Biology:Triller

Trillers
Male pied triller (Lalage nigra)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Campephagidae
Genus:	Lalage
Species
See text.

The trillers are a group of passerine birds belonging to the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae partially making up the genus Lalage. Their name comes from the loud trilling calls of the males. There are about 12 species which occur in southern Asia and Australasia with a number of species on Pacific islands. They feed mainly on insects and fruit. They build a neat cup-shaped nest high in a tree.

They are fairly small birds, about 15 to 20 cm long. They are mainly black, grey and white in colour.

Most species are fairly common but the Samoan triller is considered to be near threatened and the Norfolk Island subspecies of the long-tailed triller has become extinct.

Taxonomy and systematics

Extant species

• Black-and-white triller, Lalage melanoleuca
• Pied triller, Lalage nigra
• White-rumped triller, Lalage leucopygialis
• White-shouldered triller, Lalage sueurii
• White-winged triller, Lalage tricolor
• Rufous-bellied triller, Lalage aurea
• White-browed triller, Lalage moesta
• Black-browed triller, Lalage atrovirens
• Varied triller, Lalage leucomela
• Mussau triller, Lalage conjuncta
• Polynesian triller, Lalage maculosa
• Samoan triller, Lalage sharpei
• Long-tailed triller, Lalage leucopyga
  • Norfolk triller, Lalage leucopyga leucopyga

References

• Perrins, Christopher, ed. (2004) The New Encyclopedia of Birds, Oxford University Press, Oxford.