Silky-flycatcher
Encyclopedia
The silky-flycatchers are a small family, Ptilogonatidae , of passerine
bird
s. The family contains only four species in three genera. They were formerly lumped with waxwings and Hypocolius
in the family Bombycillidae, and they are listed in that family by the Sibley-Monroe checklist
. The family is named for their silky plumage
and their aerial flycatching techniques, although they are unrelated to the Old World flycatcher
s (Muscicapidae) and the tyrant flycatcher
s (Tyrannidae).
They occur mainly in Central America
from Panama
to Mexico
, with one species
, the Phainopepla
, extending northwards into the southwestern USA
. They are mostly sedentary, but the Phainopepla is migratory
over the northern part of its range.
They are related to waxwing
s, and like that group have a soft silky plumage, usually grey or pale yellow in colour. All species, with the exception of the Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher
, have small crests. They range in size from 18–25 cm in length and are mostly slender birds (with the exception again of the Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher). All the species in this family are sexually dimorphic
both in plumage colour and in having a longer tail. Juveniles birds of both sexes are coloured like the female.
These birds eat fruit or insects, and the Phainopepla is particularly dependent on Desert Mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum.
They are birds of various types of woodland (semi-desert with trees for the Phainopepla), and they nest in trees.
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. The family contains only four species in three genera. They were formerly lumped with waxwings and Hypocolius
Hypocolius
The Grey Hypocolius or simply Hypocolius is a small passerine bird species. It is the sole member of the genus Hypocolius and it is placed in a family of its own, the Hypocoliidae. This slender and long tailed bird is found in the dry semi-desert region of northern Africa, Arabia, Afghanistan,...
in the family Bombycillidae, and they are listed in that family by the Sibley-Monroe checklist
Sibley-Monroe checklist 14
The Sibley-Monroe checklist was a landmark document in the study of birds. It drew on extensive DNA-DNA hybridisation studies to reassess the relationships between modern birds.-Callaeatidae:* Callaeas cinerea Kokako...
. The family is named for their silky 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...
and their aerial flycatching techniques, although they are unrelated to the Old World flycatcher
Old World flycatcher
The Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae is a large family of small passerine birds mostly restricted to the Old World. These are mainly small arboreal insectivores, many of which, as the name implies, take their prey on the wing.-Characteristics:...
s (Muscicapidae) and the tyrant flycatcher
Tyrant flycatcher
The tyrant flycatchers are a family of passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They are considered the largest family of birds on Earth, with more than 400 species. They are the most diverse avian family in every country in the Americas, except for the United States and...
s (Tyrannidae).
They occur mainly in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
from Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, with one 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...
, the Phainopepla
Phainopepla
The Phainopepla is the most northerly representative of the mainly tropical Central American family Ptilogonatidae, the silky flycatchers.-Description:...
, extending northwards into the southwestern USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They are mostly sedentary, but the Phainopepla is 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...
over the northern part of its range.
They are related to waxwing
Waxwing
The waxwings form the genus Bombycilla of passerine birds. According to most authorities, this is the only genus placed in the family Bombycillidae.-Description:Waxwings are characterised by soft silky plumage...
s, and like that group have a soft silky plumage, usually grey or pale yellow in colour. All species, with the exception of the Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher
Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher
The Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Bombycillidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Phainoptila. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama-Description:...
, have small crests. They range in size from 18–25 cm in length and are mostly slender birds (with the exception again of the Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher). All the species in this family are sexually dimorphic
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
both in plumage colour and in having a longer tail. Juveniles birds of both sexes are coloured like the female.
These birds eat fruit or insects, and the Phainopepla is particularly dependent on Desert Mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum.
They are birds of various types of woodland (semi-desert with trees for the Phainopepla), and they nest in trees.
Species of Ptilogonatidae
- Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcherBlack-and-yellow Silky-flycatcherThe Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher is a species of bird in the Bombycillidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Phainoptila. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama-Description:...
, Phainoptila melanoxantha - Gray Silky-flycatcher, Ptilogonys cinereus
- Long-tailed Silky-flycatcherLong-tailed Silky-flycatcherThe Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Ptilogonys caudatus, is a passerine bird which occurs only in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama, usually from 1,850 m altitude to the timberline. It is a thrush-sized species weighing about 37 g...
, Ptilogonys caudatus - PhainopeplaPhainopeplaThe Phainopepla is the most northerly representative of the mainly tropical Central American family Ptilogonatidae, the silky flycatchers.-Description:...
, Phainopepla nitens