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Skulls (dorsal and lateral views) of Sclerurus ( a ), Geositta ( b ), Xenops ( c ), a ‘‘typical ovenbird, Asthenes ( d ), Dendrocincla ( e ), Glyphorynchus ( f , g showing details of the underside of the caudo- dorsal part of the upper mandible) and Xiphorhynchus ( h ) (d, e and h redrawn from Feduccia 1973); l lateral, and d dorsal nasal bars; x and y mark two unique ossifications in the region of the inter-nasal septum
Source publication
A robust phylogeny estimate for the family Furnariidae (sensu lato) was obtained using sequences of two nuclear introns and one mitochondrial gene (cyt b). Contrary to the widely accepted sister-group relationship of ovenbirds (Furnariinae) and woodcreepers (Dendrocolaptinae), a basal clade is suggested for Sclerurus and Geositta, while Xenops, hit...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... tree obtained from the analysis of the combined data set (Fig. 4) is similar to the trees obtained from the individual genes. The only topological conflict sup- ported by posterior probability above 0.90 between this tree and any of the individual gene trees again concerns the position of the Glyphorynchus spirurus: the combined tree is congruent with the cytochrome b tree (and in strong conflict ...
Context 2
... Xenops has only 112 feathers in the dorsal tract (Clench 1995), which is outside the range of 128- 164 feathers in ovenbirds (including Sclerurus and Geo- sitta), but just inside the reduced number of 92-112 feathers found among woodcreepers. All of this is in good agreement with the basal placement of Xenops on the woodcreeper lineage in Fig. ...
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... unspecialized (short and soft) tail of Xenops is markedly different from that of woodcreepers but, as indicated in Fig. 4, tail-feather shapes vary tremen- dously in the ovenbird-woodcreeper radiation. Tail-tips with projecting, thick shafts are found in all traditional woodcreepers (most strongly developed, as decurved ''claws'', in Deconychura, Glyphorynchus and Sittasomus (Fig. 4), and in another version in Xiphorhynchus and Lepidocolaptes), and in the ...
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... tail of Xenops is markedly different from that of woodcreepers but, as indicated in Fig. 4, tail-feather shapes vary tremen- dously in the ovenbird-woodcreeper radiation. Tail-tips with projecting, thick shafts are found in all traditional woodcreepers (most strongly developed, as decurved ''claws'', in Deconychura, Glyphorynchus and Sittasomus (Fig. 4), and in another version in Xiphorhynchus and Lepidocolaptes), and in the ovenbirds Pygarrhicas and Fig. 3 Majority rule consensus tree obtained from the Bayesian analysis of the G3PDH intron 11 data set. Numbers right of the nodes indicate posterior clade probabilitie Aphrastura (the latter not included in this study). Many ovenbirds, ...
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... combined phylogeny is well resolved overall (see support values in Fig. 4). The branching pattern is fully congruent with those described by Irestedt et al. (2002) and Chesser (2004) based on a less comprehensive taxon sampling, and by Irestedt et al. (2004a) based on a denser taxon sampling for the woodcreeper group. With respect to the ovenbird group, the tribes Furnariini and Synallaxini can be recognized ...
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... the consensus phylogeny with information about morphology and ecology (see Fig. 4 for three kinds of information) may give us some idea about the ecolog- ical adaptations of the immediate ovenbird-woodcreeper ancestor. Under the first doublet rule ( Maddison et al. 1984), we can assume that the ancestral form was a ground-feeding inhabitant of humid tropical forest, like Sclerurus, ant-thrushes and tapaculos. ...
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... from the habitat codes in Fig. 4, the most parsimonious interpretation of the next adaptive steps would be that ancestral ground-living forms started to feed in the trees, and that it was only later that some groups, mainly of furnarines and some synallaxines, in- vaded non-forest habitats. Sclerurus has needle-sharp, projecting tail-spines and apparently uses its ...
