The Old World babblers or timaliids are a large family of mostly Old World

Old World

The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....

 passerine

Passerine

A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...

 bird

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...

s. They are rather diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...

 and the Indian Subcontinent

Indian subcontinent

The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...

. The timaliids are one of two unrelated groups of birds known as babblers, the other being the Australasian Babblers of the family Pomatostomidae (also known as pseudo-babblers).

Morphological

Morphology (biology)

In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....

 diversity is rather high; most species resemble "warbler

Warbler

There are a number of Passeriformes called "warblers". They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal and insectivorous....

s", jays or thrush

Thrush (bird)

The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...

es. This group is among those Old World bird families with the highest number of species still being discovered

Bird species new to science

This article describes bird species new to science since 1900. Prior to the 20th century, and indeed into its early decades, the pace of discovery of new species was fast; during this period, with numerous collecting expeditions into species-rich areas not previously visited by western...

.

Characteristics

Timaliids are small to medium birds, ranging in size from the Pygmy Wren-babbler

Pygmy Wren-babbler

The Pygmy Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam....

 at 9 centimetres in length, to the Giant Laughingthrush

Giant Laughingthrush

The Giant Laughingthrush is a bird species in the Old World babbler family . In the proposed rearrangement of the laughingthrushes, it is placed in the genus Ianthocincla, as I. maxima....

 at 36 cm. They have strong legs, and many are quite terrestrial. They typically have generalised bills, similar to those of a thrush

Thrush (bird)

The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...

 or warbler

Warbler

There are a number of Passeriformes called "warblers". They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal and insectivorous....

, except for the scimitar babbler

Scimitar babbler

The scimitar-babblers are birds in the genera Pomatorhinus, Xiphirhynchus and Jabouilleia of the large Old World babbler family of passerines. These are birds of tropical Asia, with the greatest number of species occurring in hills of the Himalayas.Scimitar-babblers are rangy, medium-sized,...

s which, as their name implies, have strongly decurved bills. Most have predominantly brown plumage, with minimal difference between the sexes, but many more brightly coloured species also exist.

This group is not strongly migratory

Bird migration

Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...

, and most species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 have short rounded wings, and a weak flight. They live in lightly wooded or scrubland environments, ranging from swamp to near-desert. They are primarily insectivorous

Insectivore

An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....

, although many will also take berries, and the larger species will even eat small lizards and other vertebrates.

Typical babblers live in communities of around a dozen birds, jointly defending a territory. Many even breed communally, with a dominant pair building a nest, and the remainder helping to defend and rear their young. Young males remain with the group, while females move away to find a new group, and thus avoid inbreeding. They make nests from twigs, and hide them in dense vegetation.

Systematics

The systematics of Old World babblers have long been contended. During much of the 20th century, the family was used as a "wastebin taxon

Wastebin taxon

Wastebasket taxon is a term used in some taxonomic circles to refer to a taxon that has the sole purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined by their lack of one or more distinct character states or by their not belonging to one or more other taxa...

" for numerous hard-to-place Old World songbirds (such as Picathartidae or the Wrentit

Wrentit

The Wrentit is a small bird that lives in chaparral and bushland. It is the only species in the genus Chamaea....

). Ernst Hartert

Ernst Hartert

Ernst Johann Otto Hartert was a German ornithologist. Hartert was born in Hamburg. He was employed by Lionel Walter Rothschild as ornithological curator of his private museum at Tring from 1892 to 1929....

 was only half-joking when he summarized this attitude with the statement that, in the passerines,

"Was man nicht unterbringen kann, sieht man als Timalien an." (What one can't place systematically is considered an Old World babbler)

The most obviously misplaced taxa were removed piecemeal towards the end of the last century.

Since then, with the aid of DNA sequence

DNA sequence

The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...

 data, it has been confirmed that even the remaining group is not monophyletic. Analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b

Cytochrome b

Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...

 and 12S/16S rRNA data (Cibois 2003a) spread the Timaliidae that were studied across what essentially was a badly resolved polytomy

Polytomy

A polytomy , meaning many temporal based branches, is a section of a phylogeny in which the evolutionary relationships can not be fully resolved to dichotomies. In a phylogenetic tree, a polytomy is represented as a node which has more than two immediate descending branches...

 with Old World warbler

Old World warbler

The "Old World Warblers" is the name used to describe a large group of birds formerly grouped together in the bird family Sylviidae. The family held over 400 species in over 70 genera, and were the source of much taxonomic confusion. Two families were split out initially, the cisticolas into...

s and white-eye

White-eye

White-eye can refer to:*White-eye , a large family of birds.*White-eye , a species of fish.*White-eye mutation, a mutation in Drosophila melanogaster linked to the X chromosome, found by reciprocal cross breeding experiments in 1906.*A lioness member of the Marsh Pride of lions that have featured...

s. As the typical warblers (genus Sylvia) grouped with some presumed timaliids (such as the fulvetta

Fulvetta

Fulvetta is a songbird genus. Originally proposed in 1877, it was recently reestablished for the typical fulvettas, which were long included with their presumed relatives in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe...

s), it was suggested that some Sylviidae should be moved to the Timaliidae.

