Artamidae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of birds known as the babblers, characterized by their diverse and often social behaviors
2. These typically small to medium-sized birds are found mainly in tropical regions of Asia
3. Comprising species that generally inhabit forests and shrublands, they are recognized for their melodious calls and varied diets

Etymology: The family name is a scientific coinage. It is built on the genus "Artamus," the woodswallows, which the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot named. The ending "-idae" is the standard suffix for animal family names, so the word simply means the family containing that genus. The exact Greek or Latin source of "Artamus" is uncertain, so it is best treated as a naming choice rather than a word with a traceable classical meaning. The name's geographic description is also worth correcting. Although the birds are often called woodswallows, the family is centred on Australia and New Guinea, with some species extending into Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and islands of the Indian Ocean. The swallow comparison comes from their aerial, swooping feeding style, not from any close relationship with true swallows.

Synonyms: woodswallows, bird family Artamidae