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... woodcreepers'', according to which the development of a holorhinous and prokinetic skull in the woodcreeper lineage would represent a reversal from the unique, rhynchokinetic ovenbird condition to a plesio- morphic passerine state. Our discovery of a prokinetic skull in Sclerurus and Geositta (Fig. 5) would seem to resolve this conflict, but then Fig. 4 reveals an even more serious character conflict as a unique functional system in Xenops and Glyphorynchus, for chiseling in wood, must have been lost in the ''higher'' ...
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... these birds to exploit hidden prey in the very complex tropical rainforest. Later, they also diversified in the Andean cloud-forest, exploiting food resources that are hidden in the epiphytic masses of mosses and lichens (in the Margarornis group and most synallaxines), and finally some subgroups ventured to feed on the ground. Judging from Fig. 4, reinforced tail-spines as an adaptation for support were probably present already prior to the dichotomy between woodcreepers and o- venbirds. They were maintained, and developed to per- fection, in woodcreepers and, perhaps independently, in Pygarrhicas and Aphrastura. Berlepschia uses the tail as a brace, often hanging upside-down ...
Citations
... Among the ovenbirds, only Pygarrhichas pecks in wood, but all the others have the bony internasal septum as part of their rhynchokinetic bill. This suggests that an initial adaptation for pecking was modified as the middle portion of the bill became more flexible and better suited for probing in internodes of bamboo, splitting vines, and probing and prying among masses of dead leaves and debris suspended among vines and branches as well as in bromeliads (Fjeldså et al. 2005 Chesser et al. 2007;Fjeldså, 2007). This divergence has been associated with the creation of dry open habitats during the Andean uplift in the Miocene (Fjeldså et al. 2007), in the broader context of repeated shifts from forested to open habitats in the Furnariidae (Areta & Pearman, 2009;Fjeldså et al. 2005;2007). ...
... This suggests that an initial adaptation for pecking was modified as the middle portion of the bill became more flexible and better suited for probing in internodes of bamboo, splitting vines, and probing and prying among masses of dead leaves and debris suspended among vines and branches as well as in bromeliads (Fjeldså et al. 2005 Chesser et al. 2007;Fjeldså, 2007). This divergence has been associated with the creation of dry open habitats during the Andean uplift in the Miocene (Fjeldså et al. 2007), in the broader context of repeated shifts from forested to open habitats in the Furnariidae (Areta & Pearman, 2009;Fjeldså et al. 2005;2007). ...
... tree to tree, climbing them vertically with its legs and tail. Its morphology was adapted to live in forest areas (Fjeldså et al. 2005;Goodall et al. 1946;Reid et al. 2002). Reif et al. (2015) determined that birds living in open or sparsely vegetated environments have large wings that allow them increased maneuverability in flight (Harvey & Haber, 1999). ...
The sub-Antarctic Magellanic ecoregion is one of the most pristine wilderness areas remaining on the planet, and is home to the southernmost forest ecosystems in the world, which are protected by the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR). In these forests, birds are the group of vertebrates with the largest number of species. However, essential aspects of the ecology and morphology of several species in this region are still understudied. These species include the White-throated treerunner (Pygarrhichas albogularis, King 1831), considered a “living fossil” as it is the only living species of the genus Pygarrhichas. In addition, this Furnariid is endemic to the temperate forests of South America. Using the 23-year database of the Long-Term Ornithological Research Program of Omora Park (54º56’S, 67º38’W), based on monthly captures and banding of forest birds, we describe the morphology, longevity, and presence of the White- throated treerunner in the CHBR. Between 2000 and 2022, 91 individuals were captured, including 29 recaptures. Based on these recaptures we determined that this species can live for at least five years. Morphometric measures showed a positive correlation between bill measures and tarsus length with both tail and wing lengths. The average weight varied for each season but not significantly. The greater presence on old-growth forests sites suggests a dependence of treerunners on large trees. This study expands the knowledge about the natural history of the White-throated treerunner, particularly about its populations inhabiting the world’s southernmost forests
... The Furnariidae, which includes ovenbirds and woodcreepers, comprises 306 species and is one of the most diverse families of passerines in the Neotropics. They inhabit all types of habitats, from deserts to tropical rainforests across the continent (Fjeldså et al., 2005). They are renowned for their intricate and diverse nests (Irestedt et al., 2006;Olson, 2001;Winkler et al., 2020). ...
