Sittella

Sittellas
Varied sittella, Daphoenositta chrysoptera
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Infraorder: Corvides
Family: Neosittidae
Ridgway, 1904
Genus: Daphoenositta
De Vis, 1897
Type species
Daphoenositta miranda[1]
De Vis, 1897
Species
  • D. miranda
  • D. chrysoptera
  • D. papuensis
Global range (In red)

The sittellas are a family, Neosittidae, of small passerine birds found only in Australasia. They resemble nuthatches, but whilst they were considered to be in that family for many years they are now afforded their own family. They do not migrate other than for local movements.

The sittellas are small woodland birds with thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. Nests are open cups in forked branches.

They were formerly classified in two separate genera with the black sittella in Daphoenositta and the varied and Papuan sittellas in Neositta. The two genera are now usually merged, with Daphoenositta having priority.

  1. ^ "Neosittidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-07-16.