The friarbirds, also called leatherheads, are a group of 18 relatively large in the genus Philemon. Additionally, the single member of the genus Melitograis is called the white-streaked friarbird. Friarbirds are found in Australia, Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia, and New Caledonia. They eat nectar, and other , flowers, fruit, and seeds.
The friarbirds generally have drab plumage. They derive their name from the circular pattern at the crown of their heads and their neutral coloring, which makes them resemble . In many instances, their plumage is mimicked by smaller orioles, which use the aggressive nature of the friarbirds to avoid aggression themselves.
Taxonomy
The genus
Philemon was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot.
Vieillot did not specify a
type species but this was designated as the
Buru friarbird by George Gray in 1840.
The genus name is from
Ancient Greek philēmōn meaning "affectionate" or "kissing".
The genus contains the following 16 species:
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Meyer's friarbird ( Philemon meyeri)
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Brass's friarbird ( Philemon brassi)
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Little friarbird ( Philemon citreogularis)
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Grey friarbird ( Philemon kisserensis)
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Timor friarbird ( Philemon inornatus)
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Morotai friarbird ( Philemon fuscicapillus)
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Seram friarbird ( Philemon subcorniculatus)
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Buru friarbird ( Philemon moluccensis)
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Tanimbar friarbird ( Philemon plumigenis)
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Helmeted friarbird ( Philemon buceroides)
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New Britain friarbird ( Philemon cockerelli)
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New Ireland friarbird ( Philemon eichhorni)
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Manus friarbird ( Philemon albitorques)
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Silver-crowned friarbird ( Philemon argenticeps)
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Noisy friarbird ( Philemon corniculatus)
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New Caledonian friarbird ( Philemon diemenensis)
Formerly, some authorities also considered the black-eared oriole (as Philedon bouroensis) a species within the genus Philemon.