... Most insectivorous species primarily catch insects from the leaves or trunk surfaces or by scratching through leaf litter and debris (Ohlson et al., 2008;Winkler et al., 2020). Woodcreepers (Dendrocolaptinae) were previously classified in a separate family (Irestedt et al., 2006) and are characterized by finding food convergent as woodpeckers (Piciformes) do: climbing vertically tree trunks and using their tail-tips to provide support, foraging on trunks and main branches, and even sometimes hammering wood (Claramunt et al., 2012;Fjeldså et al., 2005;Marantz et al., 2003). ...
The New World suboscines ( Passeriformes and Tyrannides) are one of the biggest endemic vertebrate radiations in South America, including the families Furnariidae and Tyrannidae . Avian brain morphology is a reliable proxy to study their evolution. The aim of this work is to elucidate whether the brains of these families reflect the ecological differences (e.g., feeding behavior) and to clarify macroevolutionary aspects of their neuroanatomy. Our hypotheses are as follows: Brain size is similar between both families and with other Passeriformes ; brain morphology in Tyrannides is the result of the pressure of ecological factors; and brain disparity is low since they share ecological traits. Skulls of Furnariidae and Tyrannidae were micro‐computed tomography–scanned, and three‐dimensional models of the endocast were generated. Regression analyses were performed between brain volume and body mass. Linear and surface measurements were used to build phylomorphospaces and to calculate the amount of phylogenetic signal. Tyrannidae showed a larger brain disparity than Furnariidae, although it is not shaped by phylogeny in the Tyrannides. Furnariidae present enlarged Wulsts (eminentiae sagittales) but smaller optic lobes, while in Tyrannidae , it is the opposite. This could indicate that in Tyrannides there is a trade‐off between the size of these two visual‐related brain structures.
... Adaptation to open habitats has been suggested to be a result of speciation associated with the colonization of non-forest habitats within an environmental aridification scenario (Fjeldså et al. 2005). Our study provides further evidence of how the new open environments that emerged in the Neotropics have resulted in evolutionary responses in organisms. ...
How the origin of novel behaviors can shape the evolutionary trajectory of organisms in response to environmental change remains poorly understood. Birds, especially those with big brains like parrots, are benchmarks for their behavioral innovation capacity in novel environments. Here, we assess whether and how the emergence of open areas in the Neotropics that started in the middle Miocene influenced the evolution of nesting behavior in parrots and how they triggered changes in other life‐history traits. To address these questions, we use a phylogenetic‐based analyses of trait evolution in the subfamily Arinae (Neotropical parrots), focusing on habitat, nesting behavior, morphology, and life‐history traits (clutch size, incubation period and fledging period). Evolutionary reconstructions show that transitions to excavating behavior mostly happened when species colonized open areas, providing evidence that this behavior originated in open environments. Evolutionary models suggest that the new open areas and the excavator nesting behavior exerted new selective pressures on morphology and life‐history traits, leading to evolutionary changes towards larger clutch sizes and shorter fledging periods in excavator parrots. Our study indicates that excavator nesting behavior in Neotropical parrots has likely played a key role in allowing them to exploit the ecological opportunities available in newly formed open biomes.
... Molecular and morphological characters support the inclusion of the genera Leptasthenura, Phacellodomus, Anumbius, Coryphistera, Asthenes, Cranioleuca and Synallaxis in the well supported clade Synallaxinae. Presumably ancestral ground-living forms started to feed in the trees, and it was only later that some groups, mainly of furnarines and some synallaxines, invaded nonforest habitats" [2]. ...
