case, Chiappeavis is probably the same as Pengornis. Still, until it is officially lumped in, it must be treated as its own genus. It had a lot of similarities to Pengornis, regardless, indicating the two may belong to a larger clade of Opposite Birds. In short, Opposite Bird Phylogeny is kind of a mess, and needs a lot more intensive work than has currently been done. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Pitohui

Hooded Pitohui by Berichard, CC BY-SA 2.0

Etymology: Inedible (Rubbish) Bird 

First Described By: Lesson, 1831 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Euoscines, Corvides, Orioloidea, Oriolidae 

Referred Species: P. kirhocephalus (Northern Variable Pitohui), P. cerviniventris (Raja Ampat Pitohui), P. uropygialis (Southern Variable Pitohui), P. dichrous (Hooded Pitohui) 

Status: Extant, Least Concern 

Time and Place: Since 10,000 years ago, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

Pitohuis are endemic to New Guinea 

Physical Description: The Pitohuis look like your average Corvids – large passerines with dark coloration, thick bills, and high intelligence – but there’s more to these strange birds than meets the eye. Pitohuis are some of the rare examples of poisonous birds! Pitohuis tend to range in size between 20 and 26 centimeters long, and they are mostly black all over with brown to bright orange patches on their bellies or backs – though there is, of course, one species that is primarily brown. They have large, thick black bills, short wings, and short tails. The sexes tend to be very alike in these birds, though some species have subpopulations with different colorations. The juveniles, in general, are more brown in regions that are black in the adults. These birds are extremely toxic, with a neurotoxin called homobatrachotoxin in their skin, feathers, and other tissues. The least toxic parts of these birds are their bones. The toxins are secreted into their feathers on purpose; though some is left behind in muscle and organ tissue, which indicates a lack of sensitivity to the toxins by the birds. Some individuals do not have the toxins, probably due to a lack of the toxin-making beetles in their diets; but this is a variable occurrence and the vast majority of Pitohuis have the toxins in their feathers and skin. 

Southern Variable Pitohui by Markus Lilje

Diet: Pitohuis primarily feed on insects, though at least a few species also supplement their diets with fruit and seeds. Most importantly, they feed on beetles of the genus Choresine, which contain the toxin they incorporate into their feathers. 

Raja Ampat Pitohui, by Carlos N. G. Bocos

Behavior: Pitohuis tend to forage at most levels of the forest, oftentimes in mixed-species flocks, though they are the ones that feed more on poisonous beetles than others in these flocks. They will hide in dense vegetation in order to avoid letting their prey know they’re there, but since they don’t have a lot of predators they don’t have to worry much about them. They do not migrate, but they are extremely vocal and social – making a variety of whistling and calls, which vary in word from species to species. Some are more leisurely than others, and they go between a variety of high and low pitches. Usually, they are quite musical and loud. Pitohuis begin breeding in early spring, and start nesting in the summer – though Hooded Pitohuis tend to lay more in the autumn. Multiple mated pairs probably work together to take care of the nest, which is a cup of vines and tendrils suspended on slender branches a few meters up from the ground. They typically lay one to two eggs a season. 

Hooded Pitohui by Markus Lilje

Ecosystem: Pitohuis live mainly in tropical rainforest and mangrove forests, as well as mountainous forests. They live at a variety of elevations, up to 2000 meters high; many species can also be found at forest edges and swamp forests, as well as lowlands. They do overlap with many other Pitohuis – including each other – and share the poisonous beetles among one another. Potential predators, including a variety of snakes, show marked sensitivity and irritation to even small amounts of the toxins found in the feathers of these birds – and as such, predators of the Pitohuis are not known at this time, at least of the adults. The young, who might not have as much of these toxins in their feathers and skin, are still vulnerable to nest raiders. Humans also do not feed on Pitohuis – leading to their name! 

Northern Variable Pitohui by Paul van Giersbergen

Other: Toxicity in birds is an extremely rare trait, but it seems to have evolved multiple times in birds in New Guinea. In fact, Pitohui is a general name often used for any such poisonous bird, but recent scientific studies has showcased they’re not actually closely related at all! So, many species of Pitohui actually belong to other genera in not closely related groups of songbirds. While the ones we discussed today are Orioles, some are Bellbirds and others are Whistlers/Shrikethrushes. They are all, however, in the general Corvides group. The reasons as to why toxicity evolves in birds is debated – it may be a defensive measure (and is used as such), but it also might just be a consequence of their diet. They had to do something with the toxins from the beetles – so why not shed it out into their feathers? And then, BONUS! They aren’t eaten by a lot of predators! Regardless of how this odd trait began, they aren’t hunted or eaten very much as a result! Though having a limited range, the toxicity of these birds means that they are rarely fed upon by predators – including humans – and as such, they are common in their ranges. 

Hooded Pitohui by Frédéric Pelsy

Species Differences: The Pitohuis mainly differ based on their coloration from species to species, though there are some range differences (the Hooded and Northern Pitohuis live on the northern half of New Guinea, the Southern Pitohui on the Southern Half, and the Raja Ampat Pitohui only on the island of Waigeo. Hooded Pitohuis have black heads and wings, with black tails; the rest of their bodies are utterly black orange. Raja Ampat Pitohuis are brown almost everywhere, except for having a lighter orange on their bellies and black tips to their wings and tails. Northern Variable Pitohuis can be one of three color schemes: grey heads with brown backs black tails and wings and bright orange bellies; black heads with dark orange backs black wings black tails and lighter orange bellies; or dark orange on top all over and a lighter orange on the belly. Southern Variable Pitohuis can be black on their heads wings and tails with a dark red-orange on their backs and bellies; or black on their heads and tails and wings with dark orange on top and lighter orange on bottom in only the males, while the females have more brown heads. So much variation! 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Nyctibius

Common Potoo by Gmmv1980, CC BY-SA 4.0

Etymology: Night Feeder 

First Described By: Vieillot, 1816 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Strisores, Caprimulgiformes, Nyctibiidae 

Referred Species: N. bracteatus (Rufous Potoo), N. grandis (Great Potoo), N. aethereus (Long-Tailed Potoo), N. leucopterus (White-Winged Potoo), N. maculosus (Andean Potoo), N. griseus (Common Potoo), N. jamaicensis (Northern Potoo) 

Status: Extant, Least Concern 

Time and Place: From 12,000 years ago through today, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

Potoos are known from Central and South America, around the Equator 

Physical Description: Potoos are some of the weirdest birds alive today, looking about as ridiculous and muppet-like as any bird can really look. I’m honestly not sure if there is another living dinosaur that looks more like a muppet – and, of course, we don’t know if any extinct dinosaurs could have taken home the gold. The only probable and possible contender is the Frogmouth, which may just be the slightest amount more muppet-like, but it’s a close contest. They have distinctive faces, that are more feather than underlying tissue – their beaks stick out a bit, with a small hooked beak at the end. They have a large mouth, covered in fluff. Their eyes have a general sunken in appearance, which makes them look very large compared to the rest of the face. Their heads are very large compared to the rest of their bodies, and they have long bodies with short wings and long, fluffy tails. So, when they stand up, they look… well, they look like a stump, or a log standing up. They can then make themselves skinnier, which makes their eyes stand out compared to the rest of their bodies… which gives them the general appearance of a completely ridiculous animal. They can range in size from 21 to 58 centimeters, and range in color from reddish brown, to more orange brown, to more grey in color. This genus is not sexually dimorphic, though some species have variants in color. 

By Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Diet: Potoos eat a lot of insects – from beetles to moths, to mantids, ants, termites, cicadas, leafhoppers, and grasshoppers. 

Rufous Potoo by Eric Gropp, CC BY 2.0

Behavior: Potoos will hunt by standing extremely still on their perches – often, again, making themselves to look like a continuous log – and waiting for food to appear. Since they’re nocturnal, they are easily missed by the insects, as they blend into the background around them. Then, when they spot the prey, they launch forward, jutting forward to catch the insects and swallow them. Some species are more clumsy in this endeavor than others, though some are able to make leaps over several meters in order to grab the food they desire. They then return to the same post, returning to their previous log-like stillness as they wait for more food to appear. They’ll look around for the food by turning their heads rapidly from side to side – weirdly like owls, though they are not closely related to them at all. These perches can be only one meter off the ground, or up to 19 meters, depending on the forest around the potoo in question. 

Common Potoo by the American Bird Conservancy

Potoos aren’t the most musical or birds, but they are loud – they make harsh, guttural “bwa-bwa-bwa” calls, similar to laughing or wailing. They can also make drawn out, descending rasps, that are… somewhat more musical at least. They tend to make their sounds mostly at dusk, right before dawn, and also on moonlit nights – so when it is Dark, but not too dark. These sounds, of course, do vary from species to species. There are some courtship calls, including descended calls made by females during the mating ritual, but they aren’t a major feature of these events. So, instead of picturing the great wolves as your moonlight singers, remember: the Potoos can and WILL be making these weird urts, laughs, and whistles, every time the moon is full and out in the sky. Potoos do not migrate, but they do appear to move sporadically in response to season changes and mating territory disturbances. 

Long-Tailed Potoo by Lee R. Berger, CC BY-SA 3.0

As for nesting, Potoos are not… fantastic at the prospect, because of their tiny legs and weird, weird beaks. This makes them not great at both sitting on the nest and feeding the chicks. Still, they do it anyway, and clearly well enough since they aren’t endangered with extinction. They are monogamous, with both parents working together to incubate the egg and raise the chick, and they don’t build a nest – instead, the egg is laid in a depression on the branch, usually on top of a rotting stump. The male incubates the egg during the day, while the female will do so with the male at night. The chick is hidden almost entirely through camouflage. They hatch about a month later, and then stay in the nest for two more months, being protected by the parents and fed by them as well. They look… like clumps of fungus. Hiding underneath the log of their parents. The parents will defend themselves and the nest with mobbing behavior, crowding a predator and dive bombing it, and also calling at it loudly. In short, these birds are a Giant, Giant mess of Chaos. 

White-Winged Potoo by Mark Sutton

Ecosystem: Potoos are known primarily from rainforests, and can be found at any level of the forest – some Potoos are known from the understorey, some from the middle, and some from the canopy – it really depends. They’re also found in very swampy forests, depending on the species and the habitats in question. They tend to stick to where there are easily accessible sources of water, regardless, especially rivers and lakes in the jungle. They stick to the deep interior of the forest, not venturing to forest edges much unless driven to by necessity. Some species are also found in mountain forest habitats. They have few natural predators after reaching adult size, though the young are hunted upon by monkeys and falcons. 

Andean Potoo by Isirvio, CC BY-SA 2.0

Other: Potoos are a part of the Stirsorians, a group of WEIRD BIRDS that are adapted for a variety of extremely unique ecological niches, usually depending on their flight style. Close relatives of the Potoo include the Frogmouth, Nightjars, Oilbirds, Swifts, and Hummingbirds, among others. Potoos are highly adapted for their nocturnal lifestyle, adapted to blend in with their forested surroundings above all else. None are threatened with extinction at this time, though of course some species are rarer than others, and all are vulnerable to climate change and extensive habitat destruction in the American Rainforests. They are also quite uncommon birds, which of course affects their vulnerability as well.

Northern Potoo by Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0

Species Differences: The different species of Potoo vary mainly on size, coloration, habitat, and location. The Rufous Potoo is one of the most notable, being very red in color and also the smallest species; it is known from northern Amazonia, in the middle and lower storeys of the forest. Great Potoos are the heaviest species, and greyish to yellowish brown; they are found in the canopy of Amazonia. The Long-Tailed Potoo is the longest species, and is a darker brown; it is found in lowland forest in Amazonia. The White-Winged Potoo has – you guessed it – white wings, and is small in size; it is found in the canopy of lowland Amazonia rainforest. The Andean Potoo is very dark and Extremely Muppety, and is found in mountain forests in the Andes Mountains. The Common Potoo is the most middle brown of them all and very middle in size, so the Averagest Potoo of them All; it is found in wet open woodland, usually at forest edges and the canopy, throughout Northern South America. The Northern Potoo is similar to the Common Potoo but usually larger, and it is also found in forest edges, but in Central America and the Carribean. 

~ By Meig Dickson 

Sources Under the Cut 

Upupa

Eurasian Hoopoe by Jaiprakashsingh, CC BY-SA 3.0

Etymology: Hoopoe 

First Described By: Linnaeus, 1758 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Afroaves, Coraciimorphae, Cavitaves, Eucavitaves, Picocoraciae, Bucerotiformes, Phoeniculidae, Upupidae 

Referred Species: U. africana (African Hoopoe), U. antaios (Saint Helena Hoopoe), U. epops (Eurasian Hoopoe), U. marginata (Madagascan Hoopoe) 

Status: Extinct – Extant, Least Concern 

Time and Place: Between 12,000 years ago and today, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

Hoopoes are known from all over the Eastern Hemisphere 

Physical Description: Hoopoes are extremely distinctive birds! They have very long, thin, and curved bills that extend out greatly from their heads, and huge crests on their heads that are easily spotted. They have long, thin bodies, and feet built for perching. Their wings are very square-ish, and they have shorter tails than other birds. However, their coloration is decidedly where they are most distinctive of all. They have bright orange heads, with orange crests – but the crests end in very slight white bandings and then black tips. Their bodies are orange, but their wings and rumps and tails are black and white striped all over! They are such beautiful, distinctive birds. The shades of orange can differ in brightness or redness based on species (for example, the African Hoopoe tends to be redder than the Eurasian Hoopoe), but they do tend to be overall similar to one another in appearance. Living species range between 19 and 32 centimeters long; the extinct Saint Helena Hoopoe, though it had smaller wings, probably could have reached 36 centimeters long. 

Madagascan Hoopoe by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Diet: Hoopoes primarily feed on insects, especially larvae, though some larger animals are also fed upon by these animals. 

Common Hoopoe by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Behavior: Hoopoes are very curious, adventurous birds, spending a lot of their time foraginging on the ground – they’ll dig with their bills into soft earth, using them to turn over leaves and probing into the mud and dung for insects and other invertebrates. They’ll even use their bills to prise off the bark from trees, or forage for insects in lichen! Sometimes, these birds also smash their food against the ground to They’ll usually forage in pairs or alone, spending a lot of their days looking for food. Some Hoopoes – especially the Madagascan Hoopoe – will forage in even slightly larger groups, of up to six individuals. Fascinatingly, Hoopoes have their own version of Penicillin – Anting! They’ll find piles of ants and roll around in them, allowing the ants to cover their feathers. The ants then secret substances that will kill bacteria, fungi, and other insects – protecting the Hoopoe (and other birds that Ant) from illness! These birds also take dust and sand baths to clean themselves; they’ll also sunbathe by spreading out their wings and tail low to the ground and tilting their heads up! 

