Kingdom Animalia Superorder Neoaves Infraorder Passerida Scientific name Bradypterus Rank Genus Subclass Modern birds | Infraclass Neognathae Suborder Passeri Superfamily Sylvioidea Phylum Chordata Order Passerine | |
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Lower classifications Spotted bush warbler, Little rush warbler, Knysna warbler, Cinnamon bracken warbler, Evergreen forest warbler | ||
Knysna warbler bradypterus sylvaticus
Bradypterus is a genus of small insectivorous songbirds ("warblers") in the newly recognized grass warbler family (Locustellidae). They were formerly placed in the Sylviidae, which at that time was a wastebin taxon for the warbler-like Sylvioidea. The range of this genus extends through the warm regions from Africa around the Indian Ocean and far into Asia.
Contents
The megalurid bush warblers are related to the grass warblers of Locustella and Megalurus, but share lifestyle and related adaptations and apomorphies with Cettia, the other genus of bush warblers. These belong to an older lineage of Sylvioidea. Both "bush warbler" genera are smallish birds well adapted to climbing among shrubbery. They are markedly long-tailed birds, at first glance somewhat reminiscent of wrens.
These are quite terrestrial birds, which live in densely vegetated habitats like thick forest and reedbeds. The will walk away from disturbance rather than flush. The plumage similarities and skulking lifestyle makes these birds hard to see and identify.
Megalurid bush warblers tend towards greyish browns above and buffish or light grey tones below. They have little patterning apart from the ubiquitous supercilium. Altogether, they appear much like the plainer species among Acrocephalus marsh-warblers in coloration. Cettid bush warblers tend to be somewhat more compact, with less pointed tails, but are otherwise very similar.
Brown bush warbler bradypterus luteoventris
Species
This genus has been recently revised. Victorin's warbler no longer is a member of the genus. It now is placed in its own monotypic genus Cryptillas. The Sri Lanka bush warbler is sometimes placed in this genus but is now placed in its own, montotypic genus as well (Elaphrornis). Several other former members of this genus (e.g. the Chinese bush warbler) are now placed in Locustella.