Coracina longicauda
The Hooded Cuckooshrike, *Coracina longicauda*, is a striking passerine endemic to the montane forests of New Guinea, renowned for its distinctive plumage and active arboreal behavior. Males are particularly arresting, featuring a glossy black 'hood' encompassing the head, throat, and upper breast, contrasting sharply with a dark grey back, wings, and a pristine white belly, culminating in a characteristically long, graduated tail which gives the species its Latin name *longicauda*. Measuring...
Exclusively found in montane rainforests and forest edges of New Guinea, typically at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,700 meters above sea level.
Mainly insectivorous, feeding on caterpillars, beetles, and other invertebrates gleaned from foliage and branches, supplemented occasionally with small fruits.
Hooded Cuckooshrikes are primarily diurnal and arboreal, spending most of their time foraging actively in the canopy and subcanopy of dense forests, often joining mixed-species flocks. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning insects from foliage and branches, with an agile and restless movement...
The Hooded Cuckooshrike is strictly endemic to the island of New Guinea, where it is distributed across its central mountain ranges and associated highlands. Its range spans both the Indonesian provinces of West Papua and Papua, and the independent nation of Papua New Guinea. The species is prima...
Least Concern
- The Hooded Cuckooshrike's scientific name, *Coracina longicauda*, directly translates to 'long-tailed cuckooshrike', a nod to its most prominent physical feature. - Unlike true cuckoos, cuckooshrikes are not brood parasites; they build their own nests and raise their young. - Despite its striki...