Madagascan Hoopoe by Charles J. Sharp, CC By-SA 4.0

Hoopoes are distinctive in one very special way that lead to its name – their voice! They literally make calls that sounds like “hoo-poo-poo” and “hoop-oop hoop-oop” – leading to the name, Hoopoe, as well as the genus  name, Upupa, and the species name of the Eurasian species, epops. Interestingly enough, the Madagascan Hoopoe does not make this sound – but rather, more cooing sounds, like doves. These birds will also make harsh, scolding calls, trills, and hisses, depending on the situation. The females and males will communicate primarily in trilling sounds while watching out for their nests. These birds are often sedentary, not migrating over long distance, but northern populations usually do come south in the winter to avoid colder climates, creating a variety of populations with very distinctive seasons and migrational patterns from one another within the species. 

Saint Helena Hoopoe by Apokryltaros, CC BY 2.5

Hoopoes are monogamous each breeding season (which varies throughout the year as Hoopoes live all over the Eastern Hemisphere), forming strong pair bonds (that only last for that period of time). Males make very frequent calls to establish their territories, and they often fight with each other very brutally – including stabbings that can leave their opponents blinded. Females will then mate with the winners of these contests, and together they make nests out of holes in trees and walls with very narrow entrances. They usually aren’t lined with much. The female then incubates the egg, while the male defends her and the nest. Clutch size tends to depend on location, varying between 4 and 12 eggs per nest. They are incubated for nearly three weeks. At hatching, the chicks are very white and fluffy after a few days, and the crest develops after two weeks. The chicks are able to leave the nest after about a month, though they still stick with their families for a little while. Sometimes, when males defeat each other and replace each other in the mated pair, they will kill the offspring of the replaced male. Females can produce foul-smelling liquid, as do the babies, to protect themselves from predators – since they smell like rotting meat, they can fend off meat-eaters and parasites, and potentially fend off bacteria. Chicks in the nests also are able to literally poop at intruders, helping them to protect themselves! After leaving the nest, they stay with the parents for another week as they gain their bearings; they then become sexually mature between ages one and two. 

Eurasian Hoopoe by Frank Vassen, CC BY 2.0

Ecosystem: Hoopoes live mainly in open country – pastures, orchards, steppe, dry savanna, wooded savanna, short grassland, and bare ground. They congregate near scattered, isolated trees for their roosting and nesting. They do need perches and shade, but they want the trees they get these services from to be rare in the environments – so they can go down to the ground to get their food! They are fed upon by herons, falcons, and many other birds of prey. 

African Hoopoe by Derek Keats, CC By 2.0

Other: Most hoopoes are not currently threatened with extinction – they are extremely common, widespread birds, that are even protected in many localities (being highly venerated in many cultures – it’s even mentioned extensively in the Quaran – and made the national bird of Israel; it is also considered a pest controller and thus is protected on that front also. Some local populations, such as those in Morocco, are more threatened due to local practices (such as selling them for medicine), but overall they seem to be doing well. In fact, there are probably as many as 10 million Hoopoe around today, if not more. Still, in more northern countries such as Germany they are more endangered, primarily due to changes in habitat, hunting, and human activity giving pressure to the populations. The numbers in Madagascar are slightly vulnerable too, given forest clearance. Hoopoes are closely related to the Hornbills! 

Saint Helena Hoopoe by Scott Reid

Species Differences: The four species primarily differ based on location: The African Hoopoe is found in Africa; the Eurasian Hoopoe is found in Eurasia; the Madagascan Hoopoe is known from Madgascar: and the late Saint Helena Hoopoe – now extinct – was known from the island of Saint Helena off the coast of Africa! The Saint Helena Hoopoe differed from the other species in other ways, too – it had smaller wings, was somewhat larger, and was probably flightless! A giant flightless Hoopoe! And, like most large flightless birds of the recent past, it went extinct due to human activity on the island – this time, sometime in the 1500s. 

~ By Meig Dickson 

Sources Under the Cut 

Reinwardtipicus validus

By Lars Peterson

Etymology: Reinwardt’s Woodpecker 

First Described By: Temminick, 1825 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Afroaves, Coraciimorphae, Cavitaves, Eucavitaves, Picocoraciae, Picodynastornithes, Piciformes, Picides, Picidae, Megapicini 

Status: Extant, Least Concern 

Time and Place: Since 10,000 years ago, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

The Orange-Backed Woodpecker is known from Southeast Asia and Oceania 

Physical Description: These are fairly large woodpeckers, reaching up; to 30 centimeters in length. They look like other woodpeckers, of course – with somewhat round bodies, long thin necks, round heads, and long pointed beaks. Their feet are zygodactylous, with two toes forward and two toes backward. They also have small tails. In general, they have a variety of orange and brown hues in terms of plumage, though they differ based on sex. Males tend to have orange crests, necks, and stomachs; they also have bright orange stripes on the wings. Females are brown in those places, except on the wings, where the orange stripes are a bit more dull. The bulks of their wings are dark brown and their tails are also dark brown. They have white patches on the front of their backs. Their bills, which are pale colored, are slightly curved. 

Diet: Orange-backed Woodpeckers feed mainly on beetle larvae, termites, caterpillars, ants, and other insects. 

By Jean Gabriel Pretre, in the Public Domain

Behavior: These woodpeckers will live in families or mated pairs, foraging together in low and middle parts of trees. They will mainly attack rotting logs, dead stumps, and soft tree trunks – even fines from time to time. They peck and hammer loudly and forcefully to get the wood away to reveal the food, spending minutes to excavate the tasty food inside. They’ll then reach in with their long tongues (which wind around their heads) to grab the food. They don’t tend to move a lot to get food, but prefer to stick in specific locations. They will make loud, ringing calls to each other as they feed, sometimes with more rattling and irregular calls as well. They also make very excited “cha-cha-cha” calls when finding members of the family. Their bursts of digging in wood, however, are very short and loud. They breed from January through September, displaying to their mate with raises of the crest, directs of the bill, and wing flicks and spreads. They build nest holes through excavation a little high up in a dead tree, and they lay one to two eggs. The parents will feed the babies directly – they do not regurgitate. They also do not migrate. 

By Mike Prince, CC BY 2.0

Ecosystem: Orange-Backed Woodpeckers primarily live in evergreen rainforest and in coastal vegetation. They tend to stick to lowlands, rather than getting particularly high up into the mountains, though they can be found there from time to time. 

