Long-billed bernieria facts for kids
The long-billed bernieria (its scientific name is Bernieria madagascariensis) is a special type of songbird. It used to be called the long-billed greenbul. This bird is only found in Madagascar, a large island off the coast of Africa. It's the only species in its group, called a genus, named Bernieria. You can find these birds living in warm, wet forests in low-lying areas.
Quick facts for kids Long-billed bernieria |
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| Genus: |
Bernieria
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| Species: |
madagascariensis
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| Synonyms | |
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Phyllastrephus madagascariensis |
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Contents
About the Long-billed Bernieria
This bird is a type of songbird, which means it sings. It's unique because it's the only species in its entire group, or genus, called Bernieria. This bird is also endemic to Madagascar. This means it lives naturally only on that island and nowhere else in the world! Its favorite place to live is in warm, moist forests close to sea level.
How Scientists Named This Bird
Scientists use a special system to name living things, called binomial nomenclature. This system gives every species two names: a genus name and a species name.
In 1760, a French zoologist named Mathurin Jacques Brisson wrote about and drew this bird. He saw a specimen from Madagascar. Later, in 1789, a German naturalist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin gave the bird its first official scientific name: Muscicapa madagascariensis. He thought it was a type of flycatcher.
Much later, in 1855, a French zoologist named Jacques Pucheran created the genus Bernieria just for this bird. The genus name honors a French surgeon and naturalist, Chevalier J. A. Bernier, who lived in Madagascar for a few years.
Different Types of Long-billed Bernieria
Even though it's the only species in its genus, there are two slightly different types, called subspecies:
- B. m. madagascariensis: This type lives in eastern Madagascar.
- B. m. incelebris: This type is found in northern and western Madagascar.
Scientists first thought this bird was a "greenbul" or an "Old World warbler." But new research shows it belongs to a special group of birds found only in Madagascar, called the Malagasy warblers (or Bernieridae).
What Does It Look Like?
The long-billed bernieria is a slim bird, usually about 17.5 to 20 centimeters (about 7 to 8 inches) long.
Its head, back, and tail are a brownish-green color. The feathers on its belly and chest are mostly bright yellow. It has a long, thin beak, and the top part of its beak has a small hook at the end.