As this would include the type genus

Type genus

In biological classification, a type genus is a representative genus, as with regard to a biological family. The term and concept is used much more often and much more formally in zoology than it is in botany, and the definition is dependent on the nomenclatural Code that applies:* In zoological...

 of the latter, this would lead to a nomenclatorial problem requiring ICZN

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature

The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals...

 intervention (Cibois 2003b) and was, at that time, not sensible in any case as the phylogeny of the remaining Old World warblers had not been fully resolved either. The problem with such an approach would be — as many Old World warblers have not been studied with the new results in mind and neither have a number of timaliids — to risk creating a huge, ill-defined family-level clade; consequently, this approach seems to have been put on hold for the time being in favor of a general resorting of the Sylvioidea

Sylvioidea

Sylvioidea is a superfamily of passerine birds. It is one of at least three major clades within the Passerida along with the Muscicapoidea and Passeroidea. It contains about 1300 species including the Old World warblers, Old World babblers, swallows, larks, bulbuls and perhaps the tits...

.

Alström et al. (2006) supported the taxonomic proposal of Cibois (2003b), "if the Timaliidae and several groups of warblers are recognized at the same family level" but of course it is not necessary to unite them

Lumpers and splitters

Lumping and splitting refers to a well-known problem in any discipline which has to place individual examples into rigorously defined categories. The lumper/splitter problem occurs when there is the need to create classifications and assign examples to them, for example schools of literature,...

 to achieve monophyly

Monophyly

In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a taxon which forms a clade, meaning that it contains all the descendants of the possibly hypothetical closest common ancestor of the members of the group. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly...

 in both. Notably, one of the few conclusions beyond genus level which received quite robust support in Cibois (2003a) was the distinctness of Sylvia and the related "babblers" from the Timaliidae sensu stricto. Thus, for the time being, it seems wisest to maintain the Sylviidae and Timaliidae as distinct and just split off or move about genera as needed to achieve monophyly.

The parrotbill

Parrotbill

The parrotbills are a group of peculiar birds native to East and Southeast Asia, though feral populations are known from elsewhere. They are generally small, long-tailed birds which inhabit reedbeds and similar habitat. They feed mainly on seeds, e.g. of grasses, to which their bill, as the name...

s are somewhat tit-like birds that in the past were moved about between the timaliids, the tits, and distinct family status (under the telling name Paradoxornithidae — literally, "puzzling birds"). They are likely not a distinct family; rather, they belong into the Sylvia clade (Cibois 2003a, Alström et al. 2006).

The relationships of the white-eye

White-eye

White-eye can refer to:*White-eye , a large family of birds.*White-eye , a species of fish.*White-eye mutation, a mutation in Drosophila melanogaster linked to the X chromosome, found by reciprocal cross breeding experiments in 1906.*A lioness member of the Marsh Pride of lions that have featured...

s (presently Zosteropidae) are not resolved at present. Based on nDNA RAG-1 and c-mos sequence data, Barker et al. (2002) found them likelier to group closer to the timaliids proper than to Sylvia and allies, as did Cibois (2003a). Combining data from nDNA c-myc exon

Exon

An exon is a nucleic acid sequence that is represented in the mature form of an RNA molecule either after portions of a precursor RNA have been removed by cis-splicing or when two or more precursor RNA molecules have been ligated by trans-splicing. The mature RNA molecule can be a messenger RNA...

 3, RAG-1 and myoglobin

Myoglobin

Myoglobin is an iron- and oxygen-binding protein found in the muscle tissue of vertebrates in general and in almost all mammals. It is related to hemoglobin, which is the iron- and oxygen-binding protein in blood, specifically in the red blood cells. The only time myoglobin is found in the...

 intron

Intron

An intron is any nucleotide sequence within a gene that is removed by RNA splicing to generate the final mature RNA product of a gene. The term intron refers to both the DNA sequence within a gene, and the corresponding sequence in RNA transcripts. Sequences that are joined together in the final...

 2 sequences with that of mtDNA cytochrome b (Ericson & Johansson 2003) supports their scenario as does a restudy using the myoglobin intron 2 and cytochrome b sequences of a wider (though not denser) range of taxa (Alström et al. 2006)

On the other hand, DNA-DNA hybridization (Sibley & Ahlquist 1990) placed the white-eyes closer to Sylvia. This method is nowadays considered inferior to comparison of long and various DNA sequences, however. Still, it should be noted that no molecular study thus far could resolve the white-eyes' relationships with sufficient confidence beyond the mere fact that they form a clade

Clade

A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...

 with "core" Sylviidae and "core" Timaliidae. In this assemblage, they most likely form a monophyletic lineage with the yuhina

Yuhina

Yuhina is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Striated Yuhina * Chestnut-crested Yuhina...

s (and possibly other "babblers"). Consequently, were the Zosteropidae to be retained as a family, these would be moved there.

One somewhat controversial approach in the "Taxonomy in Flux" world birdlist proposes splitting the group into four families.

• Sylviidae - Sylvias, Fulvettas, Parrotbills.
• Zosteropidae - White-eyes, Yuhinas etc.
• Timaliidae - Babblers.
• Garrulacidae - Laughingthrushes, Liocichlas, Sibias etc.

This creates a tidier, more manageable arrangement, much as the creation of several smaller families does for the traditional Emberizidae

Emberizidae

The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill.In Europe, most species are called buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the sparrows, the...

