Photo: Vertebrate Zoology Curator / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
North Melanesian Cuckooshrike
Coracina welchmani
North Melanesian Cuckooshrike (Coracina welchmani) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike (Coracina welchmani) is a member of the Campephagidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 135 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Campephagidae Cuckooshrikes
- Genus Coracina
- Species welchmani
Quick facts
- Weight
- 135 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike (Coracina welchmani) is a member of the Campephagidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU n, c Solomon Is.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 135 g, with a wing length of about 18.5 cm and a tail of around 14.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 24,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike?
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 135 g.
Where does the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike live?
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU n, c Solomon Is, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike belong to?
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike (Coracina welchmani) belongs to the Campephagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike eat?
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike migrate?
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike make?
1 real field recording of the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the North Melanesian Cuckooshrike's range?
The North Melanesian Cuckooshrike has a mapped global range of about 24,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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