Peppershrike Explained
The peppershrikes are two species of passerine bird found in tropical Central and South America. They form the genus Cyclarhis, part of the vireo family.
These are heavyset birds with a hooked shrike-like bill. Although sluggish and very vocal, the peppershrikes are still difficult to spot as they feed on insects and spiders in the canopy aloft. Their cup-shaped nests can likewise be found high in the trees.
Taxonomy
The genus Cyclarhis was introduced in 1789 by the English naturalist William Swainson to accommodate a single species, the rufous-browed peppershrike, which is therefore the type species.[1] [2] The genus name is from the Ancient Greek kuklos meaning "circle" and rhis, rhinos meaning "nostrils".[3] The genus contains two species.[4]
Species
| Image | Common Name | Scientific name | Distribution |
|---|
| | C. gujanensis | Mexico and Trinidad south to Argentina and Uruguay. |
| | C. nigrirostris | Colombia and northern Ecuador. |
|
References
- Book: ffrench<!--this name should not be capitalized-->
, Richard
. A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago . 2nd . 1991 . Comstock Publishing . 0-8014-9792-2 .
- Book: Hilty
, Steven L
. Birds of Venezuela . Christopher Helm . 2003 . London . 0-7136-6418-5 .
Notes and References
- Swainson . William John . William John Swainson . 1824–1825 . An inquiry into the natural affinities of the Laniadae, or shrikes; preceded by some observations on the present state of ornithology in this country . Zoological Journal . 1 . 3 . 289–307 [294] .
- Book: Paynter . Raymond A. Jr . 1968 . Check-List of Birds of the World . 14 . Museum of Comparative Zoology . Cambridge, Massachusetts . 103 .
- Book: Jobling, James A. . 2010. The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names . Christopher Helm . London . 978-1-4081-2501-4 . 128 .
- Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela Rasmussen . January 2023 . Shrikes, vireos, shrike-babblers . IOC World Bird List Version 13.1 . International Ornithologists' Union . 30 March 2023 .