Other: Orange-Backed Woodpeckers are not threatened with extinction; though they are uncommon in most of their range, they are more common in Sumatra and Borneo. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Baeolophus

Black-Crested Titmouse by Dan Pancamo, CC BY-SA 2.0

Etymology: Little Crest 

First Described By: Cabanis, 1850 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Euoscines, Passerides, Core Passerides, Sylviida, Paroidea, Paridae 

Referred Species: B. wollweberi (Bridled Titmouse), B. inornatus (Oak Titmouse), B. ridgwayi (Juniper Titmouse), B. bicolor (Tufted Titmouse), B. atricstatus (Black-Crested Titmouse) 

Status: Extant, Least Concern 

Time and Place: Within the last 10,000 years, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

The titmice are known from North America, though it rarely gets as far north as Canada 

Physical Description: Titmice are small, fairly dully colored but distinctively patterned birds, ranging between 11.5 and 16 centimeters in length. They are typically dark grey on top, with white and grey bellies, with some yellowish patches underneath their wings. They have fairly long, thin tails, and round bodies. Their heads are also dull colored, though many of them have distinctive black, brown, or white patterning, though others are more uniform. They have small, triangular beaks, and most noticeable of all – large crests on the tops of their heads! The crests are triangular in shape, and they are what the birds get their names from. The sexes tend to be alike across the genus, and juveniles are only a little duller than the adults. 

Juniper Titmouse by Tony Randell, CC BY-SA 2.0

Diet: The Titmice tend to feed upon small invertebrates and larvae, using their small pointy beaks to pull out grubs and other food from hard to reach places. They do also feed upon small bits of plants such as leaf buds, acorns, and fruit. 

Oak Titmouse by Linda Tanner, CC BY 2.0

Behavior: Titmice tend to forage alone or in breeding pairs, though they do congregate in slightly larger groups during the colder months of the year, when new families will often go foraging together. Only a few species can be found regularly in mixed-species foraging flocks; usually, they tend to just stick to their own species of titmouse and no other birds. They tend to do most of their foraging throughout the trees – especially the canopy during the winter – as well as in the undergrowth and on the ground, where it will dig around for food around the branches and foliage. Some species tend to forage more on the ground than others. They are quite vocal while foraging, making sure to keep any group together – so especially so during winter. Calls for Titmice tend to range between soft tup-tup-tup and churring calls, as well as more “tsit-tsit-tsit” and other variations on that theme. Each species makes different songs, but they tend to sound like “pli-pli-pli” and other similar themes, with whistled and slurred rapid calls. All sexes have been shown to sing. Many individual males have a wide variety of song types! 

Tufted Titmouse by Jocelyn Anderson, CC BY 3.0

None of these birds really migrate long distances, but they do move back and forth over short distances based on seasonal differences and food availability. They begin the breeding season usually at the end of winter or early spring, though some species will start a little bit later. They tend to be strictly monogamous, and pair-bond for life, though they’ll have helpers (often former children) aid in the feeding of young at some nests. Interestingly enough, Tufted Titmice will sometimes have small flocks of unrelated individuals making nests in an area, with a dominant pair and a second pair nearby with the dominant pair breeding and laying first. They are also very territorial over their breeding location and general area of the nest. The females will do the bulk of the nest construction, making them out of moss, grass, lichens, leaves, bark, hair, feathers, and other materials to form a cup placed in a hole or cavity in a tree, a few to many meters above the ground – usually, these are old woodpecker holes. They will lay between five and nine eggs which are mainly incubated by the female, while the males will bring food to her and eventually the chicks. The eggs are incubated for around two weeks, when both parents start to feed the chicks as they stay in the nests. The young then stick around for about a month, and then stay near the family and nest for another month after that, though Tufted Titmice will stay for up to two more months and may even help with a second brood of birds. Sometimes the families will stick together, especially for wintertime foraging – while others will begin defending their own practice territories. The longest these birds have been recorded living in the wild is up to fourteen years. 

Brindled Titmouse by Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0

Ecosystem: Titmice stick to mature temperate forests, usually of multiple types of trees. They tend to enjoy more water-associated areas including river valleys, streams, and wooded swamps. They can also be found on the edge of farmland. Some will also be found in lowland dry forest and warm-climate evergreen forests. Desert species are also found in brush and scrub habitats. 

Oak Titmouse by Alan Vernon, CC BY 2.0

Other: None of the titmice are currently threatened with extinction, though some (such as the Oak Titmouse) have much more restricted ranges than others (like the Tufted Titmouse). This affects their population health, but they all seem to be doing okay. And, of course, they can be more common in some regions than in others. The titmice are in fact closely related to other species of tit, as well as the chickadees. These particular members of this family are called titmice primarily due to their small size. 

Tufted TItmouse by Andy E. Mcee, CC BY-SA 2.0

Species Differences: The different titmice live in a variety of habitats and locations, and differ from each other on general appearance as well. Brindled Titmice are found mainly in Western Mexico, and are the most distinctive species – with black and white stripes across its face, and the black portion of the large crest in the back, with a gray patch in the front. It also has a brown back and yellow-whitish front. It is the smallest species, and lives in dry evergreen forests. Oak Titmice are found in California and Baja California – they are a vibrant, chestnut brown, with pale yellow bellies. Their faces are brown and white spotted, and they have medium-sized crests. It is a large species, living in lowland evergreen woodlands. Juniper Titmice are very similar to Oak, but they are duller brown and with smaller crests. They are also a large species and found in the Southwestern United States, usually in scrub and scrub woodland. Tufted Titmice live all over the eastern and Central United States, and is the only species that gets into Canada. They have a small black patch in the front of their crest, which is large. They are grey all over their back, and white-yellowish on their bellies. They are mid-sized Titmice, and live in temperate woodlands. Finally, Black Titmice are found in lowland dry forest and scrub woodland in Texas, Oklahoma, and Northeastern Mexico. They are mid-sized, and grey all over the top with yellow-white on the belly, with an entirely black front to its crest – very similar to the Tufted Titmouse, but with a different range and crest. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Cinnyris

Palestine Sunbird by محمد البدارين, CC BY 2.0

Etymology: Of Cinyras, King of Cyprus (or an unknown small bird named by Hesychius of Alexandria) 

First Described By: Cuvier, 1816 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri, Euoscines, Passerides, Core Passerides, Passerida, Nectariniidae 

Greater Double-Collared Sunbird by Derek Keats, CC BY-SA 2.0

Referred Species: C. chloropygius (Olive-Bellied Sunbird), C. minullus (Tiny Sunbird), C. manoensis (Eastern Miombo Sunbird), C. gertrudis (Western Miombo Sunbird), C. chalybeus (Southern Double-Collared Sunbird), C. neergaardi (Neergaard’s Sunbird), C. stuhlmanni (Rwenzori Double-Collared Sunbird), C. whytei (Whyte’s Double-Collared Sunbird), C. prigoginei (Prigogine’s Double-Collared Sunbird), C. ludovicensis (Ludwig’s Double-Collared Sunbird), C. reichenowi (Northern Double-Collared Sunbird), C. afer (Greater Double-Collared Sunbird), C. regius (Regal Sunbird), C. rockefelleri (Rockefeller’s Sunbird), C. mediocris (Eastern Double-Collared Sunbird), C. usambaricus (Usambara Double-Collared Sunbird), C. fuelleborni (Forest Double-Collared Sunbird), C. moreaui (Moreau’s Sunbird), C. pulchellus (Beautiful Sunbird), C. loveridgei (Loveridge’s Sunbird), C. mariquensis (Marico Sunbird), C. shelleyi (Shelly’s sunbird), C. hofmanni (Hofmann’s Sunbird), C. congensis (Congo Sunbird), C. erythrocerca (Red-Chested Sunbird), C. nectarinioides (Black-Bellied Sunbird), C. bifasciatus (Purple-Banded Sunbird), C. tsavoensis (Tsavo Sunbird), C. chalcomelas (Violet-Breasted Sunbird), C. pembae (Pemba Sunbird), C. bouvieri (Orange-Tufted Sunbird), C. oseus (Palestine Sunbird), C. habessinicus (Shining Sunbird), C. coccingaser (Splendid Sunbird), C. johannae (Johanna’s Sunbird), C. superbus (Superb Sunbird), C. rufipennis (Rufous-Winged Sunbird), C. oustaleti (Oustalet’s Sunbird), C. talatala (White-Bellied Sunbird), C. venustus (Variable Sunbird), C. fuscus (Dusky Sunbird), C. ursulae (Ursula’s Sunbird), C. batesi (Bates’s Sunbird), C. cupreus (Copper Sunbird), C. asiaticus (Purple Sunbird), C. jugularis (Olive-Backed Sunbird), C. buettikoferi (Apricot-Breasted Sunbird), C. solaris (Flame-Breasted Sunbird), S. sovimanga (Souimanga Sunbird), S. abbotti (Abbott’s Sunbird), C. dussumieri (Seychelles Sunbird), S. notatus (Malagasy Green Sunbird), C. humbloti (Humblot’s Sunbird), C. comorensis (Anjouan sunbird), C. coquerellii (Mayotte Sunbird), C. lotenius (Loten’s Sunbird) 