. It remains to be seen though if the innovative split of Garrulacidae from Timaliidae will gain wider acceptance.

In addition, the new studies have shown that several genera (such as Garrulax and Fulvetta

Fulvetta

Fulvetta is a songbird genus. Originally proposed in 1877, it was recently reestablished for the typical fulvettas, which were long included with their presumed relatives in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe...

) are not monophyletic and need to be split up (Cibois 2003, Pasquet et al. 2006).

Timaliidae sensu stricto

These genera would be retained in the timaliids in any case; one has been moved here from the sylviids. They make up a few reasonably well-supported clades and a lot of genera with quite unresolved relationships (termed "assemblages" here).

Liocichlas and allies clade

• Genus Liocichla
  Liocichla
  The liocichlas are a group of birds in the genus of the same name, Liocichla, from the Old World babbler family. They are found in Asia from India to China. They are Old World babblers proper and belong to a clade also containing at least the Leiothrix, the barwings, the minlas and the sibias...
  
   – liocichlas (4 species)

• Genus Actinodura – barwing
  Barwing
  The Barwings are the genus Actinodura of passerine birds in the Old World babbler family. They are found in the hills of southern Asia from India east to China and Taiwan.-Species in taxonomic order:* Rusty-fronted Barwing...
  
  s (7 species)

• Genus Minla
  Minla
  The bird genus Minla of the family Timaliidae was commonly used for three, most likely unrelated species. The genus is probably best split, with only the Red-tailed Minla The bird genus Minla (from minla, Nepali for M. ignotincta) of the family Timaliidae was commonly used for three, most likely...
  
  
  • Red-tailed Minla
    Red-tailed Minla
    The Red-tailed Minla is a bird species in the family Timaliidae. Most modern authors consider its genus Minla monotypic...
    
    , Minla ignotincta

• Genus Chrysominla
  • Chestnut-tailed Minla
    Chestnut-tailed Minla
    The Chestnut-tailed Minla or Bar-throated Minla, is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It has traditionally been placed in the genus Minla instead of the monotypic Chrysominla....
    
    , Chrysominla strigula

• Genus Siva
  • Blue-winged Minla
    Blue-winged Minla
    The Blue-winged Siva , also known as the Blue-winged Minla, is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It has in the past been placed in the genus Minla instead of the monotypic Siva....
    
     or Siva, Siva cyanouroptera

• Genus Leiothrix (2 species)

• Genus Heterophasia
  Heterophasia
  Heterophasia, the sibias, is a bird genus in the family Timaliidae. By some, the genus is considered monotypic, including only H. picaoides.It contains the following species:...
  
   – sibias (8 species)

Laughingthrush assemblage (putative family Garrulacidae or subfamily Garrulacinae)

• Genus Alcippe
  Alcippe (bird)
  Alcippe is a genus of birds in the Timaliidae family. It used to be a catchall for the "fulvettas", but has been recently split into 5 independent genera: Alcippe, Schoeniparus, Fulvetta, Pseudominla and Lioparus....
  
   – "fulvettas" or typical alcippes (tentatively placed here)
  • Grey-cheeked Fulvetta
    Grey-cheeked Fulvetta
    The Grey-cheeked Fulvetta is a species of bird in the Old World babbler family.It is found in China, Laos, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam in evergreen mountain forests....
    
    , Alcippe morrisonia (polyphyletic?)
  • Mountain Fulvetta
    Mountain Fulvetta
    The Mountain Fulvetta is a 14 to 15.5 cm long species of bird in the Old World babbler family. It is found in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam in subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
    
    , Alcippe peracensis (paraphyletic?)
  • Brown Fulvetta
    Brown Fulvetta
    The Brown Fulvetta is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss....
    
    , Alcippe brunneicauda
  • Black-browed Fulvetta
    Black-browed Fulvetta
    The Black-browed Fulvetta, Alcippe grotei, is a 15.5 to 16.5 cm long species of passerine bird in the Old World babbler family. It is found in...
    
    , Alcippe grotei – formerly in peracensis
  • Brown-cheeked Fulvetta
    Brown-cheeked Fulvetta
    The Brown-cheeked Fulvetta, Alcippe poioicephala , is an Old World babbler. It was earlier also known as the Quaker Babbler. The Old World babblers are a large family of passerine birds characterised by soft fluffy plumage...
    
    , Alcippe poioicephala
  • Javan Fulvetta
    Javan Fulvetta
    The Javan Fulvetta is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:...
    
    , Alcippe pyrrhoptera – tentatively placed here
  • Nepal Fulvetta
    Nepal Fulvetta
    The Nepal Fulvetta , Alcippe nipalensis, is a bird species in the Old World babbler family ....
    
    , Alcippe nipalensis – tentatively placed here

• Genus Cutia
  Cutia
  The cutias are the bird genus Cutia in the family Timaliidae. These birds are found in montane forests of continental South and Southeast Asia. The name is derived from the Nepali name khatya or khutya for the type species, the Himalayan Cutia...
  
   - cuitas (2 species)

• Genus Turdoides
  Turdoides
  Turdoides is a genus of passerine birds in the Old World babbler family, Timaliidae. It contains about 29 species distributed across Africa and southern Asia. They are typically fairly large, long-tailed birds which forage in noisy groups...
  
