Muscicapoidea

Bombycilloidae

Reguloidae

Certhioidae

Muscicapiodae

Passerines

Tyranni: Suboscines

Passeri: Oscines

Passerida

Sylvioidea
Muscicapoidea and allies
Passeroidea

The 46 Orders

Palaeognathae

Galloanserae

Columbimorphae

Otidimorphae

Strisores

Opisthocomiformes

Gruiformes

Mirandornithes

Ardeae

Charadriiformes

Telluraves

Afroaves

Australaves

Muscicapoidae

Muscicapoidae tree The use of an expanded Muscicapoidea means that the former superfamily Muscicapoidea has been demoted to the epifamily Muscicapoidae. It too grows slightly, gaining the monotypic Elachuridae. Elachuridae takes the basal position in the epifamily Muscicapoidae. See Oliveros et al. (2019) and Stiller et al. (2024). Elachuridae was not included in Kuhl et al.'s (2021) analysis.

After Elachura, Muscicapoidae breaks into two clades. The first contains the oxpeckers, mockingbirds, and starlings (Muscicapoidae I). The other contains the dippers, thrushes, and Old World flycatchers (Muscicapoidae II).

Elachuridae: Spotted Elachura Alström et al., 2014

1 genus, 1 species Not HBW Family

I had previously speculated that Elachura, often classified in Spelaeornis, was not a babbler, but possibly related to Pnoepyga. I was half-right and half-wrong. It's not a babbler, but somewhat related to waxwings (Alström et al., 2014). I had also speculated that two other Spelaeornis may belong with Elachura. Alström et al. showed that those two are true Spelaeornis.

  1. Spotted Elachura / Spotted Wren-babbler, Elachura formosa

Oxpeckers, Mockingbirds, and Starlings

Click for Muscicapoidea genera tree, part I
Click for Muscicapoidea
genera, part I

The Buphagidae (oxpeckers) must be given their own family to avoid merging the Sturnidae and Mimidae. The Philippine creepers (Rhabdornis) have variously been considered a separate family (Howard and Moore, 2003), part of Certhiidae (Sharpe, 1903; Beecher, 1953), or members of Sylviidae (Sibley and Monroe, 1993), but they actually are embedded within the Sturnidae (Zuccon et al., 2006; Lovette and Rubenstein, 2007). They are basal members of a clade of south Asian and Pacific Starlings, which includes the hill-mynas.

Buphagidae: Oxpeckers Lesson, 1828

1 genus, 2 species HBW-14

  1. Red-billed Oxpecker, Buphagus erythrorynchus
  2. Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Buphagus africanus

Mimidae: Mockingbirds, Thrashers Bonaparte, 1853

10 genera, 35 species HBW-10

Click for Buphagidae and Mimidae tree
Click for Buphagidae
and Mimidae tree

The Mimidae seem fairly stable in terms of membership, but have undergone some rearrangement. The taxonomy is based on Lovette et al. (2012). It is little changed from a previous version primarily based on Lovette and Rubenstein (2007), where Arbogast et al. (2006), Hunt et al. (2001), and Zink et al. (1999) were also consulted. There are two main clades, one including the catbirds through tremblers, the other consisting of mockingbirds and thrashers.

The genera Mimodes and Nesomimus have been folded into Mimus (see Arbogast et al., 2006; Barber et al., 2004) and Allenia has been split from Margarops (Hunt et al., 2001).

The genetics of the Northern and Tropical Mockingbirds are complex, and the complex deserves further study to sort out the situation. The Galapagos complex also deserves further study. Arbogast et al. (2006) found that the Genovesan race of Galapagos Mockingbird (bauri) appeared to be more closely related to the San Cristobal Mockingbird than to the other races of Galapagos Mockingbird.

White-breasted Thrasher Split: The White-breasted Thrasher, Ramphocinclus brachyurus, has been split into Martinique Thrasher, Ramphocinclus brachyurus, and St. Lucia Thrasher, Ramphocinclus sanctaeluciae. For more, see DaCosta et al. (2019) and AOS Proposal 2024-C-8 (the proposal starts on page 62).