Beautiful Double-Collared Sunbird by Dan Strickland, in the Public Domain

Status: Extant, Endangered – Least Concern 

Time and Place: Within the last 10,000 years, in the Holocene of the Quaternary 

The double-collared sunbirds are known from a large range of Africa, Madagascar, the Middle East, Southern Asia, and the Pacific 

Physical Description: The Double-Collared Sunbirds are a group of small, very beautifully colored birds with distinctive body shapes – they are fairly squat, usually just short tails and long legs, and most importantly, long curved beaks. They also have very short wings, giving them the ability to fly fast and even hover. This makes them, on a superficial level, very similar in appearance to the very distantly related hummingbirds. Still, they aren’t quite as small as hummingbirds – ranging between 9 and 19 centimeters in length. In general they are very similar in color – with dark bodies and shiny patches of greens, purples, blues, and reds on their throats and chests. The females are usually duller, more of an olive green or light brown all over their bodies. The different species will modify this pattern, some with longer tails, others with more purple or green, or even blue patterns – making this genus a smorgasbord of variety. Many males will even switch back and forth between more dull plumage and iridescent feathers based on the season! They are given their name for a fringe of their feathers being brightly colored, giving them a double-collared appearance. 

Regal Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Diet: The Double-Collared Sunbirds primarily feed upon nectar, though many species will also eat insects when necessary. 

Marico Sunbird by Derek Keats, CC BY 2.0

Behavior: Unlike hummingbirds, which entirely hover while feeding, the Double-Collared Sunbirds will hover to get into position, and then use their long perching feet to grab onto branches to anchor themselves during feeding. When not getting nectar out of flowers, they will forage in small groups on branches and reach around with their long beaks to grab insects. While foraging, they make very short song calls, with fast rising and falling notes, as well as warbles. They will also call to each other with more harsh chirps, which vary from species to species. Many will make “squibble” calls, a common motif found among sunbirds, which can draw out into a further trill at the end. 

Southern Double-Collared Sunbird by Mike Goulding, CC BY-SA 3.0

Double-Collared Sunbirds will lay their eggs based on the flow of the wet season, so it varies wildly from species to species and from population to population. They are primarily monogamous, breeding with one partner each season or potentially over their whole lives. Nests are usually made of grass, bark, and leaves, lined with feathers and wool and more plants, usually nestled onto a branch of a bush or a palm. They lay between 1 and 3 eggs, which are usually ovular and fairly monochromatic in color. The females almost exclusively incubate the eggs, which can be parasitized by Cuckoos and Honeyguides. Both parents will feed the young. They probably stay in the nest for two more weeks, and can live for nearly a decade in the case of some species. Migration isn’t extensive amongst these Sunbirds, but it does occur occasionally, especially between elevations and in response to the movements of water and the seasons. 

Shining Sunbird by Tore, CC BY-SA 2.0

Ecosystem: The Double-Collared Sunbirds are essentially found wherever there are flowers to feed from and insects to glean – various kinds of forests, gardens, savanna, coastal thickets, mangroves, mature forests, mountains, plateaus, Miombo Woodland, gardens, grassland, and more. They are fed upon by lizards, cats, mongooses, and many other predators in their habitats. 

By Alon Friedman, in the Public Domain

Other: Only a few species of this genus are considered threatened with extinction at this time, mainly due to having very limited natural ranges. Beyond this, the Sunbirds are utterly fascinating due to being a clear example of convergent evolution – they are almost identical to Hummingbirds, but from the Perching/Songbird group, and thus extremely different. This is clear in the Double-Collared genus, where many varieties are brilliantly colored in ways very similar to the distantly related Hummingbirds. 

Olive-Bellied Sunbird by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0

Species Differences: 

The Olive-Bellied Sunbird is distinct for literally being a rainbow of colors, with a green back, red chest, yellow underwing stripe, and blue upper chest stripe. They also have large bills than other similarly-colored varieties. These birds live in central Africa, and are more prone to feeding on insects than other members of the genus. 

Tiny Sunbird by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Tiny Sunbird is very similar in appearance to the Olive-Bellied species, but with more blue undertones in the tail region. In addition, they are also significantly smaller. They do, however, have overlapping ranges. 

Eastern Miombo Sunbird by Paul van Giersbergen

Eastern Miombo sunbirds have similar blue stripes but no real yellowish patches, and more blackish backs than the previously discussed species. They also live on the easthern coast of Africa, rather than in the central portion of the continent. 

Western Miombo Sunbird by Jacques Erard

The Western Miombo Sunbird is essentially identical to the former species, but with a shorter bill. They are found in Tanzania across to Angola, also in the Miombo forests. 

Southern Double-Collared Sunbird By Lip Kee Yap, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Southern Double-Collared Sunbird has an especially distinctive red patch, which almost glows with color compared to its relatives. They live in South Africa, and will move up and down the valley based on the distribution of flower growth. These are especially fast birds of the species. 

Neergaard’s Sunbird by Markus Lilje

Neergaard’s Sunbird has a black rump in addition to back and wingtips, making it very visually distinctive; it also has a very short beak compared to other species. It has a very limited range and small population within South Africa and Mozambique, making it, sadly, near threatened with extinction. 

Rwenzori Double-Collared Sunbird by Auf

The Rwenzori Double-Collared Sunbird is especially limited in its range, found only in tropical dry forests in Central Africa. Surprisingly, it isn’t threatened with extinction. It has many distinctive blue patches on its wings, as well as around its neck, and is quite large for this genus of birds. 

Whyte’s Double-Collared Sunbird by Nik Borrow

Whyte’s Double-Collared Sunbird is a more dubious genus, possibly a part of the Montane Double-Collared Sunbird Genus. However, phylogenetic research does indicate it should be split out. It seems to be extensively threatened with habitat loss, and is more distinctively blue than other species. 

Prigogine’s Double-Collared Sunbird is found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is distinctive from other Sunbirds in living primarily in the highlands of said country. It is also nearly threatened with extinction due to its limited range. 

