Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Large Cuckooshrike (Coracina macei)
Large Cuckooshrike

Large Cuckooshrike

Coracina macei

The Large Cuckooshrike, Coracina macei, presents a striking figure with its robust build and distinctive markings. Males are characterized by a broad and pronounced eye stripe, while females exhibit a paler version. The male's underparts are a sleek grey, with the abdomen and flanks displaying fine barring. In contrast, females show a barred pattern on the throat and breast, which extends further down, and they lack the conspicuous whitish vent seen in males.

Identification Tips

When observing these birds, look for the sexual dimorphism in eye stripe coloration and underpart patterns. The male's eye stripe is more prominent, and the underparts are less barred compared to the female. Both sexes exhibit a characteristic wing-flicking behavior upon alighting, which is also a part of their courtship display.

Habitat

The Large Cuckooshrike frequents the upper canopy of forests, where it can often be seen in small, bounding groups.

Distribution

This species is found across the Indian Subcontinent and, depending on taxonomic interpretation, parts of Southeast Asia. It includes various subspecies that inhabit regions from the Himalayas to the Andaman Islands, and from southeastern China to the Malay Peninsula.

Behaviour

These birds are primarily insectivorous, but they do not shy away from supplementing their diet with figs and other forest fruits. Their flight is described as bounding, a motion just above the forest canopy. The Indian population is known for its loud 'klu-eep' call, and the wing-flicking upon landing is a distinctive behavioral trait.

Song & Calls

The call of the Indian population is a resonant 'klu-eep', which can be heard echoing through their forested habitats.

Breeding

Breeding occurs during the drier winter months. The nest is a shallow saucer of twigs and grass, adorned with cobwebs on the exterior and minimal lining. It is placed in the fork of a horizontal branch, well above the ground. Clutch size varies by region, with typically three eggs in peninsular India and two around Bengal.

Similar Species

The taxonomy of the Large Cuckooshrike and its relatives is complex, with several similar species and subspecies that have been variously classified. Close relatives include Coracina striata and Coracina novaehollandiae, among others.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists mainly of insects, with an occasional indulgence in figs and forest fruits. Their foraging behavior often involves flying in small groups.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List currently classifies the Large Cuckooshrike as Least Concern, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers that would warrant a higher risk category.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Large Cuckooshrikes on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Cuckooshrikes

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. Itā€™s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
SW H
Wonderful App
Birda is my go to app for keeping records of my bird sightings and sessions. It has fantastic information which is great at aiding identification. With all the updates that are coming in the new year, this app is something special.
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
Iā€™m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. Iā€™m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! šŸ¦
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright Ā© 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.