| Bristlebills | |
|---|---|
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| Grey-headed bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus) | |
| Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota | 
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Chordata | 
| Class: | Aves | 
| Order: | Passeriformes | 
| Family: | Pycnonotidae | 
| Genus: | Bleda Bonaparte, 1857  | 
| Type species | |
| Dasycephala syndactyla (Red-tailed bristlebill) Swainson, 1837  | |
| Species | |
| 
 See text  | |
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| Synonyms | |
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The bristlebills are a genus Bleda of passerine birds in the bulbul family Pycnonotidae. They are found in the forest understorey of western and central Africa. They forage for insects at or near ground-level, often near water. They will follow driver ant swarms to catch prey items fleeing from the ants and they frequently join mixed-species feeding flocks.
They are 18–23 cm long with fairly long, stout bills. The upperparts are mainly green-brown while the underparts are yellow. The birds have whistling songs.
The nest is made of leaves or sticks and built in a shrub or small tree. Two eggs are laid.
Taxonomy
The genus Bleda was introduced in 1857 by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte with the red-tailed bristlebill as the type species.[1] The genus was named after Bleda, elder brother of Attila and joint ruler of the Huns.[2]
Species
The genus contains five species:[3]
- Red-tailed bristlebill (Bleda syndactylus)
 - Green-tailed bristlebill (Bleda eximius)
 - Grey-headed bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus)
 - Yellow-lored bristlebill (Bleda notatus)
 - Yellow-eyed bristlebill (Bleda ugandae)
 
Former species
Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Bleda:
- Kakamega greenbul (as Xenocichla kakamegae)[4]
 - Olive-breasted greenbul (as Xenocichla kikuyuensis)[5]
 - Mountain greenbul (as Xenocichla nigriceps)[6]
 - Black-browed greenbul (as Xenocichla fusciceps)[7]
 - Yellow-throated greenbul (as Xenocichla chlorigula)[8]
 - Stripe-cheeked greenbul (as Xenocichla milanjensis)[9]
 - Stripe-faced greenbul (as Xenocichla striifacies)[10]
 - Sjöstedt's greenbul (as Xenocichla clamans)[11]
 - Yellow-throated leaflove (as Xenocichla flavicollis)[12]
 - Uganda yellow-throated greenbul (as Xenocichla pallidigula)[13]
 - Gabon leaflove (as Xenocichla orientalis)[14]
 - Placid greenbul (as Xenocichla placida)[15]
 - Xavier's greenbul (as Xenocichla Xavieri)[16]
 - White-throated greenbul (as Xenocichla albigularis)[17]
 - Yellow-streaked greenbul (tenuirostris) (as Xenocichla tenuirostris)[18]
 - Sharpe's greenbul (as Bleda alfredi)[19]
 - Grey-headed greenbul (as Xenocichla poliocephala)[20]
 - Lowland tiny greenbul (as Xenocichla debilis)[21]
 - Yellow-bearded greenbul (as Xenocichla olivacea)[22]
 
References
- African Bird club (2006) ABC African Checklist: Passerines Accessed 31/07/07.
 - Serle, W.; Morel G.J. & Hartwig, W. (1977) Collins Field Guide: Birds of West Africa, HarperCollins.
 - Sinclair, Ian & Ryan, Peter (2003) Birds of Africa south of the Sahara, Struik, Cape Town.
 
- Notes
 
- ↑ Bonaparte, Charles Lucien (1857). "Notes sur le genre Moquinus, nouvelle forme intermédiaire aux Turdides, aux Laniides et aux Muscicapides; sur le nouveau genre Myiagrien Schwaneria : et sur le Catalogue des Oiseaux d'Europe et d'Algérie". Revue et Magasin de Zoologie Pure et Appliquée. 2nd (in French). 9: 49–63 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
 - ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
 - ↑ Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (eds.). "Family Pycnonotidae". IOC World Bird List. Version 10.2. International Ornithological Congress. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
 - ↑ "Arizelocichla kakamegae - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
 - ↑ "Arizelocichla kikuyuensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
 - ↑ "Arizelocichla nigriceps - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
 - ↑ "Arizelocichla fusciceps - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
 - ↑ "Arizelocichla chlorigula - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
 - ↑ "Arizelocichla milanjensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
 - ↑ "Arizelocichla striifacies - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
 - ↑ "Baeopogon clamans - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
 - ↑ "Atimastillas flavicollis soror - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
 - ↑ "Atimastillas flavicollis flavigula (pallidigula) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
 - ↑ "Phyllastrephus scandens orientalis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
 - ↑ "Phyllastrephus placidus - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
 - ↑ "Phyllastrephus xavieri - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
 - ↑ "Phyllastrephus albigularis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
 - ↑ "Phyllastrephus flavostriatus tenuirostris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
 - ↑ "Phyllastrephus alfredi - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
 - ↑ "Phyllastrephus poliocephalus - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
 - ↑ "Phyllastrephus debilis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
 - ↑ Zoology, British Museum (Natural History) Dept of (1881-01-01). Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum: Passeriformes, or perching birds. Cichlomorphœ: pt. III-IV, containing the ... family Timeliidœ (babbling-thrushes) by R.B. Sharpe. order of the Trustees.
 
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