†family Sylphornithidae Mourer-Chauviré 1988 (bird)
Aves - Piciformes - Sylphornithidae
Full reference: C. Mourer-Chauviré. 1988. Le gisement du Bretou (Phosphorites du Quercy, Tarn-et-Garonne, France) et sa faune des vertebres de l'Eocene superieur; 2. Oiseaux. [Le Bretou locality (Quercy Phosphorites, Tarn-et-Garonne, France) and its late Eocene vertebrate fauna; 2. Birds.]. Palaeontographica Abteilung A 205(1-6):29-50
Parent taxon: Piciformes according to G. Mayr 2022
See also Mayr 2004 and Mayr 2005
Sister taxa: Lybiidae, Megalaimidae, Pici, Picidae, Picoidae, Pristineanis, Ramphastidae, Semnornithidae
Subtaxa: Oligosylphe Sylphornis
Ecology: ground dwelling carnivore
Distribution: found only at Hoogbutsel (Oligocene of Belgium)