- Coracina macei
Identification
23-30 cm (9-11¾ in). A very large Cuckooshrike with a massive, hooked bill.
- Grey upperparts with pale-winged appearance
- Blackish lores and mask
- Grey throat and breast
- White belly with narrow grey bars
- Unbarred white vent
Females with a paler mask and a white, barred throat and breast.
Juveniles are brownish, heavily scaled whitish-buff and more mottled on underparts.
Variations
The different subspecies differ mainly in size, overall colour and barring of underparts:
- nipalensis is the darkest subspecies and the largest; males are unbarred below, females weakly barred
- layardi similar to nominate but smaller with short wings
- andaman is paler with less black on head, males unbarred below, females weakly barred
- siamensis males are unbarred below, females are weakly barred
- rexpineti is also similar but darker on throat and head
- larvivora similar to rexpineti but with shorter wings and more robust bill
Distribution
South east Asia: Indian Subcontinent east to Burma, southern China, Taiwan and south to Thailand, Indochina and northern peninsular Malaysia.
Rare in Pakistan, uncommon in Bhutan but common to fairly common in rest of its range.
Taxonomy
A rearrangement of Large Cuckooshrike and Javan Cuckooshrike has resulted in both of these names being retired and instead we now have Indian Cuckooshrike, Oriental Cuckooshrike, and Malayan Cuckooshrike.
Subspecies
Clements recognizes these subspecies[1]:
Subspecies layardi may represent a separate species as it differs in calls and morphology.
Habitat
Found in open woodland and secondary forest. Also scrub, groves, edges of clearings, plantations, savanna, cultivated areas with some trees and gardens.
From lowland to foothills, occurs up to 2400 m.
Behaviour
Usually seen singly, in pairs or in loose groups.
Diet
Feeds on large insects and their larvae. Takes also berries and fruits.
Forages mainly in the canopy of large trees but sometimes lower down in bushes or even on the ground. Searches methodically for insects, hopping and flying from branch to branch.
Breeding
Breeding season differs through range. The nest is a shallow, flimsy saucer made of twigs and grass. It's placed up to 18 m above the ground in the fork of a horizontal branch in a tree. Lays 2-3 eggs.
Movements
Local movements in peninsula India recorded. Descends to lower altitudes in the Himalayas in winter.
References
- 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/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v 15.1). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.15.1. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- Limparungpatthanakij , W. L., P. F. D. Boesman, and B. Taylor (2024). Indian Cuckooshrike (Coracina macei), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (B. K. Keeney and S. M. Billerman, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.larcuc1.01
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Indian Cuckooshrike. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Indian_Cuckooshrike
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
