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 = Temminck, 1822 | type_species = ''Enicurus coronatus''<ref name=HM4>{{cite web |url= https://www.aviansystematics.org/4th-edition-checklist?viewfamilies=183 |title= Muscicapidae |author= |date= |website= aviansystematics.org |publisher= The Trust for Avian Systematics |access-date= 2023-07-15}}</ref> | type_species_authority = Temminck, 1822 }}

The '''forktails''' are small insectivorous birds in the genus '''''Enicurus'''''. They were formerly placed in the 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 Asian forest species principally associated with mountain forests and streams. Most nest in rock crevices, laying 2–4 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 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 | article-number=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'' – mountains of eastern Uzbekistan and northeastern Afghanistan through the Himalayas eastward to southeastern China and Taiwan, and southward to northern Indochina * White-crowned forktail, ''Enicurus leschenaulti'' – northeast India through southeast Asia to Borneo, Java and Bali * Bornean forktail, ''Enicurus borneensis'' – mountains of northern Borneo * Spotted forktail, ''Enicurus maculatus'' – east Afghanistan to central-south Vietnam * Sunda forktail, ''Enicurus velatus'' – montane Sumatra and Java * Chestnut-naped forktail, ''Enicurus ruficapillus'' – southern Myanmar to southern Thailand, Malaya, Sumatra, and Borneo * Black-backed forktail, ''Enicurus immaculatus'' – rocky streams of northern India to Myanmar, southwestern China, and northwestern Thailand * Slaty-backed forktail, ''Enicurus schistaceus'' – rocky mountain streams of northern India to southern China and southeastern Asia

==References== {{Reflist}}

* Category:Birds of Asia