Oreoicidae

The three species contained in the family have been moved around between different families for fifty years, including the Colluricinclidae (shrike-thrushes), Falcunculidae (shrike-tits) and Pachycephalidae (whistlers). A series of studies of the DNA of Australian birds between 2006 and 2001 found strong support for treating the three genera as a new family, which was formally named in 2016 (although the name had first been proposed by Sibley and Ahlquist in 1985) .[1]

Within the passerines the relationship of the Australo-Papuan bellbirds to other bird families has been difficult to establish, at one time they have been thought to be close to a range of families including the cuckoo-shrikes, whistlers, false-whistlers (Rhagologidae), crested berrypeckers, butcherbirds and woodswallows, and Old World orioles.[1]

The family shares a small number of characteristics. They are small medium to medium-sized songbirds with stout bodies, ranging from 16.5 to 18 cm (6.5–7.1 in) in length for the rufous-naped whistler to 25 to 26 cm (9.8–10.2 in) in the crested pitohui.[1][2][3] They also all have semi-erectile crests and shrike-like bills. The plumage is either the same between the sexes (as in the rufous-naped and piping bellbird) or slightly different (as in the crested bellbird).[1][4]

The family occupies a range of habitats. Two species, the rufous-naped bellbird and the piping bellbird, are endemic to New Guinea, whilst the crested bellbird is endemic to Australia. The two New Guinean species are found in rainforest; lowland and hill forest in the piping bellbird, or montane forest and secondary forest in the case of the rufous-naped bellbird.[3][2] The crested bellbird occupies drier habitats in Australia including dry woodlands and scrublands.[4]

All members of the family are songbirds, although this applies to a lesser extent to Aleadryas.[5] Bird vocalization Oreoicidae consists of rhythmically repeating ringing signals, between which chirps of different lengths occur at a high note.[6] They are often compared to the sound of a cowbell.[4][7] The local name for the Australian bellbird is «panpanpanella» — based on the onomatopoeia of its rhythmic song. Europeans called the bird «dick-dick-the-devil».[6]

Australian amateur bird watcher Samuel Albert White gave the following description of the song of the Australian bellbird which Gregory Mathews cited in the Australian Bird Guide:[8]

The short clinking note is most remarkably like the sound produced by the tongue of a cattle or camel bell when tied up shortly, and many times I have been deceived by this bird, fully expecting that the camels were being brought into camp. The other call is one of four notes resembling the words «reap-reap-reap-hook», a pause between first and second and second and third but the third and forth blending; this is a very pleasing and melodious call.