Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei ranges from India to Mainland Southeast Asia. In China, siamensis is resident in Guizhou and Yunnan; rexpineti in Guangxi, Guangdong, and Fujian and on Taiwan; and larvivora on Hainan. Prefers open woodland and forest edge in lowlands and hilly country, to 1500 m. Usually in canopy; often seen atop high, leafless trees. Largely insectivorous. Large, bulky, somewhat shrike-like. Male mostly pale grey (siamensis) or dark grey (rexpineti) with black face mask and flight feathers (but not coverts; folded wings therefore much paler than in black-winged). Underparts paler grey than upperparts; whitish on vent. Female paler; lacks face mask and has grey barring on underparts. Female black-winged cuckooshrike is smaller and has white eye-ring, blacker wings, and more white in tail. Juvenile heavily barred. Bill large, slightly hooked, black; feet black. Reddish-chestnut iris. Loud, squeaky whistles and chuckles; rarely heard warbling song. — Craig Brelsford
THE CUCKOOSHRIKES OF CHINA
shanghaibirding.com covers every species in the family Campephagidae in China. Click any link below:
Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris
Short-billed Minivet P. brevirostris
Long-tailed Minivet P. ethologus
Scarlet Minivet P. speciosus
Ashy Minivet P. divaricatus
Swinhoe’s Minivet P. cantonensis
Rosy Minivet P. roseus
Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei
Black-winged Cuckooshrike Lalage melaschistos
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.
