Coracina striata
The Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike (Coracina striata) is a captivating passerine bird, often observed silently traversing the canopy of Southeast Asian forests. Measuring between 22-24 cm in length and weighing 50-70 grams, adults display a striking combination of slate-grey upperparts and distinctive, finely barred white and blackish underparts from which it derives its common name. Males are particularly notable for their prominent black mask extending from the lores through the eye and across th...
This species thrives in a variety of tropical and subtropical forest types, including primary and secondary growth, open woodlands, forest edges, and cultivated areas such as coconut plantations, typically at low to moderate elevations.
The Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike's diet consists predominantly of insects, including caterpillars, mantises, grasshoppers, beetles, and cicadas, which it gleans from foliage and branches, supplemented occasionally with small fruits.
Bar-bellied Cuckooshrikes are primarily diurnal, spending their days foraging slowly and deliberately through the canopy and subcanopy. They employ a gleaning foraging strategy, plucking insects and occasional fruits from foliage and branches with keen precision. While typically observed singly o...
The Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike boasts a broad distribution across Southeast Asia, being a resident species throughout its extensive range. Its breeding and year-round presence extends from Taiwan south through the Philippines (including Luzon, Mindoro, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Mindanao, Palawan,...
Least Concern
- Despite their name, Bar-bellied Cuckooshrikes are neither true cuckoos nor true shrikes; their family, Campephagidae, is distinct and contains other species like minivets. - The 'cuckoo' part of their name likely refers to their somewhat cuckoo-like calls, while 'shrike' might allude to their s...