Many works refer to thermoregulation in bird nests with emphasis on thermal insulation - the reduction of heat loss - and the influence of wind when the nests are occupied by birds while they are sleeping or in the reproductive stage. As numerous arthropods take refuge in bird’s nests in winter and also during summer, the question arises as to how the interior of the nest vacated by the bird behaves with respect to the ambient temperature. Internal and external temperatures in sunny and/or cloudy days during winter and summer were measured in Furnariidae nests built with sticks. During the summer, it is observed that the inside of the nest is somewhat warmer than the outside between 7-8 pm and 9-10 am, and cooler during the day. On a cloudy day, the temperature curve inside the nest was always above the external temperature curve. This pattern is found also in winter when, in addition, nest temperature at night is higher than ambient temperature; during the day, nest temperature is slightly lower than ambient temperature and exhibits imperceptible fluctuations. With external temperatures below 0ºC at night, nest temperature was always above 0ºC. This would explain why the stick nests of Furnariidae are preferred by more than 100 species of arthropods when choosing a refuge, either in winter or in summer.
... These load-bearing functions may have provided a preadaptation for the use of rectrices for balance or bracing. Several unrelated groups that climb trees, such as woodpeckers (Picidae; Bock, 1999), woodcreepers (Furnariinae;Fjeldså, Irestedt & Ericson, 2005), and treecreepers (Certhiidae; Norberg, 1986) or cliffs (wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria) use their rectrices to brace their body against the vertical surface. The oxpeckers (Buphagidae), which cling vertically to large mammals, also have stiffened rectrices for support (Plantan, 2009). ...
... Another potential way that plumage can convey an honest signal of quality is through a 'handicap' (i.e. a plumage that makes a bird more visible to predators). Fisher (1930) proposed that when females prefer a showy trait, that trait can be selected for by female preference alone, and may end up in 'runaway' selection, in which a trait is exaggerated to a high degree, for example in the tail of a peacock. However, some recent research has found that female preference may be variable and at least partly driven by factors extrinsic to male plumage (Chaine & Lyon, 2008), and may be driven purely by intrinsic arbitrary aesthetic preferences (Prum, 2012). ...
The ability of feathers to perform many functions either simultaneously or at different times throughout the year or life of a bird is integral to the evolutionary history of birds. Many studies focus on single functions of feathers, but any given feather performs many functions over its lifetime. These functions necessarily interact with each other throughout the evolution and development of birds, so our knowledge of avian evolution is incomplete without understanding the multifunctionality of feathers, and how different functions may act synergistically or antagonistically during natural selection. Here, we review how feather functions interact with avian evolution, with a focus on recent technological and discovery‐based advances. By synthesising research into feather functions over hierarchical scales (pattern, arrangement, macrostructure, microstructure, nanostructure, molecules), we aim to provide a broad context for how the adaptability and multifunctionality of feathers have allowed birds to diversify into an astounding array of environments and life‐history strategies. We suggest that future research into avian evolution involving feather function should consider multiple aspects of a feather, including multiple functions, seasonal wear and renewal, and ecological or mechanical interactions. With this more holistic view, processes such as the evolution of avian coloration and flight can be understood in a broader and more nuanced context.
... We used Google Scholar to find studies with a combination of the following terms: 'Furnariidae' AND 'fruits', 'Dendrocolaptidae' AND 'fruits', 'Furnariidae' AND 'frutos', 'Dendrocolaptidae' AND 'frutos'. We included 'Dendrocolaptidae' as a keyword because the current subfamily Dendrocolaptinae (Remsen et al. 2020;Irestedt et al. 2004;Fjeldså et al. 2005) has been historically recognised as the sister group of the Furnariidae (Remsen et al. 2020;Feduccia 1973). We also consulted the dataset of Wilman et al. (2014) reporting dietary items consumed by all birds of the world and references of studies reporting fruit consumption by Ovenbirds and Woodcreepers to find earlier publications. ...
