Birds Guide

Cuckoo-shrike
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Campephagidae Vigors, 1825
Genera
Pteropodocys Coracina Campochaera Lalage Lobotos Campephaga Pericrocotus Hemipus

The cuckoo-shrikes, the Campephagidae family are small to medium-sized passerine bird species found in the subtropical and tropical Africa, Asia and Australasia. The 84 species are found in eight (or nine) genera which comprise five distinct groups, the 'true' cuckoo-shrikes (Campephaga, Coracina, Lobotos, Pteropodocys and Campochaera) the trillers (Lalage), the minivets (Pericrocotus), the flycatcher-shrikes (Hemipus). The wood-shrikes (Tephrodornis) were often considered to be in this family but are probably closer to the helmetshrikes or bushshrikes. Another genus, Chlamydochaera, which has one species, the Black-breasted Fruithunter was often placed in this family but has now been shown to be a thrush (Turdidae).

Cuckoo-shrikes are neither closely related to the cuckoos or shrikes, the name probably comes from the grey colour of many of the cuckoo-shrikes. Some of the species also bear a superficial resemblance to cuckoos, and have a similar undulating flight. The grey colouration has led to one of their other names, the greybird. In some parts of the world they have also been known as caterpillar-birds, a name derived from their diet. They are in fact thought by some to be closely related to the Old World orioles (Oriolidae), although they differ strongly in some morphological characteristics (such as skull morphology and the arrangements of feathers on the wing).

Overall the cuckoo-shrikes are medium to small arboreal birds, generally long and slender. They are predominately greyish with white and black, although the minivets are brightly coloured in red, yellow and black, and the Blue Cuckoo-shrike of central Africa is all-over glossy blue. The four cuckoo-shrikes in the genus Campephaga exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males that have glossy black plumage and bright red or yellow wattles, the females having more subdued olive-green plumage.

Of the 84 species of cuckoo-shrike, the majority are forest birds. Some species are restricted to primary forest, like the New Caledonian Cuckoo-shrike, others are able to use more disturbed forest. Around eleven species use much more open habitat, one Australian species, the Ground Cuckoo-shrike being found in open plains and scrubland with few trees.

The 'true' cuckoo-shrikes are usually found singly, in pairs, and in small family groups, whereas the minivets, flycatcher-shrikes and wood-shrikes more frequently form small flocks. There is a considerable amount of variation within the family as a whole with regards to calls, some call very infrequently and some, principally the minivets, are extremely vocal.

These are mainly insectivorous, and will take large hairy caterpillars. They have also been recorded eating small vertebrates, and some fruit, seeds and other plant matter. About four blotchy white, green or blue eggs are laid in a cup nest in a tree. Incubation is about two weeks.

Species of Campephagidae

• Ground Cuckoo-shrike, Pteropodocys maxima
  Large Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina macei
  Sunda Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina larvata
  Javan Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina javensis
  Slaty Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina schistacea
  Wallacean Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina personata
  Melanesian Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina caledonica
  Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina novaehollandiae
  Stout-billed Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina caeruleogrisea
  Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina striata
  Pied Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina bicolor
  Moluccan Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina atriceps
  Buru Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina fortis
  Cerulean Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina temminckii
  Yellow-eyed Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina lineata
  Boyer's Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina boyeri
  White-rumped Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina leucopygia
  White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina papuensis
  Hooded Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina longicauda
  Halmahera Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina parvula
  Pygmy Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina abbotti
  New Caledonian Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina analis
  White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina pectoralis
  Blue Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina azurea
  Gray Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina caesia
  Grauer's Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina graueri
  Ashy Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina cinerea
  Mauritius Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina typica
  Reunion Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina newtoni
  Cicadabird, Coracina tenuirostris
  Blackish Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina coerulescens
  Sumba Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina dohertyi
  Sula Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina sula
  Kai Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina dispar
  Black-bibbed Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina mindanensis
  Sulawesi Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina morio
  Pale-grey Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina ceramensis
  Papuan Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina incerta
  Gray-headed Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina schisticeps
  New Guinea Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina melas
  Black-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina montana
  Solomon Islands Cuckoo-shrike, oracina holopolia
  McGregor's Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina mcgregori
  Indochinese Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina polioptera
  White-winged Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina ostenta
  Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina melaschistos
  Lesser Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina fimbriata
  Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina melanoptera
  Golden Cuckoo-shrike, Campochaera sloetii
  Black-and-white Triller, Lalage melanoleuca
  Pied Triller, Lalage nigra
  White-rumped Triller, Lalage leucopygialis
  White-shouldered Triller, Lalage sueurii
  White-winged Triller, Lalage tricolor
  Rufous-bellied Triller, Lalage aurea
  White-browed Triller, Lalage moesta
  Varied Triller, Lalage leucomela
  Black-browed Triller, Lalage atrovirens
  Samoan Triller, Lalage sharpei
  Polynesian Triller, Lalage maculosa
  Long-tailed Triller, Lalage leucopyga
  Petit's Cuckoo-shrike, Campephaga petiti
  Black Cuckoo-shrike, Campephaga flava
  Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Campephaga phoenicea
  Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Campephaga quiscalina
  Western Wattled Cuckoo-shrike, Lobotos lobata
  Eastern Wattled Cuckoo-shrike, Lobotos oriolina
  Rosy Minivet, Pericrocotus roseus
  Brown-rumped Minivet, Pericrocotus cantonensis
  Ashy Minivet, Pericrocotus divaricatus
  Small Minivet, Pericrocotus cinnamomeus
  Ryukyu Minivet, Pericrocotus tegimae
  Fiery Minivet, Pericrocotus igneus
  Flores Minivet, Pericrocotus lansbergei
  White-bellied Minivet, Pericrocotus erythropygius
  Long-tailed Minivet, Pericrocotus ethologus
  Short-billed Minivet, Pericrocotus brevirostris
  Sunda Minivet, Pericrocotus miniatus
  Scarlet Minivet, Pericrocotus flammeus
  Gray-chinned Minivet, Pericrocotus solaris
  Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Hemipus picatus
  Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike, Hemipus hirundinaceus

References

• del Hoyo. J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., (eds), Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume Ten, Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes, ISBN 84-87334-72-5

External links

• Cuckoo-shrike videos on the Internet Bird Collection