The peppershrikes are two species of passerine bird found in tropical Central and South America. They form the genus Cyclarhis, part of the vireo family.
| Peppershrikes | |
|---|---|
| |
| Rufous-browed peppershrike (Cyclarhis gujanensis) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Vireonidae |
| Genus: | Cyclarhis Swainson, 1824 |
| Type species | |
| Tanagra gujanensis Gmelin, JF, 1789
| |
| Species | |
These are heavyset birds with a hooked shrike-like bill. Although sluggish and very vocal, the peppershrikes are still difficult to spot as they feed on insects and spiders in the canopy aloft. Their cup-shaped nests can likewise be found high in the trees.
Taxonomy edit
The genus Cyclarhis was introduced in 1789 by the English naturalist William Swainson to accommodate a single species, the rufous-browed peppershrike, which is therefore the type species.[1][2] The genus name is from the Ancient Greek kuklos meaning "circle" and rhis, rhinos meaning "nostrils".[3] The genus contains two species.[4]
Species edit
| Image | Common Name | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
_(17359710466).jpg) |
Rufous-browed peppershrike | C. gujanensis | Mexico and Trinidad south to Argentina and Uruguay. |
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Black-billed peppershrike | C. nigrirostris | Colombia and northern Ecuador. |
References edit
- ^ Swainson, William John (1824–1825). "An inquiry into the natural affinities of the Laniadae, or shrikes; preceded by some observations on the present state of ornithology in this country". Zoological Journal. 1 (3): 289–307 [294].
- ^ Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, ed. (1968). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 14. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 103.
- ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2023). "Shrikes, vireos, shrike-babblers". IOC World Bird List Version 13.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd ed.). Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2.
- Hilty, Steven L (2003). Birds of Venezuela. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5.
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