Vanga

Taxobox
name = Vangas
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
subordo = Passeri
familia = Vangidae
familia_authority = Swainson, 1831
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = " Artamella "
" Calicalicus"
" Cyanolanius"
" Euryceros "
" Falculea"
" Hypositta "
" Leptopterus "
" Mystacornis "
" Newtonia "
" Oriolia "
" Pseudobias "
" Schetba "
" Tylas "
" Vanga "
" Xenopirostris"

The vangas are a group of little-known small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to Madagascar. Their relationship with other passerine groups is uncertain, but they seem most closely related to several other enigmatic African groups, such as helmetshrikes (Fuchs "et al.", 2004). Several of these species (including Van Dam's, Rufous and Sickle-billed) can be found in the Madagascar dry deciduous forests.

They are usually shrike-like, arboreal forest birds, feeding on reptiles, frogs and insects (but see below). Vangas' stick nests are built in trees. They do not migrate.

pecies list

Though vangas were traditionally believed to be a small family of generally shrike-like birds, recent research has revealed that several taxa most similar in appearance and habits (and formerly considered to be) flycatchers or Old World babblers are in fact vangas (Cibois "et al." 1999, 2001; Yamagishi "et al.", 2001; Schulenberg, 2003).

FAMILY: VANGIDAE
* Genus: "Calicalicus"
** Red-tailed Vanga "Calicalicus madagascariensis"
** Red-shouldered Vanga "Calicalicus rufocarpalis"
* Genus: "Schetba"
** Rufous Vanga "Schetba rufa"
* Genus: "Vanga"
** Hook-billed Vanga "Vanga curvirostris"
* Genus: "Xenopirostris"
** Lafresnaye's Vanga "Xenopirostris xenopirostris"
** Van Dam's Vanga "Xenopirostris damii"
** Pollen's Vanga "Xenopirostris polleni"
* Genys: "Falculea"
** Sickle-billed Vanga "Falculea palliata"
* Genus: "Artamella'
** White-headed Vanga "Artamella viridis"
* Genus: "Leptopterus"
** Chabert Vanga "Leptopterus chabert"
* Genus: "Cyanolanius"
** Blue Vanga "Cyanolanius madagascarinus"
*** Comoro Blue Vanga "Cyanolanius (madagascarinus) comorensis.
* Genus: "Oriolia"
** Bernier's Vanga "Oriolia bernieri"
* Genus: "Euryceros"
** Helmet Vanga "Euryceros prevostii"
* Genus: "Tylas"
** Tylas Vanga "Tylas eduardi"
* Genus: "Hypositta"
** Coral-billed Nuthatch-vanga "Hypositta corallirostris"
** Short-toed Nuthatch-vanga "Hypositta perdita" - taxonomic status questionable.
* Genus: "Newtonia"
** Dark Newtonia, "Newtonia amphichroa"
** Common Newtonia, "Newtonia brunneicauda"
** Archbold's Newtonia, "Newtonia archboldi"
** Red-tailed Newtonia, "Newtonia fanovanae"
* Genus: "Mystacornis"
** Crossley's Babbler-vanga, "Mystacornis crossleyi"
* Genus: "Pseudobias"
** Ward's Flycatcher-vanga, "Pseudobias wardi"

References

* Cibois, A.; Pasquet, E. & Schulenberg, T.S. (1999): Molecular systematics of the Malagasy babblers (Timaliidae) and Warblers (Sylviidae), based on cytochrome "b" and 16S rRNA sequences. "Mol. Phylogenet. Evol." 13(3): 581-595. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WNH-45FSF2T-G&_user=10&_handle=V-WA-A-W-AE-MsSAYVA-UUA-U-AACAWVAVYB-AAVYYWWWYB-YEZBYAVZY-AE-U&_fmt=summary&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F1999&_rdoc=14&_orig=browse&_srch=%23toc%236963%231999%23999869996%23297782!&_cdi=6963&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=fa1eff62b04b907ba622c71aa4511ae0 HTML abstract]

* Cibois, A.; Slikas, B.; Schulenberg, T.S. & Pasquet, E. (2001): An endemic radiation of Malagasy songbirds is revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence data. "Evolution" 55(6): 1198-1206. [http://www.molecularevolution.org/resources/references/files/cibois_et_al_2001.pdf PDF fulltext]

* Yamagishi, S.; Honda, M.; Eguchi, K. & Thorstrom, R. (2001): Extreme endemic radiation of the Malagasy Vangas (Aves: Passeriformes). "J. Mol. Evol." 53(1): 39-46. [http://www.springerlink.com/(wpmwjk45f4zgz5efa1z3ffab)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,5,9;journal,60,313;linkingpublicationresults,1:100107,1 HTML abstract]

* Schulenberg, T.S. (2003): The Radiations of Passerine Birds on Madagascar. "In:" Goodman, Steven M. & Benstead, Jonathan P. (eds.): "The Natural History of Madagascar": 1130-1134. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-30306-3

* Fuchs, J.; Bowie, R.C.K.; Fjeldsa, J. & Pasquet, E. (2004): Phylogenetic relationships of the African bush-shrikes and helmet-shrikes (Passeriformes: Malaconotidae). "Mol. Phylogenet. Evol." 33(2): 428-439. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WNH-4D2WMC3-6&_coverDate=11%2F01%2F2004&_alid=407334839&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_qd=1&_cdi=6963&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=da7c2cc963ce4e52ab5acea7e4356122 HTML abstract]

External links

* [http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/familia.phtml?idFamilia=178 Vanga videos] on the Internet Bird Collection