Lalage (genus)
| Trillers | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Male pied triller (Lalage nigra) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Campephagidae |
| Genus: |
Lalage F. Boie, 1826 |
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
See text.
The trillers (Lalage) are a genus of passerine birds belonging to the cuckoo-shrike family Campephagidae. Their name comes from the loud trilling calls of the males. There are about 12 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.
Formerly, some authorities also considered the following species (or subspecies) as species within the genus Lalage:
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