Ground babblers | Pellorneidae

Grondtimalia's | Pelorneidos

Small, brown, self-effacing songbirds of the dim understorey of moist forest. In southern Africa the family is represented by the genus Illadopsis. They resemble small thrushes, with a straight, fairly slender bill, sturdy legs, rounded wings and a short to medium tail. Upperparts are warm brown and underparts grey to pale. Species differ mainly in the tone of throat and flanks and are notoriously hard to separate in the field. Illadopsises forage on or just above the forest floor, flicking over dead leaves with the bill to expose ants, beetles, spiders and other small invertebrates in the litter. They live in pairs or small parties and rarely leave cover. Their plain appearance is offset by a distinctive voice: clear, pure whistled phrases, often rising or falling and frequently given in duet. The voice is the most reliable way to identify the species. The family was separated from the old, very broad Timaliidae only after molecular work showed that assemblage to be a catch-all of unrelated lineages.