Biota

Exploring Nature

Section 9A – Basal Passerines & Old World Suboscines

Order: Passeriformes – Perching Birds

Early passerines: New Zealand wrens, broadbills & pittas

This subsection covers the earliest branches of the passerine tree. It includes the ancient New Zealand wrens, along with broadbills, asities and pittas of Africa and Asia, and the unusual Sapayoa of Central and South America, which links Old and New World lineages.

These families represent some of the oldest surviving passerine groups, appearing before the later development of the true songbirds.

  1. Acanthisittidae – New Zealand Wrens (1)
  2. Philepittidae – Asities
  3. Eurylaimidae – Grauer’s Broadbill and Asian Broadbills (1)
  4. Calyptomenidae – African and Green Broadbills
  5. Sapayoidae – Sapayoa
  6. Pittidae – Pittas

Species I’ve Seen in This Section

Below are the species I have recorded from these families:

Families Acanthisittidae & Eurylaimidae

For New Zealand wrens and broadbills; worldwide there are 3 New Zealand wren species and 11 broadbill species.

I have only seen these two so far and did not manage to take any photos.

(Illustrations created by AI)

Family: Acanthisittidae – New Zealand Wrens

Tiny, mouse-like forest birds endemic to New Zealand; includes the Rifleman, one of the smallest passerines.

Species I’ve seen in this family (1)
  1. Rifleman (Acanthisitta chloris) — New Zealand 2023

Eurylaimidae – Broadbills

Colorful, stout birds of tropical forests in Southeast Asia and Africa, often distinguished by ornate plumage and robust bills.

Species I’ve seen in this family (1)
  1. Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) — Bhutan & India 2020