Philepittidae

▪ bird family

      bird family, order Passeriformes, consisting of the asities and false sunbirds, four species of small birds confined to the forests of Madagascar.

      Members range in size from 9 to 16.5 centimetres (3.5 to 6.5 inches) long. The two species of asities (Philepitta (asity)) are plump, stout-legged pitta-like birds that browse foliage for berries and other fruit. The false sunbirds (false sunbird) (Neodrepanis) are smaller and have weak legs and longer down-curved bills with which they dip into flowers for nectar and small insects. They were formerly classified with the sunbirds (family Nectariniidae). All members have bare skin, or wattles, around the eyes.

      The Philepittidae is currently placed in the suboscine suborder Tyranni, but certain anatomical features suggest that they are more closely allied to families in the suborder Eurylaimi.

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