Coracina larutensis
The Malayan Cuckooshrike, *Coracina larutensis*, is a medium-sized passerine bird belonging to the family Campephagidae, distinguished by its subtle yet striking sexual dimorphism. Males are a glossy, uniform black with a contrasting white vent, presenting a sleek silhouette in the montane canopy. Females, by contrast, sport a dark grey upper body, paler grey underparts, and a distinct pale eye-ring that aids in identification. Both sexes typically measure 21-23 cm in length, possessing the f...
Found primarily in lower montane and montane evergreen forests, typically at elevations between 700m and 1700m, occasionally descending to 300m.
Its diet primarily consists of arthropods, particularly caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers, which it gleans from foliage; small fruits are also occasionally consumed.
The Malayan Cuckooshrike is primarily an arboreal species, observed singly, in pairs, or occasionally in small family groups, often joining mixed-species foraging flocks in the mid-canopy to upper canopy. Its foraging strategy involves meticulous gleaning of insects from foliage and branches, som...
The Malayan Cuckooshrike is a resident species, with its distribution restricted to the mountainous regions of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Its breeding range encompasses the southern Tenasserim Range in southern Thailand and extends throughout the main mountain ranges of Peninsular Malaysia. Key lo...
Least Concern
- The species' scientific name, *larutensis*, pays homage to the Larut Hills in Peninsular Malaysia, the location where it was first discovered and described. - Despite its name, the Malayan Cuckooshrike is neither related to true cuckoos (family Cuculidae) nor true shrikes (family Laniidae); its...