White-shouldered Triller

Lalage sueurii

The White-shouldered Triller, *Lalage sueurii*, is a striking member of the Campephagidae family, which includes cuckooshrikes and cicadabirds, predominantly found across Southeast Asia and Wallacea. Measuring approximately 17-20 cm in length and weighing 20-30 grams, this species exhibits notable sexual dimorphism. Adult males are strikingly marked with glossy black upperparts, head, and tail, contrasted by pristine white underparts and a prominent white shoulder patch formed by the primary ...

Habitat

Found in open woodlands, savannas, secondary growth, forest edges, and cultivated areas, often near human habitation. Primarily occurs in lowlands up to mid-montane elevations around 1500 meters.

Diet

Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide array of insects including caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, and cicadas, often supplemented with small fruits. Forages by gleaning from foliage and bark.

Behavior

White-shouldered Trillers are diurnal and generally active, often seen moving through the canopy or mid-story of trees in search of prey. Foraging primarily involves gleaning insects from foliage, bark, and occasionally catching them in short aerial sallies. They are territorial, with males defen...

Range

The White-shouldered Triller has a broad distribution across Southeast Asia and Wallacea. Its breeding range encompasses much of the Philippines (Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao), Indonesia, including the Greater Sundas (Java, Bali), Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas (Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Timor), and t...

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Fun Facts

- The name 'Triller' accurately describes their distinctive, rhythmic, and high-pitched vocalizations. - Despite 'cuckooshrike' being the family name, trillers are not closely related to cuckoos or shrikes. - Males can be easily identified by their striking 'white shoulders' (white primary covert...

Back to Encyclopedia