Illadopsis

Illadopsis (from illas, Greek for thrush and opsis, appearing). All are found in tropical Africa, where they frequent the lower strata of forests, and reveal themselves mostly by their whistled call notes.

Taxonomy

The genus Illadopsis was introduced in 1860 by the German ornithologist Ferdinand Heine to accommodate a single species, Turdirostris fulvescens Cassin, 1859, the brown illadopsis. This is the type species by monotypy. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek ιλλας/illas, ιλλαδος/illados meaning "thrush" with οψις/opsis meaning "appearance".

The genus contains the following nine species:

• Brown illadopsis, Illadopsis fulvescens – west and central Africa
• Pale-breasted illadopsis, Illadopsis rufipennis – west and central Africa
• Tanzanian illadopsis, Illadopsis distans – southern Kenya to northeastern Tanzania, eastern Tanzania (Pugu Hills), and Zanzibar
• Mountain illadopsis, Illadopsis pyrrhoptera – central east Africa
• Blackcap illadopsis, Illadopsis cleaveri – west and central west Africa
• Scaly-breasted illadopsis, Illadopsis albipectus – northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, southeastern Central African Republic, southern South Sudan, Uganda, western Kenya, and northwestern Tanzania; northwestern Angola
• Spotted thrush-babbler, Illadopsis turdina – central Africa
• Puvel's illadopsis, Illadopsis puveli – west and central Africa
• Rufous-winged illadopsis, Illadopsis rufescens – Senegal to Ghana; single record from Togo

References

• Del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Christie D. (editors). (2007). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions.