Photo: Alandmanson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Cuckooshrike
Campephaga flava
Black Cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava) is a member of the Campephagidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 32.3 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 Campephaga
- Species flava
Quick facts
- Weight
- 32.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Cuckooshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black Cuckooshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava) belongs to the Campephagidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF South Sudan and Kenya to Angola, Botswana and e South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32.3 g, with a wing length of about 9.9 cm and a tail of around 8.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Cuckooshrike?
The Black Cuckooshrike is a small bird that weighs around 32.3 g.
Where does the Black Cuckooshrike live?
The Black Cuckooshrike is found across Africa with a range covering AF South Sudan and Kenya to Angola, Botswana and e South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black Cuckooshrike belong to?
The Black Cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava) belongs to the Campephagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black Cuckooshrike eat?
The Black Cuckooshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Cuckooshrike migrate?
The Black Cuckooshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black 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 Cuckooshrike make?
1 real field recording of the Black 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 Cuckooshrike's range?
The Black Cuckooshrike has a mapped global range of about 5 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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