Aphelocephala
Encyclopedia
Aphelocephala is a genus of bird
in the thornbill family Acanthizidae
. The three species are collectively known as whitefaces. They are endemic to Australia
, generally occurring in the arid centre of the continent. They are striking looking bird, particularly compared to their duller looking relatives, having dark upperparts and white breasts and faces (as suggested by the name). Two species, the Chestnut-breasted and Banded Whitefaces, break up the white undersides with a darker band (or double band). The three species have stubby bills and unlike rest of the Acanthizidae they consume large numbers of seeds in their diet.
It contains the following species:
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the thornbill family Acanthizidae
Acanthizidae
The Acanthizidae, also known as the Australasian warblers, are a family of passerine birds which include gerygones, thornbills, and scrubwrens. The Acanthizidae consists of small to medium passerine birds, with a total length varying between 8 and 19 cm. They have short rounded wings, slender...
. The three species are collectively known as whitefaces. They are endemic to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, generally occurring in the arid centre of the continent. They are striking looking bird, particularly compared to their duller looking relatives, having dark upperparts and white breasts and faces (as suggested by the name). Two species, the Chestnut-breasted and Banded Whitefaces, break up the white undersides with a darker band (or double band). The three species have stubby bills and unlike rest of the Acanthizidae they consume large numbers of seeds in their diet.
It contains the following species:
- Southern WhitefaceSouthern WhitefaceThe Southern Whiteface is a species of bird in the Pardalotidae family.It is endemic to Australia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 25 July 2007.-External links:*...
(Aphelocephala leucopsis) - Chestnut-breasted WhitefaceChestnut-breasted WhitefaceThe Chestnut-breasted Whiteface is a species of bird in the Pardalotidae family.It is endemic to Australia and found primarily in northern South Australia.-Habitat:...
(Aphelocephala pectoralis) - Banded WhitefaceBanded WhitefaceThe Banded Whiteface is a species of bird in the Pardalotidae family.It is endemic to Australia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 25 July 2007....
(Aphelocephala nigricincta)