Leiothrix (bird)
Appearance
Leiothrix | |
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Silver-eared Mesia Leiothrix argentauris | |
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Genus: | Leiothrix |
Species | |
Leiothrix is a genus in the Old World babbler family. Among the Old World babblers proper, they belong to a clade also containing at least the liocichlas, barwings, minlas and sibias. The sibias are possibly their closest living relatives (Cibois 2003).
There are two species:
- Silver-eared Mesia, Leiothrix argentauris
- Red-billed Leiothrix or "Pekin Nightingale", Leiothrix lutea
Their delicate colors and accomplished song make them popular cagebirds.
References
- 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
- Collar N. J. & Robson C. (2007). Family Picathartidae (Picathartes) Pp. 70 - 291 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D.A. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 9788496553422