  1. Blue Mockingbird, Melanotis caerulescens
  2. Blue-and-white Mockingbird, Melanotis hypoleucus
  3. Black Catbird, Melanoptila glabrirostris
  4. Gray Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis
  5. Martinique Thrasher, Ramphocinclus brachyurus
  6. St. Lucia Thrasher, Ramphocinclus sanctaeluciae
  7. Scaly-breasted Thrasher, Allenia fusca
  8. Pearly-eyed Thrasher, Margarops fuscatus
  9. Brown Trembler, Cinclocerthia ruficauda
  10. Gray Trembler, Cinclocerthia gutturalis
  11. Curve-billed Thrasher, Toxostoma curvirostre
  12. Ocellated Thrasher, Toxostoma ocellatum
  13. Brown Thrasher, Toxostoma rufum
  14. Long-billed Thrasher, Toxostoma longirostre
  15. Cozumel Thrasher, Toxostoma guttatum
  16. Bendire's Thrasher, Toxostoma bendirei
  17. Gray Thrasher, Toxostoma cinereum
  18. California Thrasher, Toxostoma redivivum
  19. Le Conte's Thrasher, Toxostoma lecontei
  20. Crissal Thrasher, Toxostoma crissale
  21. Sage Thrasher, Oreoscoptes montanus
  22. Chilean Mockingbird, Mimus thenca
  23. Patagonian Mockingbird, Mimus patagonicus
  24. Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Mimus saturninus
  25. White-banded Mockingbird, Mimus triurus
  26. Brown-backed Mockingbird, Mimus dorsalis
  27. Long-tailed Mockingbird, Mimus longicaudatus
  28. Socorro Mockingbird, Mimus graysoni
  29. Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
  30. Tropical Mockingbird, Mimus gilvus
  31. Bahama Mockingbird, Mimus gundlachii
  32. Galapagos Mockingbird, Mimus parvulus
  33. Floreana Mockingbird, Mimus trifasciatus
  34. San Cristobal Mockingbird, Mimus melanotis
  35. Espanola Mockingbird, Mimus macdonaldi

Sturnidae: Starlings, Mynas Rafinesque, 1815

35 genera, 122 species HBW-14

The Philippine creepers (Rhabdornis) were thought to be babblers, but Barker et al. (2004) and Cibois and Cracraft (2004) found they were allied to the starlings. This led to thoughts they should be a separate family, but more recently Zuccon et al. (2006) and Lovette and Rubenstein (2007) found they were embedded in the Sturnidae.

The taxonomy here mainly follows the extensive analysis of Lovette and Rubenstein (2007), with help from Lovette et al. (2008) and Zuccon et al. 2006. Lovette and Rubenstein identified a number of major clades. The subfamily Graculinae includes the starlings and mynas of south Asia and the Pacific. It includes two tribes, the Philippine creepers (Rhabdornithini) and the south Asian/Pacific starlings and mynas (Graculini). The second subfamily, Sturninae, includes the Eurasian and African starlings. It includes 4 tribes: the Eurasian starlings and mynas (Sturnini), the Amethyst and Madagascan starlings (Cinnyricinclini), the red-winged starlings (Onychognathini), and the African starlings (Lamprotornini).

Lovette et al. (2008) provides a complete genetic analysis of all of the extant Eurasian starlings and mynas (Sturnini). The genus Sturnus was found to be overly broad, resulting in splits of Pastor, Gracupica, Agropsar, Sturnornis, Sturnia (aka Temenuchus), and Spodiopsar (Poliopsar). Also, S. burmannicus has been moved to Acridotheres. The recent paper by Zuccon et al. (2008) slightly refines the ordering (mainly the Hoopoe Starling), and corrects two of the genus names (to Sturnia and Spodiopsar). The extinct Reunion Starling has not been sequenced, but is believed to be sister to the Hoopoe Starling.

