The family Vangidae (from vanga, Malagasy for the hook-billed vanga, Vanga curvirostris) comprises a group of often shrike-like medium-sized birds distributed from Asia to Africa, including the vangas of Madagascar to which the family owes its name. Many species in this family were previously classified elsewhere in other families. Recent molecular techniques made it possible to assign these species to Vangidae, thereby solving several taxonomic enigmas. The family contains 40 species divided into 21 genera.

Taxonomy

In addition to the small set of Malagasy species traditionally called the vangas, Vangidae includes some Asian groups: the woodshrikes (Tephrodornis), flycatcher-shrikes (Hemipus) and philentomas.

Vangidae belongs to a clade of corvid birds that also includes bushshrikes (Malaconotidae), ioras (Aegithinidae) and the Australian butcherbirds, magpies and currawongs (Cracticidae) and woodswallows (Artamidae), which has been defined as the superfamily Malaconotoidea. They seem closely related to some enigmatic African groups: the helmetshrikes (Prionops) and the shrike-flycatchers (Bias and Megabyas).

On Madagascar, vangas were traditionally believed to be a small family of shrike-like birds. Recent research suggests that several Madagascan taxa most similar in appearance and habits (and formerly considered to be) Old World warblers, Old World flycatchers or Old World babblers may be vangas. Satoshi Yamagishi and collaborators found in 2001 that Newtonia appeared to belong with the vangas rather than the warblers and also that Tylas was a vanga and not a bulbul. It also appears that Ward's vanga and Crossley's vanga belong with the vangas.

The phylogenetic relationships between the genera are shown below. The cladogram is based on a study by Sushma Reddy and collaborators that was published in 2012. The species in the subfamily Vanginae are endemic to Madagascar.

Description

The vangas are an example of adaptive radiation, having evolved from a single founding population into a variety of forms adapted to various niches occupied by other bird families in other parts of the world. They differ in size, colour and bill shape but are similar in skull shape and bony palate structure. They are small to medium-sized birds, varying from 12 to 32 cm in length. Many have strong, hooked bills similar to those of shrikes. The helmet vanga has a particularly large bill with a casque on top. Other species, such as the newtonias, have a small, thin bill. The sickle-billed vanga is notable for its long, curved bill used to probe into holes and cracks.

Species list

right|thumb|Hook-billed vanga (Vanga curvirostris)

right|thumb|Lafresnaye's vanga (Xenopirostris xenopirostris)

right|thumb|Chabert vanga (Leptopterus chabert)

The family contains 21 genera and 40 species.

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
  • Genus: Falculea
  • Sickle-billed vanga, Falculea palliata
  • Genus: Artamella
  • White-headed vanga, Artamella viridis
  • Genus: Leptopterus
  • Chabert vanga, Leptopterus chabert
  • Genus: Cyanolanius
  • Madagascar blue vanga, Cyanolanius madagascarinus
  • Comoros blue vanga, Cyanolanius comorensis.
  • Genus: Oriolia
  • Bernier's vanga, Oriolia bernieri
  • Genus: Euryceros
  • Helmet vanga, Euryceros prevostii
  • Genus: Tylas
  • Tylas vanga, Tylas eduardi
  • Genus: Hypositta
  • Nuthatch vanga or coral-billed nuthatch vanga, Hypositta corallirostris
  • Genus: Newtonia
  • Dark newtonia, Newtonia amphichroa
  • Common newtonia, Newtonia brunneicauda
  • Archbold's newtonia, Newtonia archboldi
  • Red-tailed newtonia, Newtonia fanovanae
  • Genus: Prionops
  • Yellow-crested helmetshrike, Prionops alberti
  • Red-billed helmetshrike, Prionops caniceps
  • Rufous-bellied helmetshrike, Prionops rufiventris
  • Gabela helmetshrike, Prionops gabela
  • White-crested helmetshrike, Prionops plumatus
  • Grey-crested helmetshrike, Prionops poliolophus
  • Retz's helmetshrike, Prionops retzii
  • Chestnut-fronted helmetshrike, Prionops scopifrons
  • Genus: Mystacornis
  • Crossley's vanga, Mystacornis crossleyi
  • Genus: Bias
  • Black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, Bias musicus
  • Genus: Megabyas
  • African shrike-flycatcher, Megabyas flammulatus
  • Genus: Hemipus
  • Black-winged flycatcher-shrike, Hemipus hirundinaceus
  • Bar-winged flycatcher-shrike, Hemipus picatus
  • Genus: Tephrodornis
  • Large woodshrike, Tephrodornis gularis
  • Malabar woodshrike, Tephrodornis sylvicola
  • Common woodshrike, Tephrodornis pondicerianus
  • Sri Lanka woodshrike, Tephrodornis affinis
  • Genus: Philentoma
  • Rufous-winged philentoma, Philentoma pyrhoptera
  • Maroon-breasted philentoma, Philentoma velata
  • Genus: Pseudobias
  • Ward's vanga, Pseudobias wardi

References

  • Vanga videos on the Internet Bird Collection
  • Vangas, Bird Families of the World