Cnemophilidae Satinbirds

The three species in this family, found only in New Guinea, were long thought to be birds-of-paradise. However, recent molecular evidence suggests that they do not share particularly close affinities with this group, so they are now placed in a family of their own. Close examination of the satinbirds reveals distinctive morphological characteristics that separate them from the birds-of-paradise, including broad gapes, relatively short bills, and an unusual unossified region around the nostrils. Although their nests have been described, much of the breeding biology of these chunky birds, along with many other aspects of their life histories, remains unknown.