   (27 species)

• Genus Garrulax – laughingthrushes (formerly c.50 species). Polyphyletic, consisting of around 11 genera for which see Garrulax.

• Genus Babax
  Babax
  Babax is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Tibetan Babax * Chinese Babax * Giant Babax -References:...
  
   – babax
  Babax
  Babax is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Tibetan Babax * Chinese Babax * Giant Babax -References:...
  
  es (3 species)

Pellorneum – Napothera assemblage

• Genus Pellorneum
  Pellorneum
  Pellorneum is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Spot-throated Babbler * Black-capped Babbler * Brown-capped Babbler...
  
    (7 species) - possibly polyphyletic (Jønsson & Fjeldså 2006)

• Genus Kenopia
  • Striped Wren-babbler
    Striped Wren-babbler
    The Striped Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Kenopia.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand....
    
    , Kenopia striata

• Genus Malacopteron
  Malacopteron
  Malacopteron is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Grey-breasted Babbler * Scaly-crowned Babbler * Moustached Babbler...
  
   (6 species)

• Genus Schoeniparus
  Schoeniparus
  Schoeniparus is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Rufous-throated Fulvetta, Schoeniparus rufogularis* Dusky Fulvetta, Schoeniparus brunnea* Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Schoeniparus dubia-References:...
  
   – "fulvettas" or atypical alcippes, formerly in Alcippe
  • Rufous-throated Fulvetta
    Rufous-throated Fulvetta
    The Rufous-throated Fulvetta is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam....
    
    , Schoeniparus rufogularis
  • Dusky Fulvetta
    Dusky Fulvetta
    The Dusky Fulvetta is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in China, India, and Taiwan.Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
    
    , Schoeniparus brunnea
  • Rusty-capped Fulvetta
    Rusty-capped Fulvetta
    The Rusty-capped Fulvetta is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.-References:...
    
    , Schoeniparus dubia

• Genus Pseudominla
  Pseudominla
  Pseudominla is a bird genus in the Old World babbler family . It was formerly contained in Alcippe. But like its close relative Schoeniparus which also was recently separated from Alcippe, among the Timaliidae it is not very closely related to the alcippes...
  
   – 4 species of atypical alcippes or "fulvettas", formerly in Alcippe

• Genus Gampsorhynchus
  • White-hooded Babbler
    White-hooded Babbler
    The White-hooded Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Gampsorhynchus....
    
    , Gampsorhynchus rufulus

• Genus Malacocincla
  Malacocincla
  Malacocincla is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Abbott's Babbler * Ashy-headed Babbler * Short-tailed Babbler...
  
   (5 extant species)
  • Vanderbilt's Babbler, Malacocincla sepiarium vanderbilti – extinct? (late 20th century?)

• Genus Napothera
  Napothera
  Napothera is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Black-throated Wren-babbler * Streaked Wren-babbler * Mountain Wren-babbler...
  
   – atypical wren-babblers (paraphyletic). Sometimes split into several genera.
  • Large Wren-babbler
    Large Wren-babbler
    The Large Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
    
    , Napothera (Turdinus) macrodactyla
  • Rusty-breasted Wren-babbler
    Rusty-breasted Wren-babbler
    The Rusty-breasted Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
    
    , Napothera (Turdinus) rufipectus
  • Black-throated Wren-babbler
    Black-throated Wren-babbler
    The Black-throated Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia....
    
    , Napothera (Turdinus) atrigularis
  • Marbled Wren-babbler
    Marbled Wren-babbler
    The Marbled Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
    
    , Napothera (Turdinus) marmorata
  • Limestone Wren-babbler
    Limestone Wren-babbler
    The Limestone Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
    
    , Napothera (Gypsophila) crispifrons
  • Streaked Wren-babbler
    Streaked Wren-babbler
    The Streaked Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam....
    
    , Napothera brevicaudata
  • Mountain Wren-babbler
    Mountain Wren-babbler
    The Mountain Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
    
    , Napothera crassa
  • Eyebrowed Wren-babbler
    Eyebrowed Wren-babbler
    The Eyebrowed Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam....
    
    , Napothera epilepidota
  • Luzon Wren-babbler
    Luzon Wren-babbler
    The Luzon Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
    
    , Napothera (Robsonius) rabori

• Genus Jabouilleia
  Jabouilleia
  Jabouilleia is a genus of scimitar-babblers, jungle birds with long downcurved bills. The two species occur in Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar. They are* Short-tailed Scimitar-babbler, Jabouilleia danjoui...
  
   – atypical scimitar-babblers (2 species)

• Genus Graminicola – formerly in Sylviidae
  Sylviidae
  Sylviidae is a family of passerine birds that was part of an assemblage known as the Old World warblers. The family was formerly a wastebin taxon with over 400 species of bird in over 70 genera. The family was poorly defined with many characteristics shared with other families...
  
  , tentatively placed here
  • Rufous-rumped Grassbird
    Rufous-rumped Grassbird
    The Rufous-Rumped Grassbird is a species of babbler in a monotypic genus in the Timaliidae family. It was formerly placed in the Old World Warbler family Sylviidae.-Distribution and habitat:...
    
