Blackish Cuckooshrike - BirdForum Opus

Male
Photo by Romy Ocon
Subic rainforest, Zambales province, Philippines, March 2006

Alternative names: Philippine Cuckoo-shrike; Black Cuckoo-shrike; Blackish Cicadabird

Edolisoma coerulescens

Analisoma coerulescens
Coracina coerulescens

Identification

25 - 26cm.

• Purplish-black plumage
• Slaty-grey rump
• Dark brown eye
• Black bill and legs

Females are dark ashy grey, paler on rump.
Juveniles are undescribed.

Distribution

Southeast Asia: found in the northern Philippines.
An uncommon and local restricted-range species.

Taxonomy

There are 3 subspecies:

• E. c. coerulescens:

• Northern Philippines (lowlands of Luzon and Catanduanes)

• E. c. deschauenseei:

• Marinduque (northern Philippines)

• E. c. altera:

• Formerly Cebu (central Philippines). Extinct.

Formerly placed in the genus Coracina, sometimes placed in the genus Edolisoma.

Habitat

Forest and secondary growth. Occurs usually below 1000m.

Behaviour

Feeds presumably on insects.
Forages in small groups in canopy and upper understorey. Sometimes in mixed-species flocks.
Breeding recorded in March on Luzon. No other information.

References

1. Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, M. Smith, and C. L. Wood. 2024. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2024. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2005. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10: Cuckoo-Shrikes to Thrushes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334726
3. Avibase

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Blackish Cuckooshrike. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blackish_Cuckooshrike

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