Asities

Asities
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Philepittidae
Genera
Philepitta Neodrepanis

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