Lalage is a genus of passerine birds belonging to the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae, many of which are commonly known as trillers. There are about 18 species which occur in southern Asia and Australasia with a number of species on Pacific islands. They feed mainly on insects and fruit. They build a neat cup-shaped nest high in a tree.
They are fairly small birds, about 15 to 20 cm long. They are mainly black, grey and white in colour.
Most species are fairly common but the Samoan triller is considered to be near threatened and the Norfolk Island subspecies of the long-tailed triller has become extinct.
The genus now includes six species that were formerly assigned to the genus Coracina. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that the species form part of the clade that contain members of the genus Lalage.[1][2]
The genus contains 20 species:[2][3]
Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Lalage:
Lalage is a genus of passerine birds belonging to the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae, many of which are commonly known as trillers. There are about 18 species which occur in southern Asia and Australasia with a number of species on Pacific islands. They feed mainly on insects and fruit. They build a neat cup-shaped nest high in a tree.
They are fairly small birds, about 15 to 20 cm long. They are mainly black, grey and white in colour.
Most species are fairly common but the Samoan triller is considered to be near threatened and the Norfolk Island subspecies of the long-tailed triller has become extinct.
