Sunbittern

Sunbittern
Temporal range:
on Cristalino River
Southern Amazon, Brazil
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Eurypygiformes
Family: Eurypygidae
Selby, 1840
Genus: Eurypyga
Illiger, 1811
Species:
E. helias
Binomial name
Eurypyga helias
(Pallas, 1781)
Sunbittern range
Synonyms
  • Ardea helias Pallas, 1781
  • Eurypyx helias
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The sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) is a bittern-like bird of tropical regions of the Americas, and the sole member of the family Eurypygidae (sometimes spelled Eurypigidae) and genus Eurypyga. It is found in Central and South America, and has three subspecies. The sunbittern shows both morphological and molecular similarities with the kagu (Rhynochetos jubatus) of New Caledonia, indicating a Gondwanan origin, both species being placed in the clade Eurypygiformes.

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