View source for Forktail

{{short description|Genus of birds (Enicurus)}}
{{about|the type of bird}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Forktails
| image = Little Forktail.jpg
| image_caption = [[Little forktail]]<br/>(''Enicurus scouleri'')
| taxon = Enicurus
| authority = [[Coenraad Jacob Temminck|Temminck]], 1822
| type_species = ''[[White-crowned forktail|Enicurus coronatus]]''<ref name=HM4>{{cite web |url= https://www.aviansystematics.org/4th-edition-checklist?viewfamilies=183 |title= Muscicapidae |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= aviansystematics.org |publisher= The Trust for Avian Systematics |access-date= 2023-07-15}}</ref>
| type_species_authority = [[Coenraad Jacob Temminck|Temminck]], 1822
}}
The '''forktails''' are small [[insectivore|insectivorous]] birds in the [[genus]] '''''Enicurus'''''. They were formerly placed in the [[thrush (bird)|thrush]] family, [[Turdidae]], but are now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family, [[Muscicapidae]]. Their common name derives from their long forked tail.<ref name = "HBW">{{Citation | first = Nigel | last = Collar | editor-first = Josep | editor-last = del Hoyo | editor2-first = Andrew | editor2-last = Elliott | editor3-first = David | editor3-last = Christie | contribution = Family Turdidae (Thrushes) | title = [[Handbook of the Birds of the World]]. Volume 10, Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes | year = 2005 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse/page/805 805–807] | place = Barcelona | publisher = Lynx Edicions | isbn = 84-87334-72-5 }}</ref>
These are southeast [[Asia]]n forest species principally associated with mountain forests and streams. Most nest in rock crevices, laying 2–4 [[egg (biology)|eggs]].
==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Enicurus'' was introduced in 1822 by the Dutch zoologist [[Coenraad Jacob Temminck]] to accommodate ''Enicurus coronatus'', the [[white-crowned forktail]], which is therefore the [[type species]].<ref>{{ cite book | last=Temminck | first=Coenraad Jacob  | author-link=Coenraad Jacob Temminck | year=1824| title=Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux, pour servir de suite et de complément aux planches enluminées de Buffon | volume=3 | at=Livraison 19, Plate 113 | publisher=F.G. Levrault | location=Paris | language=French | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36705021 }} The 5 volumes were originally issued in 102 ''livraison'' (parts), 1820-1839. For the dates see: {{ cite journal | last=Dickinson | first=E.C. | author-link=Edward C. Dickinson | year=2001 | title=Systematic notes on Asian birds. 9. The ''Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées'' of Temminck & Laugier (1820–1839) | journal=Zoologische Verhandelingen, Leiden | volume=335 | issue= | pages=7–53 | url=http://repository.naturalis.nl/document/46425 }}</ref> Temminck's epithet is considered to be a [[junior synonym]] as four years earlier in 1818 [[Louis Pierre Vieillot|Louis Vieillot]] had coined the [[binomial name]] ''Turdus leschenaulti'' for the same species.<ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Paynter | editor2-first=Raymond A. Jr | year=1964 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=10 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology  | location=Cambridge, Massachusetts  | pages=85–86 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14486274 }}</ref> The genus name combines the [[Ancient Greek]] ''henikos'' meaning "singular" with ''-ouros'' meaning "-tailed".<ref>{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=146 | url=https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n146/mode/1up }}</ref>
The following cladogram showing the relationships between the species is based on a [[molecular phylogenetic]] study of the Old World flycatchers published in 2023. The [[Bornean forktail]] (''Enicurus borneensis'') was not included.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1=Zhao | first1=M. | last2=Gordon Burleigh | first2=J. | last3=Olsson | first3=U. | last4=Alström | first4=P. | last5=Kimball | first5=R.T. | date=2023 | title=A near-complete and time-calibrated phylogeny of the Old World flycatchers, robins and chats (Aves, Muscicapidae) | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=178 | pages=107646 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107646 | doi-access=free }}</ref>
{{clade|style=font-size:90%;line-height:90%
|label1='''''Enicurus'''''
|1={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=[[Little forktail]], ''Enicurus scouleri''
|2={{clade
|1=[[Spotted forktail]], ''Enicurus maculatus''
|2=[[Slaty-backed forktail]], ''Enicurus schistaceus''
}}
}}
|2={{clade
|1={{clade
|1=[[Black-backed forktail]], ''Enicurus immaculatus''
|2=[[White-crowned forktail]], ''Enicurus leschenaulti''
}}
|2={{clade
|1=[[Sunda forktail]], ''Enicurus velatus''
|2=[[Chestnut-naped forktail]], ''Enicurus ruficapillus''
}}
}}
}}
}}
==Species==
The genus contains the following eight species:<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=July 2023 | title=Chats, Old World flycatchers | work=IOC World Bird List Version 13.2 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/chats/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=29 November 2023}}</ref>
* [[Little forktail]], ''Enicurus scouleri''
* [[Black-backed forktail]], ''Enicurus immaculatus''
* [[Slaty-backed forktail]], ''Enicurus schistaceus''
* [[Spotted forktail]], ''Enicurus maculatus''
* [[White-crowned forktail]], ''Enicurus leschenaulti''
* [[Bornean forktail]], ''Enicurus borneensis''
* [[Chestnut-naped forktail]], ''Enicurus ruficapillus''
* [[Sunda forktail]], ''Enicurus velatus''
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Passerida|M.|state=collapsed}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q989763}}
[[Category:Enicurus|*]]
[[Category:Birds of Asia]]