The Bornean bristlehead (Pityriasis gymnocephala), also variously known as the bristled shrike, bald-headed crow or the bald-headed wood-shrike, is the only member of the passerine family Pityriasidae and genus Pityriasis. This enigmatic and vulnerable species is endemic to the southeast Asian island of Borneo, where it lives in small groups in the rainforest canopy.
Taxonomy
The relationships of this species have been controversial. At times it has been placed in the Prionopidae, the Cracticidae, the Artamidae or the Corvidae. A more recent suggestion has been to include it in the Tephrodornithidae, a new family that includes Hemipus and Tephrodornis.
Description
thumb|left|1838 drawing
The Bornean bristlehead is a medium-sized bird, in length. It is mostly black, with bright red thighs, head, throat and neck, and grey ear-coverts. The featherless crown is deep yellow and covered in short, 3–4 mm long, bristle-like skin projections, giving it a bald appearance from afar. This gives the species its common name "bristlehead", genus name Pityriasis (from Greek, "having dandruff") and specific name gymnocephala (from Greek, "bald-headed"). Red flank patches are present in all females and some males, but can be covered by the wings when perched. There is a white wing-patch at the base of the primaries, visible in flight. It has a massive heavy black hooked bill and a short tail, giving it a chunky appearance.
Juveniles have entirely or mostly black thighs, a more orange-red head and neck, orange-red ear-coverts, some red mottling to the underparts, a few red feathers on the crown and undeveloped bristles.