m (Grey Cuckooshrike moved to Grey Cuckoo-shrike: consensus) |
m (Grey Cuckoo-shrike moved to Grey Cuckooshrike) |
(No difference)
| |
Revision as of 07:39, 31 August 2012
- Coracina caesia
Identification
Length 25-27 cm, mass 655 g. The plumage is blue-grey; whitish on the forehead and sides of the crown. Females are paler than males, and the lores are black (males) or grey (females).
The White-breasted Cuckooshrike is similar, but larger, with a white (rather than grey) breast and belly.
Distribution
Patchy from southern South African coastal belt through southeastern and eastern Africa to Ethiopia.
Taxonomy
Coracina caesia has 2 subspecies: The southern race C. c. caesia is larger than C. c. pura.
Habitat
Forest, plantations and adjacent woodlands and gardens.
Behaviour
Resident with some post-breeding movement. Solitary, in pairs or (less often) in small groups. Usually seen moving quietly through the upper branches of forest trees where they glean insects from bark, twigs and leaves.
References
Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 0620340533
