Photo: Henrik Grønvold / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple-throated Cuckooshrike
Campephaga quiscalina
Purple-throated Cuckooshrike (Campephaga quiscalina) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purple-throated Cuckooshrike (Campephaga quiscalina) is a member of the Campephagidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 34.5 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 quiscalina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 34.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Campephagidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple-throated 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 Purple-throated Cuckooshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple-throated Cuckooshrike (Campephaga quiscalina) belongs to the Campephagidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 34.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.8 cm and a tail of around 8.9 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 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple-throated Cuckooshrike?
The Purple-throated Cuckooshrike is a small bird that weighs around 34.5 g.
Where does the Purple-throated Cuckooshrike live?
The Purple-throated Cuckooshrike is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Purple-throated Cuckooshrike belong to?
The Purple-throated Cuckooshrike (Campephaga quiscalina) belongs to the Campephagidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Purple-throated Cuckooshrike eat?
The Purple-throated Cuckooshrike is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Purple-throated Cuckooshrike migrate?
The Purple-throated Cuckooshrike is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple-throated 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 Purple-throated Cuckooshrike make?
1 real field recording of the Purple-throated Cuckooshrike — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Purple-throated Cuckooshrike's range?
The Purple-throated Cuckooshrike has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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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