Campephagidae – Cuckooshrikes, Cicadabirds, Trillers & Minivets

The Campephagidae (Cuckooshrikes, Minivets, Trillers & Cicadabirds) are small to medium-sized passerine species found in the subtropical and tropical Africa, Asia and Australasia. There are one hundred and six species are found in just eleven genera.

Cuckooshrikes are not closely related to either the cuckoos or to the shrikes; the name probably comes from the grey colour of many of the cuckooshrikes. Some of the species also bear a superficial resemblance to cuckoos, and have a similar undulating flight. The grey colouration has led to one of their other names, the greybird. In some parts of the world, they have also been known as caterpillar-birds, a name derived from their diet.

Although unsuspected earlier, DNA studies have suggested they may be related to the Oriolidae (Old-World Orioles), although they differ strongly in some morphological characteristics (such as skull morphology and the arrangements of feathers on the wing). Formerly they were thought to include the Tephrodornis (Woodshrikes).

A molecular phylogenetic study of the Campephegidae (2010) found that the speciose genus Coracina was non-monophyletic. In the resulting reorganisation to create monophyletic genera, five genera were resurrected. A large group of species previously assigned to Coracina was moved to Edolisoma and a group of Asian and Indian Ocean cuckooshrikes was moved to Lalage. The African cuckooshrikes were moved to Ceblepyris, and three species were placed in monotypic genera: McGregor’s Cuckooshrike was moved to Malindangia, the Pygmy Cuckooshrike was moved to Celebesica and the Blue Cuckooshrike was moved to Cyanograucalus.

Scarlet Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus	McGregor’s Cuckooshrike Malindangia mcgregori
Comoros Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris cucullatus	Madagascar Cuckooshrike Ceblepyris cinereus
Unless otherwise indicated, all photos on this page courtesy of ©Dubi Shapiro

Overall, the cuckooshrikes are medium to small arboreal birds, generally long and slender. The smallest species is the Small Minivet at 16 cm and 6–12 g, while the largest is the South Melanesian Cuckooshrike at 35 cm and 180 grams. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although the minivets are brightly coloured in red, orange, yellow and black, and the Blue Cuckooshrike of central Africa is all-over glossy blue. The four cuckooshrikes in the genus Campephaga exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males that have glossy black plumage and bright red or yellow wattles, the females having more subdued olive-green plumage.

New Caledonian Cuckooshrike Edolisoma anale

Black-bellied Cuckooshrike Edolisoma montanum

The majority are forest birds. Some species are restricted to primary forest, like the New Caledonian Cuckooshrike, others are able to use more disturbed forest. Around eleven species use much more open habitat, one Australian species, the Ground Cuckooshrike being found in open plains and scrubland with few trees.

The ‘true’ cuckooshrikes are usually found singly, in pairs, and in small family groups, whereas the minivets more frequently form small flocks. There is a considerable amount of variation within the family as a whole with regards to calls, some call very infrequently and some, principally the minivets, are extremely vocal.

Reunion Cuckooshrike Lalage newtoni

Visayan Cuckooshrike Coracina panayensis

They are mainly insectivorous, feeding primarily on insects and other arthropods, and many species often take well-­defended prey such as bees, wasps, and hairy caterpillars. Quite a few species eat at least some fruit, especially figs, and seeds. Generally, they are slow moving foragers that favour the upper levels of the canopy and so often overlooked. They have also been recorded eating small vertebrates and other plant matter.

Information about the breeding of this family is incomplete, with many species having never been studied. In all the species studied the cuckooshrikes are territorial; in species that do not migrate these territories are maintained year-round. They all have interesting courtship displays, and those of the minivets include steep climbs followed by fluttering descents, sometimes with the male chasing the female and grabbing the end of her tail in his bill on the way down. Male suitors of other species sometimes bring a flower to include in their courtship displays.

Cuckooshrikes are monogamous, with the pair bonds apparently lasting throughout the year. Only one instance of non-monogamous breeding has been recorded, an instance of polygyny in White-winged Trillers in Australia, where one male aided two females in raising their young. Several species of cuckooshrike exhibit cooperative breeding. About four blotchy white, green or blue eggs are laid in a cup nest in a tree. Incubation is about two weeks.

Nests are gener­ally small, cup-shaped, and inconspicuous, and many incorporate lichens, hair, and fine twigs in their structure, often with spiderwebs to an­chor them to branches. Most do not nest socially, but at least the White-­winged Triller nests colonially with up to fifteen nests in the same clump of trees. Females lay one to five eggs, with two or three eggs most typical. Both male and fe­male typically assist in nest-­building and caring for young, but in some species the female does all parental duties on her own. Incubation takes from 14 to 27 days, and the chicks leave the nest after 12 to 30 days post-­hatch. Fledglings are fed at least occasionally by the parents for up to three months after leaving the nest.