The Philippine creepers or rhabdornises are small passerine birds and form the genus Rhabdornis. They are endemic to the Philippines. They do not migrate, other than to make local movements.
| Philippine creepers | |
|---|---|
| |
| Stripe-headed rhabdornis (Rhabdornis mystacalis) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Suborder: | Passeri |
| Family: | Sturnidae |
| Genus: | Rhabdornis Reichenbach, 1853 |
| Type species | |
| Meliphaga mysticalis Temminck, 1825
| |
| Species | |
|
Rhabdornis grandis | |
Taxonomy
editThe genus Rhabdornis was introduced in 1853 by German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach to accommodate the stripe-headed rhabdornis.[1] The name combines the Ancient Greek rhabdos meaning "stripe" with ornis meaning "bird."[2]
The relationship of the Philippine creepers to other bird species was formerly uncertain and the genus Rhabdornis was placed in its own family Rhabdornithinae.[3][4] Molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed that the Philippine creepers are aberrant members of the starling family Sturnidae.[5][6][7]
The genus contains four species:[8]
- Stripe-headed rhabdornis, stripe-headed rhabdornis or stripe-sided rhabdornis, Rhabdornis mystacalis
- Grand rhabdornis, long-billed rhabdornis or grand rhabdornis, Rhabdornis grandis
- Stripe-breasted rhabdornis, plain-headed creeper or stripe-breasted rhabdornis, Rhabdornis inornatus
- Visayan rhabdornis, Rhabdornis rabori[9]
Description
editThe Philippine creepers are similar in appearance to treecreepers (Certhiidae). They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they can use to extricate insects from bark, but they have brush-like tongues, which enable them to also feed on nectar.
References
edit- ^ Reichenbach, Ludwig (1853). "Icones ad synopsin avium No. 11. Scansoriae B". Handbuch der speciellen Ornithologie (in German). Dresden und Leipzig: Expedition Vollständigsten Naturgeschichte. pp. 219–316 [276].
- ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 333. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
- ^ Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, ed. (1986). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 12. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 161.
- ^ Dickinson, E.C.; Christidis, L., eds. (2014). The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Vol. 2: Passerines (4th ed.). Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. p. 579. ISBN 978-0-9568611-2-2.
- ^ Cibois, Alice; Cracraft, Joel (2004). "Assessing the passerine "Tapestry": phylogenetic relationships of the Muscicapoidea inferred from nuclear DNA sequences". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 32 (1): 264–273. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.12.002. PMID 15186812.
- ^ Lovette, Irby J.; Rubenstein, Dustin R. (2007). "A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the starlings (Aves: Sturnidae) and mockingbirds (Aves: Mimidae): Congruent mtDNA and nuclear trees for a cosmopolitan avian radiation". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 44 (3): 1031–1056. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.03.017. PMID 17502157.
- ^ Zuccon, D.; Cibois, A.; Pasquet, E.; Ericson, P.G.P. (2006). "Nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data reveal the major lineages of starlings, mynas and related taxa". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 41 (2): 333–344. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.007. PMID 16806992.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2021). "Nuthatches, Wallcreeper, treecreepers, mockingbirds, starlings, oxpeckers". IOC World Bird List Version 11.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ^ "Species Updates – IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 2021-05-28.
External links
edit- Don Robertson's Bird Families of the World: Rhabornises. Contains photos of all 3 species. Version of 2006-JAN-25. Retrieved 2007-JUL-20.
- Flickr Field Guide: Birds of the World: Photo of Rhabdornis mystacalis. Retrieved 2007-JUL-19.