Ludwig’s Double-Collared Sunbird by Dubi Shapiro

Ludwig’s, otherwise known as the Montane, Double-Collared Sunbird is present within a limited range in Angola, though it is also found in Malawi and Tanzania. This species looks similar to many of the others we’ve seen here, though with a lighter blue collar and a shorter beak. It is not threatened with extinction, and is found in many locations of high elevation. 

By Faresh, in the Public Domain

The Greater Double-Collared Sunbird matches the pattern of the previous species, though it is much more fecund than its relatives, able to produce multiple broods per season. They are found in South Africa, primarily in more open habitats, and thus they will move up and down the mountains based on the growth of the flowers. 

Northern Double-Collared Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Northern Double-Collared Sunbirds differ from the last few species in having a brown body rather than a grey-er one, though otherwise it is quite identical. It lives mainly in central Africa, in a fairly limited range, but despite this it is not threatened with extinction. They especially favor mountain forest. 

Regal Sunbird by Aviceda, CC BY-SA 3.0

Regal Sunbirds finally break the pattern, with completely yellow rumps and red feathers on their tails. This makes them stand out even more than other sunbirds in this genus. Found in tropical forests and mountain forests in Central Africa, it has an extraordinarily large range. 

Rockefeller’s Sunbird is like the Regal Sunbird in being more colored over its body, but it is red all over, rather than yellow. Found in a very limited range in the Congo, it is sadly vulnerable to extinction at this time and is heavily threatened by habitat loss. 

Eastern Double-Collared Sunbird by Nigel Voaden, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Eastern Double-Collared Sunbird returns to the pattern of the other sunbirds in terms of appearance, and differs mainly in the males taking a large part in the building of nests. They are common throughout Kenya, and prefers cooler weather. 

Usambara Double-Collared Sunbird by M. P. Goodey

The Usambara Double-Collared Sunbird has similar coloration to many of these, but with a somewhat longer bill, and blue undertones underneath the wings. They are near threned, despite being fairly common, due to only occurring in ten separate locations. As such, little is known about its specific behavior. 

Forest Double-Collared Sunbird by Roland Bischoff

The Forest Double-Collared Sunbird is especially distinct because it isn’t as brilliantly colored – instead of being bright green, the males are more of a duller green all over their heads and shoulders. They have lower songs than other Sunbirds, and time their breeding for the availability of insects. 

Moreau’s Sunbird by Nik Borrow

Moreau’s Sunbird is similarly duller in color, though it makes a more high pitched sound than a lower pitched one. They are considered near-threatened due to restricted ranges across central Africa. 

Beautiful Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Beautiful Sunbird is one of the larger species in the genus and certainly earns its name, with brilliant green and blue coloration all over its back and wings, and a bright red patch on its chest. It is found in a wide variety of habitats just below the Saharan desert with high population levels and, as such, it isn’t considered endangered. 

Loveridge’s Sunbird by Nik Borrow

Loveridge’s Sunbird is another yellow-bodied variety, this time with a more brown back color; with a limited mountain range in Tanzania, it is considered endangered at this time. It is mostly threatened with habitat loss, as it mainly inhabits tropical mountain forests. 

Mariqua Sunbird by Hans Hillewaert, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Marico or Mariqua Sunbirds are also especially green, much like the Beautiful Sunbird. It is black in other locations of its body to counter that extra green and blue – ness. They are more nomadic than other species, moving erratically over its range in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Uganda, periodically abandoning droughts as they show up.  

Shelley’s Sunbird by Maans Booysen, CC BY-SA 4.0

Shelley’s Sunbird is another especially green species, with blue undertones in the rump region. The females are somewhat distinctive too, with brown spotting and yellow stripes across the chest. They are found mainly across Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia, and aren’t considered threatened with extinction. Hoffman’s Sunbird is very similar, and often grouped into this species. 

Congo Sunbird by Mark Van Beirs

The Congo Sunbird is found in the Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is one of the most visually distinct members of the genus precisely because it has a very long tail instead of a very short tail. This also makes it one of the longest members of the genus. Color wise, it’s similar in being one of the greener varietes. 

Red-Chested Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Red-Chested Sunbirds are especially distinct for having bright red chests, more so than other species, and a more blue-colored portion to their upper wings. They have longer-ish tails as well, and are found mainly in Tanzania, in savanna habitats. They are not considered threatened with extinction. 

Black Bellied Sunbird by ChriKo, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Black-Bellied Sunbirds are very similar to their Red-Chested cousins, but with longer beaks and slightly longer tails; they are found in a larger range as well. 

Purple-Banded Sunbird by Alan Manson, CC By-SA 2.0

Purple-Banded Sunbirds finally break some of the pattern by having bright purple chests instead of red chests, and no warm colors at all. They also have fairly long bills and short tails. They live over a huge range in central Africa, and aren’t threatened with extinction. 

Tsavo Sunbird by Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0

Tsavo Sunbirds continue that pattern, though with a smaller purple patch on their chests. They also live in a large area, mainly favoring acacia trees. Not very much is known about this species. 

Violet-Breasted Sunbird by Nik Borrow

Violet-Breasted Sunbirds differ from the past two in having a more curved bill and even shorter tail, but beyond that very little is known about this species of bird – they are common in Somalia and rarer in Kenya, and haven’t been documented extensively. 

Pemba Sunbird by Nigel Voaden, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Pemba Sunbird is more blueish green on the top than others, though it can also look green depending on the sunlight. They make interesting “tslink” calls, and aren’t considered endangered despite living mainly in a restricted range on islands. 

Orange-Tufted Sunbird by Ron Knight, CC By 2.0

Orange-Tufted Sunbirds are especially distinct for having purple tops of their heads right before their beaks. With red patches underneath the purple stripe, and blue tail feathers, they are quite beautiful to behold. Despite not being endangered, they are very uncommon and live in isolated patches in central Africa. 

Palestine Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Palestine Sunbird is one of the most beautiful and well known species in the genus, found in the Western Asia area and brilliantly blueish-green all over its back and tail, with a purple stripe across its chest. Its bill is slightly curved, and it makes interesting “chwing-chwing-chwing” calls to each other. They wander across the Jordan and Oman, and will occasionally dip into Syria, and while fairly uncommon in most if its range it is especially common in the Israel-Palestine region.

Shining Sunbird by عادل احمد الهلال, CC BY-SA 3.0

Shining Sunbirds return to a more light colored green on their back, though it’s harder to tell in some lighting! Their chests return to a more red color, with females having especially pale underparts. They are found in Ethiopia and Somalia, sometimes extending down into Kenya. The Arabian Sunbird is usually added into this, and is found in the Arabian peninsula. 

Splendid Sunbird by Elizabeth Ellis, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Splendid Sunbird is another very distinct species of this genus with a bright purple head and purple feathers extending down their backs. They have red and purple patches alternating down their necks, and have extremely complicated chip-filled sounds. They are found primarily in Western Africa, especially along the Ivory Coast. 

Johanna’s Sunbird by Éric Roualet

Johanna’s Sunbird takes the red patch and extends it even further, turning most of the belly red and then the black rump feathers are red-tinted as well. They are common in Liberia, and are not particularly well known. 