Other generic changes include splitting Hartlaubius from Saroglossa, and both Notopholia and Hylopsar from Lamprotornis. In the other direction, Spreo has been merged into Lamprotornis. Finally, Poeoptera femoralis has moved from Cinnyricinclus.

Graculinae: South Asian/Pacific Starlings G.R. Gray, 1841 (1831)

Rhabdornithini: Philippine Creeper Greenway, 1967

  1. Stripe-headed Rhabdornis, Rhabdornis mystacalis
    Click for Sturnidae tree, part I
    Click for Sturnidae
    tree, part I
  2. Grand Rhabdornis, Rhabdornis grandis
  3. Stripe-breasted Rhabdornis, Rhabdornis inornatus

Graculini: South Asian & Pacific Starlings and Mynas G.R. Gray, 1841 (1831)

  1. Sulawesi Myna, Basilornis celebensis
  2. Helmeted Myna, Basilornis galeatus
  3. Long-crested Myna, Basilornis corythaix
  4. Apo Myna, Goodfellowia miranda
  5. Coleto, Sarcops calvus
  6. White-necked Myna, Streptocitta albicollis
  7. Bare-eyed Myna, Streptocitta albertinae
  8. Yellow-faced Myna, Mino dumontii
  9. Long-tailed Myna, Mino kreffti
  10. Golden Myna, Mino anais
  11. Golden-crested Myna, Ampeliceps coronatus
  12. Sri Lanka Hill-Myna, Gracula ptilogenys
  13. Common Hill-Myna, Gracula religiosa
  14. Southern Hill-Myna, Gracula indica
  15. Nias Hill-Myna, Gracula robusta
  16. Enggano Hill-Myna, Gracula enganensis
  17. Fiery-browed Starling, Enodes erythrophris
  18. Grosbeak Starling, Scissirostrum dubium
  19. White-eyed Starling, Aplonis brunneicapillus
  20. Yellow-eyed Starling, Aplonis mystacea
  21. Metallic Starling, Aplonis metallica
  22. Long-tailed Starling, Aplonis magna
  23. Pohnpei Starling, Aplonis pelzelni
  24. Kosrae Starling, Aplonis corvina
  25. Micronesian Starling, Aplonis opaca
  26. Brown-winged Starling, Aplonis grandis
  27. Makira Starling, Aplonis dichroa
  28. Singing Starling, Aplonis cantoroides
  29. Tanimbar Starling, Aplonis crassa
  30. Asian Glossy Starling, Aplonis panayensis
  31. Moluccan Starling, Aplonis mysolensis
  32. Short-tailed Starling, Aplonis minor
  33. Atoll Starling, Aplonis feadensis
  34. Rennell Starling, Aplonis insularis
  35. Rusty-winged Starling, Aplonis zelandica
  36. Striated Starling, Aplonis striata
  37. Mountain Starling, Aplonis santovestris
  38. Polynesian Starling, Aplonis tabuensis
  39. Samoan Starling, Aplonis atrifusca
  40. Rarotonga Starling, Aplonis cinerascens
  41. Mauke Starling, Aplonis mavornata
  42. Tasman Starling, Aplonis fusca