     (or "-babbler"), Graminicola bengalensis

Timaliine clade (putative subfamily Timaliinae)

• Genus Pomatorhinus
  Pomatorhinus
  Pomatorhinus is a genus of scimitar-babblers, jungle birds with long downcurved bills. These are birds of tropical Asia, with the greatest number of species occurring in hills of the Himalayas....
  
   – scimitar-babblers (9 species)

• Genus Xiphirhynchus – Slender-billed Scimitar-babbler

• Genus Stachyris
  Stachyris
  Stachyris is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It has been found to be polyphyletic and is in the process of being dismantled. At the moment the genus contains the following species:*Stachyris group...
  
   (polyphyletic)
• Stachyris group
  • Grey-throated Babbler
    Grey-throated Babbler
    The Grey-throated Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist...
    
    , Stachyris nigriceps

• Unresolved
  • Buff-chested Babbler
    Buff-chested Babbler
    The Buff-chested Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.-References:...
    
    , Stachyris ambigua
  • White-breasted Babbler
    White-breasted Babbler
    The White-breasted Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
    
    , Stachyris grammiceps
  • Sooty Babbler
    Sooty Babbler
    The Sooty Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Laos and Vietnam.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
    
    , Stachyris herberti
  • Nonggang Babbler
    Nonggang Babbler
    The Nonggang Babbler is a recently described species of bird in the Timaliidae family.This species was first observed by the ornithologists Zhou Fang and Jiang Aiwu while surveying the Nonggang Natural Reserve in the Guangxi, China, in February 2005...
    
    , Stachyris nonggangensis
  • Grey-headed Babbler
    Grey-headed Babbler
    The Grey-headed Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
    
    , Stachyris poliocephala
  • Snowy-throated Babbler
    Snowy-throated Babbler
    The Snowy-throated Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is found in India and Myanmar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:* BirdLife International 2004....
    
    , Stachyris oglei
  • Spot-necked Babbler
    Spot-necked Babbler
    The Spot-necked Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in China, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. ...
    
    , Stachyris striolata
  • White-necked Babbler
    White-necked Babbler
    The White-necked Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
    
    , Stachyris leucotis
  • Black-throated Babbler
    Black-throated Babbler
    The Black-throated Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand....
    
    , Stachyris nigricollis
  • White-bibbed Babbler
    White-bibbed Babbler
    The White-bibbed Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:...
    
    , Stachyris thoracica
  • Chestnut-rumped Babbler
    Chestnut-rumped Babbler
    The Chestnut-rumped Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
    
    , Stachyris maculata
  • Chestnut-winged Babbler
    Chestnut-winged Babbler
    The Chestnut-winged Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam....
    
    , Stachyris erythroptera
  • Crescent-chested Babbler
    Crescent-chested Babbler
    The Crescent-chested Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
    
    , Stachyris melanothorax

• Genus Stachyridopsis
  Stachyridopsis
  Stachyridopsis is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Rufous-fronted Babbler, Stachyridopsis rufifrons** Deignan's Babbler, Stachyridopsis rodolphei...
  
  
  • Rufous-fronted Babbler
    Rufous-fronted Babbler
    The Rufous-fronted Babbler is a species of bird in the Old World babbler family. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand in moist lowland forests, grass or bamboo up to 2,100 m altitude....
    
    , Stachyridopsis rufifrons
    • Deignan's Babbler, Stachyridopsis (rufifrons) rodolphei
  • Rufous-capped Babbler
    Rufous-capped Babbler
    The Rufous-capped Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.Ranging across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, it is endemic to Bhutan, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam...
    
    , Stachyridopsis ruficeps
  • Golden Babbler
    Golden Babbler
    The Golden Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam...
    
    , Stachyridopsis chrysaea
  • Black-chinned Babbler
    Black-chinned Babbler
    The Black-chinned Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent....
    
    , Stachyridopsis pyrrhops

• Genus Spelaeornis
  Spelaeornis
  Spelaeornis, the typical wren-babblers, is a bird genus in the family Timaliidae. Among this group, the typical wren-babblers are quite closely related to the type species, the Chestnut-capped Babbler ....
  
    (9 species) – typical wren-babblers

• Genus Sphenocichla
  Sphenocichla
  Sphenocichla is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler, Sphenocichla humei* Cachar Wedge-billed Babbler, Sphenocichla roberti...
  
  
  • Sikkim Wedge-billed Babbler, Sphenocichla humei
  • Cachar Wedge-billed Babbler
    Cachar Wedge-billed Babbler
    The Cachar Wedge-billed Babbler or Chevron-breasted Babbler is a species of bird in the Old World babbler family . It is named for the Cachar Hills in southern Assam....
    
    , Sphenocichla roberti

• Genus Macronus – tit-babblers (5 species)

• Genus Timalia
  • Chestnut-capped Babbler
    Chestnut-capped Babbler
    The Chestnut-capped Babbler is a passerine bird of the Timaliidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Timalia.-Distribution:...
    
    , Timalia pileata

White-eye clade

If the white-eye

White-eye

White-eye can refer to:*White-eye , a large family of birds.*White-eye , a species of fish.*White-eye mutation, a mutation in Drosophila melanogaster linked to the X chromosome, found by reciprocal cross breeding experiments in 1906.*A lioness member of the Marsh Pride of lions that have featured...

s are maintained as a separate family Zosteropidae, this group would have to be included there:

• Genus Yuhina
  Yuhina
  Yuhina is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Striated Yuhina * Chestnut-crested Yuhina...
  
