Oriental Cuckooshrike Coracina javensis siamensis is resident Guizhou and Yunnan; C. j. rexpineti Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, and Taiwan; and C. j. larvivora Hainan. HABITAT & BEHAVIOR Open woodland and forest edge in lowlands and hilly country, to 1800 m (5,910 ft.). Usually in canopy; often atop high, leafless trees. Largely insectivorous. ID & COMPARISON 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 Black-winged Cuckooshrike). Underparts paler grey than upperparts; whitish on vent. Female paler; lacks face mask and has grey barring on underparts. Female Black-winged Cuckooshrike smaller and has white eye-ring, blacker wings, and more white in tail. Juvenile heavily barred. BARE PARTS Bill large, slightly hooked, black. Feet black. Reddish-chestnut iris. VOICE 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:
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
Oriental Cuckooshrike Coracina javensis
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.