The Furnariidae (Ovenbirds and Woodcreepers) are the most ecologically diverse family of passerines, occupying most terrestrial habitats across the Neotropics. Despite their high diversity, their diet is mainly composed of arthropods. Occasionally, furnariids consume fleshy fruits. However, the extent and drivers of frugivory in the Furnariidae remain poorly studied. We performed a systematic review on fruit consumption in the family and assessed whether frugivory was related to morphology (body mass, bill length, width and depth) and habitat type (forests, savannas, shrublands, grasslands, wetlands, rocky areas, coastlines, and artificial – terrestrial – landscapes) accounting for phylogenetic history among species and research effort (number of studies). We recorded 91 fruit-bird interactions between 33 bird and 38 plant species 10.8%,of the 304 species in the family). The probability of fruit consumption showed a strong phylogenetic signal, and was positively related to artificial landscapes, but not to morphology. Also, research effort largely explained variation in frugivory. Our results show that frugivory in the Furnariidae may be more common than previously thought, at least in certain genera (e.g. Asthenes, Pseudoseisura, Furnarius) and is partially explained by habitat type. The strong phylogenetic inertia in fruit consumption could be the result of physiological constraints linked to sugar metabolism, yet further studies are needed to test this hypothesis. It remains to be assessed the role of furnariids as effective seed dispersers in the light of fruit handling behaviour, gut passage and seed viability. If confirmed, seed dispersal by this group would represent an overlooked ecosystem service in the Neotropics.
... These load-bearing functions may have provided a preadaptation for the use of rectrices for balance or bracing. Several unrelated groups that climb trees, such as woodpeckers (Picidae; Bock 1999), woodcreepers (Furnariinae; Fjeldså et al. 2005), and treecreepers (Certhiidae; Norberg 1986) or cliffs (Wallcreeper; Tichodroma muraria) use their rectrices to brace their body against the vertical surface (Norberg 1981). The oxpeckers (Buphagidae), which cling vertically to large mammals, also have stiffened rectrices for support (Plantan 2009). ...
The ability feathers have to perform many functions simultaneously and at different times is integral to the evolutionary history of all birds. Many studies focus on single functions of feathers; but any given feather performs many functions over its lifetime. Here, we review the known functions of feathers and discuss the interactions of these functions with avian evolution. Recent years have seen an increase in research on the evolution and development of feather functions because of an increase in high quality fossils with preserved feathers, new tools for understanding genetic mechanisms of feather development, new tools for measuring and analyzing feather color, availability of phylogenies and phylogenetic comparative methods, and an increase in interest in feather molt. Here, we aim to review how feather functions interact with avian evolution, with a focus on recent technological and discovery-based advances. By synthesizing research into feather functions over hierarchical scales, we aim to provide a broad context for how the adaptability and multifunctionality of feathers have allowed birds to diversify into the astounding array of environments and life-history strategies. Overall, we suggest research into avian evolution that involves feather function in any way should consider all aspects of a feathers’ functionality, including multiple functions, molt patterns, ecological/mechanical interactions, and feather wear over time. With this more holistic view, processes such as the evolution of avian coloration and flight can be understood in a broader and more nuanced context.
... For an overview of other feeding types, we can consider the diverse group of South American ovenbirds (Furnariidae). Within this group, several different feeding behaviors can be found, including woodpecker-like behavior, birds that split twigs to get to insects, birds that probe in tree bark crevices, and birds that search for insects in dead or live foliage (Remsen and Parker 1984;Fjeldså et al. 2005). A study of the last group, as well as adaptations seen in insectivorous Darwin's finches, shows that the avian body plan can easily adapt to different types of insectivory (Tebbich et al. 2004;Claramunt 2010). ...
We start with a general description of the structure of the feeding apparatus in birds (Sect. 17.1), then we describe the biomechanics of those parts (Sect. 17.2), including a review of contemporary approaches to the study of bird feeding morphology and function. We establish explicit links between form and function, and consequent relations to foraging behaviors. In Sect. 17.3, we systematically explore the vast diversity of bird feeding environments by grouping foraging (searching) and feeding (handling—consumption) mechanisms that birds use on land, air, and water. Each one of these subsections addresses not only what birds eat, but also how they feed. We dedicate a separate Sect. (17.4) to drinking because most birds have to perform this process regardless of their diet, and often using different mechanisms than the ones they use to feed. We then discuss evolutionary forces and patterns in bird feeding (convergences, radiations, trade-offs, etc.), including functions different from handling and ingestion that also act to shape the feeding apparatus in birds (Sect. 17.5).
