Tyrant flycatcher

This article is about the new world tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. For the old world flycatcher family Muscicapidae, see Old World flycatcher. For other uses, see Flycatcher.

Tyrant flycatchers
Yellowish flycatcher,
Empidonax flavescens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Parvorder: Tyrannida
Family: Tyrannidae
Vigors, 1825
Type genus
Tyrannus
Genera

Some 100, see text

Distribution of tyrant flycatchers

The tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannidae) are a family of passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America.[1] They are considered the largest family of birds known, with more than 400 species. They are the most diverse avian family in every country in the Americas, except for the United States and Canada. The members vary greatly in shape, patterns, size and colors. Some tyrant flycatchers may superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, which they are named after but are not closely related to. They are members of suborder Tyranni (suboscines), which do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of most other songbirds.[2]

A number of species previously included in this family are now placed in the family Tityridae (see Systematics). Sibley and Alquist in their 1990 bird taxonomy had the genera Mionectes, Leptopogon, Pseudotriccus, Poecilotriccus, Taenotriccus, Hemitriccus, Todirostrum and Corythopis as a separate family Pipromorphidae,[3] but although it is still thought that these genera are basal to most of the family, they are not each other's closest relatives.[3]

  1. ^ "Tyrant flycatchers « IOC World Bird List". www.worldbirdnames.org. Archived from the original on 2020-04-24. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  2. ^ del Hoyo, J. Elliott, A. & Christie, D. (editors). (2004) Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 9: Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 84-87334-69-5
  3. ^ a b Rheindt, F.E.; Norman, J.A.; Christidis, L. (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships of tyrant-flycatchers (Aves: Tyrannidae), with an emphasis on the elaeniine assemblage" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 46 (1): 88–101. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.09.011. PMID 18042406. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-12-10. Retrieved 2012-08-05.