Epimachus
| Epimachus | |
|---|---|
| Brown sicklebill, Epimachus meyeri | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Paradisaeidae |
| Genus: | Epimachus Cuvier, 1816 |
| Type species | |
| Upupa magna = Promerops fastuosus Gmelin, 1788 | |
Epimachus is a genus of birds-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae) that includes two species, found in the highland forests of New Guinea. They are the largest members of the family. The common name "sicklebill" refers to their long, decurved, sickle-shaped bill.
Sicklebills often associate with astrapias, which are superficially similar but have a short, straight bill and blunt-tipped tail, and the male's wings hiss in flight.
The species in the genus Epimachus are often referred to as "long-tailed" sicklebills, when describing them collectively as a genus. The other sicklebills, genus Drepanornis, are referred to as the "short-tailed" sicklebills. Ironically, the two genera are not closely related. There may also be confusion with the birds of the same name that belong to the hummingbird family, found in the Americas.