Acanthizidae
A Dictionary of Zoology
Acanthizidae (bristlebirds, scrub wrens, fairy warblers, thornbills, whitefaces; class Aves, order Passeriformes) A family of birds all of which build domed nests. They have thin, pointed bills with
basal bristles, are insectivorous, and vary from being strictly arboreal (fairy warblers) to ground-feeding (scrub wrens). The sexes are usually similar. There are 17 genera, comprising 63 species. (
Acanthiza (thornbills) are sometimes placed in the
Sylviidae or
Maluridae.) They are found mainly in Australia and New Guinea.
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© A Dictionary of Zoology 1999, originally published by Oxford University Press 1999.
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