Hyliotas

Hyliotas, belonging to the genus Hyliota, are a mysterious group of passerine birds found in the canopies of African broad-leaf forests. Their taxonomic classification has been ambiguous, with previous associations ranging from Old World warblers to bush-shrikes, but recent mitochondrial DNA analysis suggests they are a unique lineage, leading to their classification as their own family, Hyliotidae. These territorial birds, which form monogamous pairs and create camouflaged woven nests, typically do not live in groups but will join mixed-species feeding flocks. The genus Hyliota includes four species: the Southern hyliota (Hyliota australis), Yellow-bellied hyliota (Hyliota flavigaster), Usambara hyliota (Hyliota usambara), and Violet-backed hyliota (Hyliota violacea).