The genus
Ailuroedus was introduced in 1851 by the German ornithologist
Jean Cabanis to accommodate a single species,
Ptilonorhynchus smithii Vigors and
Horsfield. This is a
junior synonym of
Lanius crassirostris Paykull, 1815, the
green catbird. The genus name combines the
Ancient Greek αιλουρος/
ailouros meaning "cat" with αοιδος/
aoidos or ωδος/
ōdos meaning "singer". Traditionally, the
Ailuroedus catbirds were classified as consisting as either two or three species. A 2016 genetic and morphological study by Martin Irestedt and collaborators found that the taxa formed distinct genetic lineages. Based on this result the taxa were separated into ten species. Some of the taxa were also included in a genetic study published in 2020. However in 2025
AviList reconsidered the
Ailuroedus melanotis complex and chose to treat it as three rather than seven species based on the modest genetic and morphological differences. •
White-eared catbird,
Ailuroedus buccoides – northwestern
New Guinea eastward to southeastern
Cenderawasih Bay, including
Raja Ampat Islands (off western
New Guinea) •
Ochre-breasted catbird,
Ailuroedus stonii – south and southeast
New Guinea •
Tan-capped catbird,
Ailuroedus geislerorum –
Yapen (
Geelvink Bay, northwest New Guinea), north lowlands and north watershed of southeast New Guinea •
Spotted catbird,
Ailuroedus maculosus – northeastern Australia (
Wet Tropics region, northern
Queensland) •
Black-eared catbird,
Ailuroedus melanotis – northern
Queensland, Australia, and New Guinea, including its surrounding islands (includes the Huon, Black-capped, Northern and Arfak catbirds) •
Green catbird,
Ailuroedus crassirostris – eastern Australia (
Kroombit Tops, southeastern
Queensland to southern
New South Wales) == Description ==