Asities
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Philepitta |
The asities are a family of small passerine bird species found in Madagascar. They were thought to have been related to the pittas, hence the scientific name, but a study by Prum (1993) suggested that they are actually just a subfamily of broadbills. Here they are considered traditionally as a separate family.
These are plump strong-legged birds of the Madagascan forests which take fruit and insects and nest in trees or scrub. The Neodrepanis species will take nectar, and were formerly known as false sunbirds.
- Family: Philepittidae
- Velvet Asity, Philepitta castanea
- Schlegel's Asity, Philepitta schlegeli
- Sunbird Asity, Neodrepanis coruscans
- Yellow-bellied Asity, Neodrepanis hypoxanthus