Friarbird
Friarbirds | |
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Noisy friarbird, Philemon corniculatus | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Meliphagidae |
Genus: | Philemon Vieillot, 1816 |
Species | |
about 15 (see text) |
The friarbirds (also called leatherheads) are about 15 species of relatively large honeyeaters in the genus Philemon. Additionally, the single member of the genus Melitograis is called the white-streaked friarbird. Friarbirds are found in Australia, Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia and New Caledonia. They eat nectar, insects and other invertebrates, flowers, fruit and seeds.[1]
The friarbirds generally have drab plumage. They derive their name from the circular pattern at the crown of their heads and their neutral coloring, which makes them resemble friars. In many instances their plumage is mimicked by smaller orioles, which use the aggressive nature of the friarbirds to avoid aggression themselves.[2]
Species
Genus Philemon:
- Meyer's friarbird (Philemon meyeri)
- Timor friarbird (Philemon inornatus)
- Brass's friarbird (Philemon brassi)
- Little friarbird (Philemon citreogularis)
- Grey friarbird (Philemon (citreogularis) kisserensis)
- Dusky friarbird (Philemon fuscicapillus)
- Black-faced friarbird (Philemon moluccensis)
- Seram friarbird (Philemon subcorniculatus)
- Helmeted friarbird (Philemon buceroides)
- New Guinea friarbird (Philemon novaeguineae)
- Manus friarbird (Philemon albitorques)
- New Britain friarbird (Philemon cockerelli)
- New Ireland friarbird (Philemon eichhorni)
- Silver-crowned friarbird (Philemon argenticeps)
- Noisy friarbird (Philemon corniculatus)
- New Caledonian friarbird (Philemon diemenensis)
References
- ↑ Higgins, Peter; Christidis, Les; Ford, Hugh (2008). "Family Meliphagidae (Honeyeaters)". In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Christie, David. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 13, Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 679–685. ISBN 978-84-96553-45-3.
- ↑ Diamond J (1982). "Mimicry of friarbirds by orioles". The Auk 99 (2): 187–196.