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Bristlebills
Grey-headed bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Pycnonotidae
Genus:	Bleda Bonaparte, 1857
Type species
Dasycephala syndactyla (Red-tailed bristlebill) Swainson, 1837
Species
See text
Synonyms
Xenocichla

The bristlebills are a genus Bleda of passerine birds in the bulbul family Pycnonotidae. They are found in the forest understorey of western and central Africa. They forage for insects at or near ground-level, often near water. They will follow driver ant swarms to catch prey items fleeing from the ants and they frequently join mixed-species feeding flocks.

They are 18–23 cm long with fairly long, stout bills. The upperparts are mainly green-brown while the underparts are yellow. The birds have whistling songs.

The nest is made of leaves or sticks and built in a shrub or small tree. Two eggs are laid.

Taxonomy

The genus Bleda was introduced in 1857 by the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte with the red-tailed bristlebill as the type species. The genus was named after Bleda, elder brother of Attila and joint ruler of the Huns.

Species

The genus contains five species:

• Red-tailed bristlebill (Bleda syndactylus)
• Green-tailed bristlebill (Bleda eximius)
• Grey-headed bristlebill (Bleda canicapillus)
• Yellow-lored bristlebill (Bleda notatus)
• Yellow-eyed bristlebill (Bleda ugandae)

Former species

Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Bleda:

• Kakamega greenbul (as Xenocichla kakamegae)
• Olive-breasted greenbul (as Xenocichla kikuyuensis)
• Mountain greenbul (as Xenocichla nigriceps)
• Black-browed greenbul (as Xenocichla fusciceps)
• Yellow-throated greenbul (as Xenocichla chlorigula)
• Stripe-cheeked greenbul (as Xenocichla milanjensis)
• Stripe-faced greenbul (as Xenocichla striifacies)
• Sjöstedt's greenbul (as Xenocichla clamans)
• Yellow-throated leaflove (as Xenocichla flavicollis)
• Uganda yellow-throated greenbul (as Xenocichla pallidigula)
• Gabon leaflove (as Xenocichla orientalis)
• Placid greenbul (as Xenocichla placida)
• Xavier's greenbul (as Xenocichla Xavieri)
• White-throated greenbul (as Xenocichla albigularis)
• Yellow-streaked greenbul (tenuirostris) (as Xenocichla tenuirostris)
• Sharpe's greenbul (as Bleda alfredi)
• Grey-headed greenbul (as Xenocichla poliocephala)
• Lowland tiny greenbul (as Xenocichla debilis)
• Yellow-bearded greenbul (as Xenocichla olivacea)

References

1. Bonaparte, Charles Lucien (1857). "Notes sur le genre Moquinus, nouvelle forme intermédiaire aux Turdides, aux Laniides et aux Muscicapides; sur le nouveau genre Myiagrien Schwaneria : et sur le Catalogue des Oiseaux d'Europe et d'Algérie". Revue et Magasin de Zoologie Pure et Appliquée. 2nd (in French). 9: 49–63 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
2. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
3. Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (eds.). "Family Pycnonotidae". IOC World Bird List. Version 10.2. International Ornithological Congress. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
4. "Arizelocichla kakamegae - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
5. "Arizelocichla kikuyuensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
6. "Arizelocichla nigriceps - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
7. "Arizelocichla fusciceps - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
8. "Arizelocichla chlorigula - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
9. "Arizelocichla milanjensis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
10. "Arizelocichla striifacies - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-06.
11. "Baeopogon clamans - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-11.
12. "Atimastillas flavicollis soror - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
13. "Atimastillas flavicollis flavigula (pallidigula) - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
14. "Phyllastrephus scandens orientalis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
15. "Phyllastrephus placidus - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
16. "Phyllastrephus xavieri - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
17. "Phyllastrephus albigularis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
18. "Phyllastrephus flavostriatus tenuirostris - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
19. "Phyllastrephus alfredi - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
20. "Phyllastrephus poliocephalus - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
21. "Phyllastrephus debilis - Avibase". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
22. Zoology, British Museum (Natural History) Dept of (1881-01-01). Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum: Passeriformes, or perching birds. Cichlomorphœ: pt. III-IV, containing the ... family Timeliidœ (babbling-thrushes) by R.B. Sharpe. order of the Trustees.

Further reading

• African Bird club (2006) ABC African Checklist: Passerines Accessed 31/07/07.
• Serle, W.; Morel G.J. & Hartwig, W. (1977) Collins Field Guide: Birds of West Africa, HarperCollins.
• Sinclair, Ian & Ryan, Peter (2003) Birds of Africa south of the Sahara, Struik, Cape Town.

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