   – yuhinas – 8 species, (found to be polyphyletic and now split into five genera)

• Genus Staphida
  Staphida
  Staphida is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Striated Yuhina, Staphida castaniceps* Chestnut-collared Yuhina, Staphida torqueola* Chestnut-crested Yuhina, Staphida everetti-References:...
  
  
  • Striated Yuhina
    Striated Yuhina
    The Striated Yuhina is a bird species in the Old World babbler family Timaliidae. If the white-eyes are considered a distinct family , the genus Staphida, like the typical yuhinas would need to be placed there.Ranging across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, it is endemic to Bangladesh,...
    
    , Staphida castaniceps
  • Chestnut-collared Yuhina
    Chestnut-collared Yuhina
    The Chestnut-collared Yuhina is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.-References:* BirdLife International . . Downloaded on 6 October 2008....
    
    , Staphida torqueola
  • Chestnut-crested Yuhina
    Chestnut-crested Yuhina
    The Chestnut-crested Yuhina is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. The scientific name commemorates British colonial administrator and zoological collector Alfred Hart Everett.-Distribution and habitat:...
    
    , Staphida everetti

• Genus Dasycrotapha – formerly in Stachyris; tentatively placed here
  • Flame-templed Babbler
    Flame-templed Babbler
    The Flame-templed Babbler is a species of bird of the Timaliidae family, in the monotypic genus Dasycrotapha. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Further reading:* Collar, N. J. & Robson, C. 2007...
    
    , Dasycrotapha speciosa

• Genus Sterrhoptilus
  Sterrhoptilus
  Sterrhoptilus is a songbird genus recently separated from Stachyris and usually placed in the family Timaliidae. Together with other "Old World babblers" of the yuhina group, it is a close relative of the white-eyes however, and like these might arguably be placed in a distinct family...
  
   – formerly in Stachyris; tentatively placed here
  • Mindanao Pygmy Babbler (or Yuhina), Sterrhoptilus plateni
  • Visayan Pygmy Babbler (or Yuhina), Sterrhoptilus pygmaeus
  • Golden-crowned Babbler
    Golden-crowned Babbler
    The Golden-crowned Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss....
    
     (or Yuhina), Sterrhoptilus dennistouni
  • Black-crowned Babbler
    Black-crowned Babbler
    The Black-crowned Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
    
     (or Yuhina), Sterrhoptilus nigrocapitata
  • Rusty-crowned Babbler
    Rusty-crowned Babbler
    The Rusty-crowned Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
    
     (or Yuhina), Sterrhoptilus capitalis

• Genus Zosterornis
  Zosterornis
  Zosterornis is a genus of passerine bird in the Old World babbler family Timaliidae. The genus is endemic to the Philippines.It contains the following species:* Chestnut-faced Babbler , Zosterornis whiteheadi...
  
   – formerly in Stachyris; tentatively placed here
  • Chestnut-faced Babbler
    Chestnut-faced Babbler
    The Chestnut-faced Babbler is a species of bird in the Old World babbler family Timaliidae.It is endemic to the island of Luzon in the Philippines. There are two subspecies, Z. w. whiteheadi in northern and central Luzon, and Z. w. sorsogonensis in south eastern Luzon...
    
     (or Yuhina), Zosterornis whiteheadi
  • Luzon Striped Babbler (or Yuhina), Zosterornis striatus
  • Panay Striped Babbler (or Yuhina), Zosterornis latistriatus
  • Negros Striped Babbler (or Yuhina), Zosterornis nigrorum
  • Palawan Striped Babbler (or Yuhina), Zosterornis hypogrammicus

Sylviid clade

Also includes the parrotbill

Parrotbill

The parrotbills are a group of peculiar birds native to East and Southeast Asia, though feral populations are known from elsewhere. They are generally small, long-tailed birds which inhabit reedbeds and similar habitat. They feed mainly on seeds, e.g. of grasses, to which their bill, as the name...

s. If the Sylviidae

Sylviidae

Sylviidae is a family of passerine birds that was part of an assemblage known as the Old World warblers. The family was formerly a wastebin taxon with over 400 species of bird in over 70 genera. The family was poorly defined with many characteristics shared with other families...

 are maintained as a separate family, this group would have to be included there:

• Genus Pseudoalcippe
  • African Hillbabbler, Pseudoalcippe abyssinica – formerly in Illadopsis

• Genus Lioparus – formerly in Alcippe
  • Golden-breasted Fulvetta
    Golden-breasted Fulvetta
    The Golden-breasted "Fulvetta" is a species of songbird found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Vietnam...
    
    , Lioparus chrysotis

• Genus Fulvetta
  Fulvetta
  Fulvetta is a songbird genus. Originally proposed in 1877, it was recently reestablished for the typical fulvettas, which were long included with their presumed relatives in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe...
  
   – 7 species of typical fulvettas, formerly in Alcippe
  • Spectacled Fulvetta
    Spectacled Fulvetta
    The Spectacled Fulvetta is a bird species in the family Sylviidae. Like the other typical fulvettas, it was long included in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe....
    