Superb Sunbird by Francesco Veronesi, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Superb Sunbird is fascinating for having a red belly and rump with black speckles along it. They also have a blue-green patch on the tops of their heads, and very long bills. The females are also bright yellow. They are found in low-mountain forests in Liberia and Uganda, and males are very precocious in their breeding, starting even before adult plumage comes in. 

Rufous-Winged Sunbird by Nik borrow

The Rufous-Winged Sunbird is vulnerable to extinction due to threats from habitat loss in their mountain forests. They are fascinating to look at for having non-iridescent brown wings and brown chests, making them stand out amongst their relatives. Their heads are more blueish than greenish as well. 

Oustalet’s Sunbird by Lars Petersson

Oustalet’s Sunbird is a rarer species with a brilliantly white rump, found mainly in Angola – it is, unfortunately very poorly known. 

White-Bellied Sunbird By Lip Kee Yap, CC BY-SA 2.0

White-Bellied Sunbirds also have white bellies, like the Oustalet’s, but is much better known. In fact, it is documented as the prey of mongooses and cats, and is subjected to brood parasitism by cuckoos. It is thriving from the fragmentation of its habitat, leading to increases in population. 

Variable Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Variable Sunbirds are fascinating for having yellow rumps and bellies again, with brilliant patterns of blue and purple and green over their heads and chests. The differences in plumage across populations lead to its name! They will be both resident and migratory depending on location, and are found across Zimbabwe to Nigeria. 

Dusky Sunbird by Alan Manson, CC BY-SA 2.0

Dusky Sunbirds aren’t very brilliant in color, with dullish green heads and necks and grey feathers elsewhere. They make more trilling calls and are found mainly in Southern Africa. They tend to move about based on the availability of flowering plants and droughts.  

Ursula’s Sunbird by Dubi Shapiro

Ursula’s Sunbird is not iridescent at all! The sexes are similar, with grey crowns and olive green bodies. They have slight orange patches underneath their wings. These birds still fill the same niche as other in this genus, and are found entirely within the Cameroon Mountains. 

Bates’ Sunbird is also non-iridescent, with olive green feathers in both males and females. It is also found in Cameroon, primarily in primary forests, and isn’t considered threatened with extinction. It will supplement its diet with berries and fruits in addition to insects and spiders! 

Copper Sunbird by H. Mallison, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Copper Sunbird breaks the mold entirely, with the males being red and purple and sometimes even yellow rather than green or blue at all. They migrate across Africa due to the movement of the rains, and are extremely common in most of their ranges. 

Purple Sunbird by J. M. Garg, CC BY-SA 3.0

Purple Sunbirds were also named aptly, with blue-purple feathers over almost all of their bodies. The females look like a completely different bird entirely, with yellow rumps and chests and necks, and brown backs and wings. They are found across India and Pakistan, making them very far removed from the birds previously discussed in this article. 

Olive-Backed Sunbird by Lip Keep Yap, CC By-SA 2.0

Olive-Backed Sunbirds are what their name suggest – olive on their backs! Any iridescence in the males is restricted to the fronts of the face and the upper necks. Their bellies and rumps are, by and large, yellow in color. They reed throughout the year and are found across Southeastern Asia, the Pacific, and even into Australia, greatly extending the range of this genus of birds. They are often preyed upon by monitor lizards. The Rand’s Sunbird is sometimes grouped in this genus – these birds differ in the males having black bellies and rumps. 

Apricot-Breasted Sunbird by Ron Knight, CC BY 2.0

The Apricot-Breasted Sunbird is similar to the Olive-Backed but has slight reddish tints under the blue patch. They are not as well known but are known to forage high in the tree levels. They are only found on the island of Sumba. 

Flame-Breasted Sunbird by Pete Morris

Flame-Breasted Sunbirds continue on this theme of the last few, extending the orange coloration down to the rump area, giving them that distinctive “flame” appearance. Found on the island of timor, they are fairly poorly known birds. 

Souimanga Sunbird by Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Souimanga Sunbirds go back to the more familiar theme, but with distinctive black patches under the red iridescent stripes. They make very warbling calls and the males are less involved in the breeding than in other species. This species is found entirely on the island of Madagascar. Abbott’s Sunbird is usually grouped into this species. 

Humblot’s Sunbird by Paul van Giersbergen

Humblot’s Sunbird is also fairly firey in color, with only reddish-purple iridescent feathers on their heads and necks. They especially enjoy insect larvae as an extra sources of food. They are found only on the Comoro Islands, giving them a very restricted range. 

Seychelles Sunbird by Alfonso Barrada

The Seychelles Sunbird is very dull in color, grey almost all over, except for a small purple patch on the neck. They make a very squeaky call, distinct from other species in the genus. They’re also polygomous, mating with a variety of different partners in one breeding season, unlike the more monogamous other species. These birds are found in the Victorian islands.  

Malagasy Green Sunbird by Francesco Veronesi, CC By-SA 2.0

The Long-Billed Green Sunbird, or Malagasy Green Sunbird, is found in the Comoros Islands and Madagascar. It also returns to the more usual plumage of this genus, with a soft warbling song. They are found in a very wide variety of habitat and are indeed very common within Madagascar. The Grand Comoro Sunbird is also grouped into this species, and is in general darker. Sometimes, the Moheli Sunbird is also grouped into this genus. 

Anjouan Sunbird by Paul van Giersbergen

The Anjouan Sunbird is only found on the Anjouan Islands, giving it yet another very restricted range. It follows similar color patterns to other species in this genus, and it is very common throughout the island on which it lives. 

Mayotte Sunbird by Dubi Shapiro

The Mayotte Sunbird is another restricted-range species, found only on the island of Mayotte. It also looks similar to the other species in the genus, though it has a distinctive orange patch across its belly and a yellow rump. They also make particularly harsh noises. 

Loten’s Sunbird by Arshad Ka, CC BY 3.0

And finally, Loten’s Sunbird, found in India and Sri Lanka, is a brilliantly turquoise bird, with the blue coloration extending into the tail. It has a purple neck and red chest, and the females are dark brown with light yellow chests. Interestingly enough, they have extremely long bills, but they still eat a wide variety of foods other than nectar. They are quite common within their ranges, making very rapid ticking calls. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Paractiornis perpusillus

By Scott Reid

Etymology: Near-Coast Bird

First Described By: Wetmore, 1930 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Aequorlitornithes, Charadriiformes, Glareolidae 

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Between 24.8 and 20.4 million years ago, from the Chattian of the Oligocene through the Aquitanian of the Miocene 

Paractiornis is known from the Basal Member of the Marsland Formation in Nebraska 

Physical Description: Paractiornis was a smaller bird, no bigger than 20 centimeters in length. Not much is known of this animal, mostly just parts of the legs; but those legs were quite slender compared to other wading birds of the time. Interestingly, it seems to have been similar to the living Pratincoles, which are short-legged insect eating birds. Since Paractiornis is only known from leg bones, it’s possible that it didn’t look particularly like its modern relatives, but like the shorebirds that they evolved from. Or, since it didn’t live near the coast, it was more of a transitional dinosaur, getting used to more mainland habitats rather than aquatic ones. 

Diet: It seems likely, based on its relatives and habitat, that Paractiornis was an insectivore. 

Behavior: As a land-going insectivore, Paractiornis would have wandered about its environment in the grass and the mud, searching for insects wherever it could. Upon finding an insect, it would dig into the soil and grab it; if the insect was on the surface, it would rapidly reach out and grab it quickly with its beak. It would behave, in a lot of ways, similar to a plover – just on land! It probably would have been somewhat nocturnal, spending most of its time hunting at night. Given its rarity, Paractiornis would not have been very social, essentially only meeting to mate and rear young. 