... For an overview of other feeding types, we can consider the diverse group of South American ovenbirds (Furnariidae). Within this group, several different feeding behaviors can be found, including woodpecker-like behavior, birds that split twigs to get to insects, birds that probe in tree bark crevices, and birds that search for insects in dead or live foliage (Remsen and Parker 1984;Fjeldså et al. 2005). A study of the last group, as well as adaptations seen in insectivorous Darwin's finches, shows that the avian body plan can easily adapt to different types of insectivory (Tebbich et al. 2004;Claramunt 2010). ...
... The Furnariides, in particular, are considered as a predominant component of the avifauna in nearly all terrestrial habitats within the Neotropics, from drier and cold deserts to tropical rainforests (Stotz et al., 1996;del Hoyo et al., 2003). This suboscine clade dates back at least to the early Eocene, around 55 Ma (Cracraft & Barker, 2009) with a suggested origin in forested areas of southern South America (Irestedt et al., , 2009Cracraft & Barker, 2009 (del Hoyo et al., 2003;Fjelds a et al., 2005). Further adaptation to open habitats has been suggested as a result of environmental aridification allowing the invasion, and insitu speciation, in non-forest habitats (Fjelds a et al., 2005;Irestedt et al., 2009). ...
... This suboscine clade dates back at least to the early Eocene, around 55 Ma (Cracraft & Barker, 2009) with a suggested origin in forested areas of southern South America (Irestedt et al., , 2009Cracraft & Barker, 2009 (del Hoyo et al., 2003;Fjelds a et al., 2005). Further adaptation to open habitats has been suggested as a result of environmental aridification allowing the invasion, and insitu speciation, in non-forest habitats (Fjelds a et al., 2005;Irestedt et al., 2009). The spatially and temporally changing landscape of the Neotropics along with the ecological and evolutionary patterns of the Neotropical suboscine avifauna represents an ideal scenario for the study of avian diversification and biogeography (Ricklefs, 2002). ...
Aim
Explaining species richness gradients in space and time requires understanding the evolutionary processes that ultimately alter the number of species. Here we examine species richness differences between primary habitats (forest versus open) for Furnariides birds, a Neotropical endemic bird clade, to test three major historical hypotheses – diversification rate, out of the tropics and tropical niche conservatism – and assess the role of evolutionary processes in driving the Furnariides species richness gradient.
Location
Neotropics.
Methods
We used phylogenetic and spatial data to tests the historical hypotheses. First, we used Geo SSE and Bayesian Analysis of Macroevolutionary Mixture models to evaluate differential diversification and dispersal rates between habitats. Second, we quantify the root distance of each species and examined the phylogenetic structure of the richness gradient and the correlation between total species richness and the richness of early‐diverged and recently originated species.
Results
Furnariides species richness is higher in forest than in open habitats. However, we found higher speciation, extinction, and dispersal rates in open when compared to forest habitats, resulting in a higher diversification rate in open habitats and higher dispersal rate out of open habitats than into them. The phylogenetic structure of the richness gradient showed strong spatial pattern, with early diverged species richness peaking in forest habitats and driving the overall Furnariides gradient.
Main conclusions
The Furnariides species richness gradient results from the joint effect of differential rates of macroevolutionary processes. Our findings highlight dispersal and extinction as dominant forces driving richness differences between habitats, through the addition and extirpation of species from open to forest habitats. Differences in species richness between habitats support niche conservatism of forest habitat preferences of Furnariides species. We suggest that open habitats are effective evolutionary arenas and a key to the maintenance of bird diversity in forest habitats over evolutionary time.
