Ceblepyris Explained

Ceblepyris is a genus of African passerine birds in the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae.

These species were formerly placed in the genus Coracina. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that Coracina, as then defined, was non-monophyletic. In the resulting reorganization to create monophyletic genera these species were moved to the resurrected genus Ceblepyris.^[1]

The genus contains the following five species:^[2]

• Madagascar cuckooshrike (Ceblepyris cinereus)
• Comoro cuckooshrike (Ceblepyris cucullatus)
• Grauer's cuckooshrike (Ceblepyris graueri)
• White-breasted cuckooshrike (Ceblepyris pectoralis)
• Grey cuckooshrike (Ceblepyris caesius)

Notes and References

1. Jønsson . K.A. . Bowie . R.C.K. . Nylander . J.A.A. . Christidis . L. . Norman . J.A. . Fjeldså . J. . 2010 . Biogeographical history of cuckoo-shrikes (Aves: Passeriformes): transoceanic colonization of Africa from Australo-Papua . Journal of Biogeography . 37 . 9 . 1767–1781 . 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2010.02328.x . 2010JBiog..37.1767J . 52105369 .
2. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . 2018 . Bristlehead, butcherbirds, woodswallows, ioras, cuckooshrikes . World Bird List Version 8.1 . International Ornithologists' Union . 13 July 2018 .