    , Fulvetta ruficapilla
  • Chinese Fulvetta
    Chinese Fulvetta
    The Chinese Fulvetta is a bird species in the family Sylviidae. Like the other typical fulvettas, it was long included in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe.It is found in China and India.-References:...
    
    , Fulvetta striaticollis
  • White-browed Fulvetta
    White-browed Fulvetta
    The White-browed Fulvetta is a bird species in the family Sylviidae. Like the other typical fulvettas, it was long included in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe....
    
    , Fulvetta vinipectus
  • Grey-hooded Fulvetta
    Grey-hooded Fulvetta
    The Grey-hooded Fulvetta is a bird species in the family Sylviidae. Like the other typical fulvettas, it was long included in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe....
    
    , Fulvetta cinereiceps
  • Taiwan Fulvetta
    Taiwan Fulvetta
    The Taiwan Fulvetta is a bird species in the family Sylviidae. Like the other typical fulvettas, it was long included in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe. In addition, it was long included in F. cinereiceps as a subspecies....
    
    , Fulvetta formosana - formerly in F. cinereiceps
  • Streak-throated Fulvetta
    Streak-throated Fulvetta
    The Streak-throated Fulvetta or Manipur Fulvetta is a bird species in the family Sylviidae. It is named for the state of Manipur in northeastern India. Like the other typical fulvettas, it was long included in the Timaliidae genus Alcippe. In addition, it was long included in F...
    
    , Fulvetta manipurensis - formerly in F. cinereiceps
  • Ludlow's Fulvetta
    Ludlow's Fulvetta
    The Brown-throated Fulvetta or Ludlow's Fulvetta is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.-References:...
    
    , Fulvetta ludlowi - tentatively placed here

• Genus Chrysomma
  Chrysomma
  Chrysomma is a songbird genus. Long believed to be Timaliidae , they are actually quite closely related to the typical warblers and even closer to the parrotbills, and therefore a member of the family Sylviidae.Species are:...
  
   – 3 species

• Genus Chamaea – Wrentit

Genera incertae sedis

Relationships unresolved; may or may not be Timaliidae sensu stricto

• Genus Crocias
  Crocias
  Crocias is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Spotted Crocias * Grey-crowned Crocias -References:...
  
   – 2 species of crociases (laughingthrush assemblage?)
• Genus Micromacronus
  Micromacronus
  Micromacronus is a bird genus in the babbler family Timaliidae endemic to the Philippines. Long considered to be monotypic, its members are known as miniature-babblers or miniature tit-babblers. As the scientific as well as the common names indicate, their habitus resembles a diminutive version of...
  
   - 2 species of miniature-babblers or tit-babblers (timaliine clade?)
• Genus Trichastoma
  Trichastoma
  Trichastoma is a bird genus in the Old World babbler family .It contains the following species:* Ferruginous Babbler, Trichastoma bicolor* Sumatran Babbler, Trichastoma buettikoferi* Sulawesi Babbler, Trichastoma celebense...
  
   – 7 species, Pellorneum – Napothera assemblage?
• Genus Rimator - Long-billed Wren-babbler
• Genus Ptilocichla
  Ptilocichla
  Ptilocichla is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Falcated Wren-babbler * Bornean Wren-babbler * Striated Wren-babbler...
  
   – 3 species of wren-babblers
• Genus Pnoepyga
  Pnoepyga
  Pnoepyga is a genus of wren-babbler endemic to southern and south eastern Asia. The genus contains four species. The genus has long been placed in the babbler family Timaliidae...
  
   – 3 species of wren-babblers
• Genus Dumetia – Tawny-bellied Babbler
• Genus Rhopocichla – Dark-fronted Babbler
• Genus Myzornis - Fire-tailed Myzornis
• Genus Malia
  Malia (bird)
  The Malia, Malia grata is a medium-sized babbler-like passerine. It has an olive-green plumage, yellowish head and chest, and pinkish-brown bill. The young is duller than adult. It is the only member in the genus Malia....
  
   – Malia
• Genus Lioptilus - Bush Blackcap (may be related to Sylvia)
• Genus Parophasma – Abyssinian Catbird (may be related to Sylvia)
• Genus Kupeornis
  Kupeornis
  Kupeornis is a genus of bird in the Timaliidae family.It contains the following species:* Chapin's Mountain-babbler * White-throated Mountain-babbler...
  
   – 3 species of mountain-babblers. Perhaps related to Phyllanthus
• Genus Phyllanthus - Capuchin Babbler
• Genus Ptyrticus – Thrushbabbler (may be related to Illadopsis
  Illadopsis
  Illadopsis is a genus of secretive forest birds in the Timaliidae family. All are found in tropical Africa, where they frequent the lower strata of forests, and reveal themselves mostly by their whistled call notes...
  
  )
• Genus Horizorhinus – Dohrn's Thrush-babbler or Principe Flycatcher-babbler (relationships uncertain)

Formerly placed here

Genera whose relationships are now known to lie entirely outside the Timaliidae, no matter how these are delimited:

Other Sylvioidea

Basal

Basal (phylogenetics)

In phylogenetics, a basal clade is the earliest clade to branch in a larger clade; it appears at the base of a cladogram.A basal group forms an outgroup to the rest of the clade, such as in the following example:...

 lineage of cisticolid warblers, Cisticolidae

Cisticolidae

The Cisticolidae family of small passerine birds is a group of about 110 warblers found mainly in warmer southern regions of the Old World. They are often included within the Old World warbler family Sylviidae....

 (Nguembock et al. 2007):

• Genus Neomixis
  Neomixis
  Neomixis is a genus of bird formerly in the Timaliidae family but now considered to belong to the African warbler cisticolidae family. The genus consists of three small forest birds endemic to Madagascar:* Stripe-throated Jery...
  
   – jeries
  • Common Jery
    Common Jery
    The Common Jery is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
    
    , Neomixis tenella
  • Green Jery
    Green Jery
    The Green Jery is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
    
    , Neomixis viridis
  • Stripe-throated Jery
    Stripe-throated Jery
    The Stripe-throated Jery is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
    
    , Neomixis striatigula

Several lineages of Malagasy warbler

Malagasy warbler

The Malagasy warblers are a newly validated clade of songbirds. They were formally named Bernieridae in 2010. The family consists of ten species of small forest birds and is endemic to Madagascar....

s, Bernieridae

• Genus Hartertula – formerly in Neomixis
  • Wedge-tailed Jery
    Wedge-tailed Jery
    The Wedge-tailed Jery is a small bird endemic to the east of Madagascar. The species has been the cause of some taxonomic confusion, it was originally placed with the jeries in the genus Neomixis before being placed in its own monotypic genus Hartertula, but still considered close to Neomixis...
    
    , Hartertula flavoviridis
• Genus Crossleyia
  • Yellow-browed Oxylabes, Crossleyia xanthophrys
• Genus Oxylabes
  • White-throated Oxylabes
    White-throated Oxylabes
    The White-throated Oxylabes is a species of passerine once thought to be a species of Old World warbler in the Sylviidae family. It is found only in Madagascar...
    
    , Oxylabes madagascariensis

Other Passerida

Belong to the sugarbirds, Promeropidae (Beresford et al. 2005):

• Genus Arcanator – sometimes included in Modulatrix
  • Dapple-throat
    Dapple-throat
    The Dappled Mountain-robin or Dapple-throat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Mozambique and Tanzania.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
    
    , Arcanator orostruthus
• Genus Modulatrix
  Modulatrix
  Modulatrix is a genus of bird endemic to the mountains of south eastern Africa. The genus is something of a taxonomic enigma. It has been placed with the Old World babblers and the Old World flycatchers. Recent molecular studies have suggested that the two species are part of a clade that includes...
  
  
  • Spot-throat
    Spot-throat
    The Spot-throat is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:...
    
    , Modulatrix stictigula

"Corvida"

Apparently related to the vireos, Vireonidae (Barker et al. 2004):

• Genus Erpornis
  • White-bellied Erpornis
    White-bellied Erpornis
    The White-bellied Erpornis or simply Erpornis is a species of bird. It is the only member of the genus Erpornis. This bird is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam...
    
     or White-bellied "Yuhina", Erpornis zantholeuca – formerly in Yuhina (Cibois et al. 2002)

Belongs to the vireos (Reddy & Cracraft, in press):

• Genus Pteruthius – shrike-babblers
  • Black-headed Shrike-babbler
    Black-headed Shrike-babbler
    The Black-headed Shrike-babbler is a bird species traditionally placed with the Old World babblers in the family Timaliidae. However, it might be one of the few Eurasian vireos ....
    
    , Pteruthius rufiventer
  • White-browed Shrike-babbler
    White-browed Shrike-babbler
    The White-browed Shrike-babbler is a bird species traditionally considered an aberrant Old World babbler and placed in the family Timaliidae. But as it seems, it belongs to an Asian offshoot of the American vireos and may well belong in the Vireonidae...
    
    , Pteruthius flaviscapis
  • Green Shrike-babbler
    Green Shrike-babbler
    The Green Shrike-babbler is a bird species traditionally considered an aberrant Old World babbler and placed in the family Timaliidae. But as it seems, it belongs to an Asian offshoot of the American vireos and may well belong in the Vireonidae...
    
    , Pteruthius xanthochlorus
  • Black-eared Shrike-babbler
    Black-eared Shrike-babbler
    The Black-eared Shrike-babbler is a bird species traditionally considered an aberrant Old World babbler and placed in the family Timaliidae. But as it seems, it belongs to an Asian offshoot of the American vireos and may well belong in the Vireonidae...
    
    , Pteruthius melanotis
  • Chestnut-fronted Shrike-babbler
    Chestnut-fronted Shrike-babbler
    The Chestnut-fronted Shrike-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is found in southern China, north-east India, the island of Java in Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam...
    
    , Pteruthius aenobarbus

Belongs to the vangas, Vangidae (Schulenberg 2003):

• Genus Mystacornis
  • Crossley's Babbler-vanga, Mystacornis crossleyi

Incertae sedis

• Genus Kakamega (Cibois 2003a) – uncertain relationships. May be related to thrushes
  Thrush (bird)
  The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
  
   or sugarbirds
  • Grey-chested Kakamega or Grey-chested "Illadopsis", Kakamega poliothorax

External links

• Babbler videos on the Internet Bird Collection