An Old World songbird similar to the shrike and somewhat resembling a cuckoo when in flight. It typically has grey, black, or white plumage.
Family Campephagidae (the cuckoo-shrike family): several genera, especially Coracina and Campephaga, and numerous species. The cuckoo-shrike family also includes the cicadabirds, greybirds, minivets, and trillers
Example sentencesExamples
- The richest passerine families were cuckoo-shrikes (five species) and starlings (four species).
- Contrary to what its name suggests, the black-faced cuckoo-shrike is not related to either the cuckoo or the shrike.
- Sibley & Monroe placed them next to cuckoo-shrikes, but also included the six species of leafbirds in the family Irenidae and that approach was followed by Clements.
- Regulars in the yard were many, but the stand-outs were a white-crowned shama and a lesser cuckoo-shrike.
- Also very confusing were the cuckoo-shrikes and kingfishers.