By José Carlos Cortés

Ecosystem: Paractiornis lived in one of the early grassland ecosystems, and exploited it extensively with the same adaptations for coastal feeding found in its close relatives. Here there were a wide variety of mammals – rodents, horses, ruminants, dogs, bear-dogs, and many others. There were also turtles, though most reptiles present were birds. There was a bird of prey, Promilio, that probably fed upon Paractiornis; a grouse, Palaealectoris, the crake Ortalis, and multiple probable hawks; filling out this ecosystem with a variety of interesting, if modern-esque, dinosaurs. 

Other: Paractiornis is notable for being an extinct form of the Partincoles, which are a very weird modern group of shorebirds that aren’t actually shorebirds. Since it resembles shorebirds a little bit, but is definitely within the Partincole group, it showcases how the evolution of these land-foraging birds occurred from such an unorthodox origin group as the waders and gulls. That being said, Paractiornis has not been studied extensively, and further fossils of it have not been recorded. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut 

Palaeoscinis turdirostris

By Scott Reid

Etymology: Ancient Oscine 

First Described By: Howard, 1957 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Australaves, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes, Eupasseres, Passeri

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Between 11 and 7.5 million years ago, in the Tortonian of the Miocene 

Palaeoscinis is known from the Monterey Formation in California 

Physical Description: Palaeoscinis was a small songbird, about the size and shape of a modern thrush – so no longer than 25 centimeters in length. It had a long and slender beak, similar to living thrushes as well. However, Palaeoscinis had fairly short legs, especially compared to the wing – something living thrushes do not share. It possibly had short wings as well, though this is potentially a preservational error. It had a long and narrow wishbone, and broad shoulders. 

Diet: The long, slender beak of Palaeoscinis indicates it was probably an insectivore, like the living Varied Thrush; using its long beak to reach into cavities and grab grubs, or snapping up fast moving creatures from the ground. 

Behavior: Because Palaeoscinis appears to have been at least somewhat unique as far as perching birds go, it is difficult to determine what its behavior may have been. It would have probably spent a considerable amount of time foraging around, searching for food wherever it could. Its shorter legs means it wasn’t great at moving along the ground, and probably spent most of its time in the trees. With shorter wings, it was well equipped to bob and weave between densely populated trees. As a passerine, it was probably vocal, and probably fairly social; beyond that, though, without more research and fossils, we cannot say much. It also probably took care of its young. 

Ecosystem: Palaeoscinis s known from the Monterey Formation of California, but that is probably not where it actually lived – since that was an ocean environment! Instead, it seems likely that the fossil of Palaeoscinis washed out to the ocean from its coastal habitat. On the Miocene California Coast, there were a variety of palm trees, as well as magnolias, pines, macadamias, beeches, and birches. There were many ocean-going mammals nearby, such as porpoises, dolphins, dugongs, hoofed mammals, and seals. As for other birds, there was the pseudotoothed bird Osteodontornis, the shearwater Puffinus diatomicus, gannets such as Sula willetti, Morus lompocanus, and Miosula media; auks like Cerorhinca dubia and Ura brodkorbi, waders like Limosa vanrossemi, and many others. Though, of course, it is difficult to say whether or not Palaeoscinis was a shoregoing perching bird, or if it actually came from further up the mainland, where it would have encountered a very different cast of characters. 

Other: Palaeoscinis is fascinating because of its unique combination of characteristics, especially in the chest, shoulders, and arms – and different proportions than any living sort of songbird. Though often compared to thrushes, it may have been more closely related to Bulbuls, Waxwings, Dippers, or Corvids. Given Dippers and Waxwings are both very unique songbirds today, that may make Palaeoscinis of special import to understand the evolution of these birds. Either way, for now, Palaeoscinis is considered to be a unique, set-apart perching bird. 

~ By Meig Dickson 

Sources under the Cut 

Wieslochia weissi

By Scott Reid 

Etymology: From Wiesloch 

First Described By: Mayr & Manegold, 2006 

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Australaves, Psittacopasserae, Passeriformes 

Status: Extinct 

Time and Place: 31 to 30 million years ago, in the Rupelian of the Oligocene 

Wieslochia is known from the Bott-Eder Grube Unterfeld of Baden-Württemberg, Germany  

Physical Description: Wieslochia is an extremely early species of proper passerine from Europe, and it doesn’t seem to have been any particular kind of perching bird, but an early member of the modern group. This is a very small bird, only about the size of a modern House Sparrow. It resembled, in many ways, the living Suboscine group – such as Tyrant Flycatchers – but it doesn’t seem to have been a member of that group proper, so its hard to discern appearance just from that. It had well developed shoulders, strong wings, and lightweight feet. It also had proper anisodactyl feet – three toes forward and one toe back – the mark of a modern perching bird; though its toes were quite short compared to some more derived songbirds. It also had a moderately sized, triangular beak. 

Diet: With its triangular sharp beak, Wieslochia was probably mostly insectivorous, feeding on grubs and other soft animals by stabbing and grabbing with its jaws. It possibly also supplemented its diet with seed and fruit, like many mainly-insectivorous songbirds today. 

Behavior: Wieslochia probably spent most of its time in the trees, like other perching birds, sticking to smaller branches and twigs for its perches with its shorter toes. It probably didn’t spend a lot of time on the ground, given its diminutive feet (and forested habitat). Wieslochia would have spent a lot of time digging around for grubs in the trees, probably also plucking off insects from the undersides of leaves. It is uncertain if Wieslochia was social or not, but it probably took care of its young in some fashion. 

Ecosystem: Wieslochia lived in a diverse coastal area, filled with estuaries, streams and other bodies of water leading out into the ocean. An extremely lush habitat, there were many types of plants from algae to ferns and cycads, as well as conifers, palms, roses, asterids, beeches, birches, oaks, and cypresses. This coastal forest was very dense, transitioning into water-based plants and a possible mangrove forest. Dozens of fish lived here, including things like trumpetfish, eels, ladyfish, rockfish, and pipefish, though there are so many that it’s impossible to list them all. There were many kinds of insects for Wieslochia to feed on, including beetles, flies, butterflies, and other invertebrates like spiders. There were some mammals here too, such as the predatory Hyaenodont Apterodon, and sea cows and bats. Many dinosaurs were here too – the barbet Rupelramphastoides, a hummingbird Eurotrochilus, the buttonqail Turnipax, the tody Palaeotodus, the mousebird Oligocolius, the trogon Primotrogon, the loon Colymboides, and the seabird Rupelornis. This was a mixture of ocean-going and tree-dwelling birds, making it a diverse habitat to study the evolution of birds in the middle of the Cenozoic Era. That Hyaenodont would have been a real threat to these dinosaurs, but not one they couldn’t handle – being flighted and all. 

Other: Wieslochia is a very uncertain sort of bird – while we know it’s in the group of modern perching birds, whether or not its a proper Songbird, or just outside that group or in the group of Tyrant-Flycatchers, or something else entirely, is a question. more fossils are necessary to answer it. What is known is that it’s the earliest record of modern perching birds in Europe, making it a notable find. 

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut