Nicator
Encyclopedia
Nicator is a genus of songbird
endemic to Africa. The genus contains three medium sized passerine birds.
s (Laniidae). In the 1920s James Chapin
noted the similarities between the nicators and both the bulbul
s (Pycnonotidae) and the bushshrike
s (Malaconotidae). It wasn't until 1943 that Jean Théodore Delacour
placed the genus with the bulbuls. Storrs Olson
argued that the genus was more closely related to the bushshrikes, as the nicators lacked the ossification of the nostril found in all other bulbuls. A number of features, including the position of the facial bristles (which are preorbital rather than rictal), their nests and the calls, make the genus unique, and DNA studies have recently suggested that the genus is best treated as a monogeneric family
. Some authorities, like the Clements Checklist
, treat accept the new family, Nicatoridae.
The name of the genus is derived from nikator, Greek
for conqueror. Within the genus, the Western and Eastern Nicators are considered to form a superspecies and are sometimes treated as the same species.
. The plumage
of the genus is overall olive on the backs, tail and wings, with yellow spotting on the wings, and lighter grey or whitish undersides.
The nicators are endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa
. The Western Nicator has a mostly continuous distribution from Senegal
to eastern Uganda
and northern Angola
. The Eastern Nicator has a discontinuous distribution in East Africa from Somalia
south to eastern South Africa. The Yellow-throated Nicator is distributed in central Africa from Cameroon to Uganda.
The nicators occupy a wide range of forest and woodland habitats.
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
endemic to Africa. The genus contains three medium sized passerine birds.
Taxonomy
The systematic affinities of the genus have been a long-standing mystery. The group was originally assigned to the shrikeShrike
Shrikes are passerine birds of the family Laniidae. The family is composed of thirty-one species in three genera. The family name, and that of the largest genus, Lanius, is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes were also known as "butcher birds" because of their feeding habits...
s (Laniidae). In the 1920s James Chapin
James Chapin
Dr James Paul Chapin was an American ornithologist.-Life and career:One of the top ornithologists of the twentieth century. At age 19 he left Staten Island to become second in command of the American Museum of Natural History's six year expedition to the Congo...
noted the similarities between the nicators and both the bulbul
Bulbul
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands...
s (Pycnonotidae) and the bushshrike
Bushshrike
The bushshrikes are smallish passerine bird species. They were formerly classed with the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, but are now considered sufficiently distinctive to be separated from that group as the family Malaconotidae....
s (Malaconotidae). It wasn't until 1943 that Jean Théodore Delacour
Jean Théodore Delacour
Jean Théodore Delacour was an American ornithologist of French origin. He was renowned for not only discovering but also rearing some of the rarest birds in the world...
placed the genus with the bulbuls. Storrs Olson
Storrs L. Olson
Storrs Lovejoy Olson is an American biologist and ornithologist from the Smithsonian Institution. He is one of the world's foremost avian paleontologists....
argued that the genus was more closely related to the bushshrikes, as the nicators lacked the ossification of the nostril found in all other bulbuls. A number of features, including the position of the facial bristles (which are preorbital rather than rictal), their nests and the calls, make the genus unique, and DNA studies have recently suggested that the genus is best treated as a monogeneric family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
. Some authorities, like the Clements Checklist
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World is a book by Jim Clements which presents a list of the bird species of the world.It is currently in its sixth edition , and is being published by Cornell University Press. Previous editions were published by the author's own imprint, Ibis Publishing. An...
, treat accept the new family, Nicatoridae.
The name of the genus is derived from nikator, Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
for conqueror. Within the genus, the Western and Eastern Nicators are considered to form a superspecies and are sometimes treated as the same species.
Description
The nicators are shrike-like birds, 16 to 23 cm (6.3 to 9.1 in) in length. The Eastern and Western Nicators are similar in size and larger than the Yellow-throated Nicator. The males are considerably heavier than the females, for example in the Western Nicator the males range from 48 to 67 g (1.7 to 2.4 oz), whereas the females only weigh 32 to 51 g (1.1 to 1.8 oz). The Yellow-throated Nicator is much lighter, raning only 21 to 26 g (0.740753204207351 to 0.917123014732911 oz). The nicators have heavy hooked billsBeak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
. The plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
of the genus is overall olive on the backs, tail and wings, with yellow spotting on the wings, and lighter grey or whitish undersides.
Distribution and habitat
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
. The Western Nicator has a mostly continuous distribution from Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
to eastern Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and northern Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. The Eastern Nicator has a discontinuous distribution in East Africa from Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
south to eastern South Africa. The Yellow-throated Nicator is distributed in central Africa from Cameroon to Uganda.
The nicators occupy a wide range of forest and woodland habitats.
Species
- Western Nicator (Nicator chloris)
- Eastern NicatorEastern NicatorThe Eastern Nicator is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
(Nicator gularis) - Yellow-throated NicatorYellow-throated NicatorThe Yellow-throated Nicator is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Uganda....
(Nicator vireo)