Photo: Tisha Mukherjee / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-winged Cuckooshrike
Lalage melaschistos
Black-winged Cuckooshrike (Lalage melaschistos) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike (Lalage melaschistos) is a member of the Campephagidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 43 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 Lalage
- Species melaschistos
Quick facts
- Weight
- 43 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-winged 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 Black-winged Cuckooshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike (Lalage melaschistos) is a member of the Campephagidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Himalayas through se Asia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 43 g, with a wing length of about 11.8 cm and a tail of around 9.6 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 4.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-winged Cuckooshrike?
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike is a small bird that weighs around 43 g.
Where does the Black-winged Cuckooshrike live?
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Himalayas through se Asia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-winged Cuckooshrike belong to?
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike (Lalage melaschistos) belongs to the Campephagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-winged Cuckooshrike eat?
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-winged Cuckooshrike migrate?
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-winged 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 Black-winged Cuckooshrike make?
1 real field recording of the Black-winged 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 Black-winged Cuckooshrike's range?
The Black-winged Cuckooshrike has a mapped global range of about 4.8 million 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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