Sturninae: African/Eurasian Starlings Rafinesque, 1815

Sturnini: Eurasian Starlings Rafinesque, 1815

  1. European Starling / Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris
    Click for Sturnidae tree, part II
    Click for Sturnidae
    tree, part II
  2. Spotless Starling, Sturnus unicolor
  3. Wattled Starling, Creatophora cinerea
  4. Rosy Starling, Pastor roseus
  5. Black-collared Starling, Gracupica nigricollis
  6. Pied Myna, Gracupica contra
  7. Daurian Starling, Agropsar sturninus
  8. Chestnut-cheeked Starling, Agropsar philippensis
  9. White-faced Starling, Sturnornis albofrontatus
  10. Bali Myna, Leucopsar rothschildi
  11. Hoopoe Starling, Fregilupus varius
  12. Rodrigues Starling, Necropsar rodericanus
  13. White-shouldered Starling, Sturnia sinensis
  14. Brahminy Starling, Sturnia pagodarum
  15. White-headed Starling, Sturnia erythropygia
  16. Chestnut-tailed Starling, Sturnia malabarica
  17. Malabar Starling, Sturnia blythii
  18. Red-billed Starling, Spodiopsar sericeus
  19. White-cheeked Starling, Spodiopsar cineraceus
  20. Bank Myna, Acridotheres ginginianus
  21. Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis
  22. Black-winged Starling, Acridotheres melanopterus
  23. Vinous-breasted Starling, Acridotheres burmannicus
  24. Collared Myna, Acridotheres albocinctus
  25. Great Myna, Acridotheres grandis
  26. Crested Myna, Acridotheres cristatellus
  27. Jungle Myna, Acridotheres fuscus
  28. Javan Myna, Acridotheres javanicus
  29. Pale-bellied Myna, Acridotheres cinereus

Cinnyricinclini: Madagascan and Violet-backed Starling Informal

  1. Madagascan Starling, Hartlaubius auratus
    Click for Sturnidae tree, part III
    Click for Sturnidae
    tree, part III
  2. Violet-backed Starling, Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Onychognathini: Red-winged Starlings Bonaparte, 1854

  1. Slender-billed Starling, Onychognathus tenuirostris
  2. Pale-winged Starling, Onychognathus nabouroup
  3. Red-winged Starling, Onychognathus morio
  4. Neumann's Starling, Onychognathus neumanni
  5. Chestnut-winged Starling, Onychognathus fulgidus
  6. Waller's Starling, Onychognathus walleri
  7. Tristram's Starling, Onychognathus tristramii
  8. White-billed Starling, Onychognathus albirostris
  9. Bristle-crowned Starling, Onychognathus salvadorii
  10. Somali Starling, Onychognathus blythii
  11. Socotra Starling, Onychognathus frater

Lamprotornini: African Starlings Swainson, 1831

  1. Black-bellied Starling, Notopholia corusca
  2. Purple-headed Starling, Hylopsar purpureiceps
  3. Copper-tailed Starling, Hylopsar cupreocauda
  4. Spot-winged Starling, Saroglossa spiloptera
  5. Babbling Starling, Neocichla gutturalis
  6. White-collared Starling, Grafisia torquata
  7. Magpie Starling, Speculipastor bicolor
  8. Sharpe's Starling, Pholia sharpii
  9. Abbott's Starling, Poeoptera femoralis
  10. Narrow-tailed Starling, Poeoptera lugubris
  11. Stuhlmann's Starling, Poeoptera stuhlmanni
  12. Kenrick's Starling, Poeoptera kenricki
  13. Hildebrandt's Starling, Lamprotornis hildebrandti
  14. Shelley's Starling, Lamprotornis shelleyi
  15. Burchell's Starling, Lamprotornis australis
  16. Rueppell's Starling, Lamprotornis purpuroptera
  17. Long-tailed Glossy Starling, Lamprotornis caudatus
  18. Meves's Starling, Lamprotornis mevesii
  19. Ashy Starling, Lamprotornis unicolor
  20. Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Lamprotornis chloropterus
  21. Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Lamprotornis elisabeth
  22. Sharp-tailed Starling, Lamprotornis acuticaudus
  23. Greater Blue-eared Starling, Lamprotornis chalybaeus
  24. Emerald Starling, Lamprotornis iris
  25. Purple Starling, Lamprotornis purpureus
  26. Cape Starling, Lamprotornis nitens
  27. Bronze-tailed Starling, Lamprotornis chalcurus
  28. Splendid Starling, Lamprotornis splendidus
  29. Principe Starling, Lamprotornis ornatus
  30. Golden-breasted Starling, Lamprotornis regius
  31. Superb Starling, Lamprotornis superbus
  32. Chestnut-bellied Starling, Lamprotornis pulcher
  33. Pied Starling, Lamprotornis bicolor
  34. Fischer's Starling, Lamprotornis fischeri
  35. White-crowned Starling, Lamprotornis albicapillus

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