Ailuroedus
Genus of birds
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Taxonomy
The genus Ailuroedus was introduced in 1851 by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis to accommodate a single species, Ptilonorhynchus smithii Vigors and Horsfield. This is a junior synonym of Lanius crassirostris Paykull, 1815, the green catbird. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek αιλουρος/ailouros meaning "cat" with αοιδος/aoidos or ωδος/ōdos meaning "singer".
Traditionally, the Ailuroedus catbirds were classified as consisting as either two or three species. A 2016 genetic and morphological study by Martin Irestedt and collaborators found that the taxa formed distinct genetic lineages. Based on this result the taxa were separated into ten species. Some of the taxa were also included in a genetic study published in 2020. However in 2025 AviList reconsidered the Ailuroedus melanotis complex and chose to treat it as three rather than seven species based on the modest genetic and morphological differences.
Species
The genus contains six species:
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Description
Catbirds are characterize by ivory-colored bill with the hooked maxilla, large head, green dorsal plumage, ventral spotting, powerful grasping claws and fig-eating habit.
In contrast to the other genera within the Ptilonorhynchidae family, all of the Ailuroedus catbirds lack marked sexual dimorphism, are pair bonded, monogamous breeders, with both parents caring for the offspring. They form pair bonds in which the male helps to build the nest, and have simple arboreal chasing displays, without bowers or stages.