Hi birders
I'm curious to get some feedback on this topic.
Many of you would be familiar with the habit in Australia of the Black-faced
Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina novaehollandiae) of alternately flicking its wings,
usually on alighting, but also when courting. This has led to one of its
alternate names - Shufflewing. The White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike (C.
papuensis) and Barred Cuckoo-shrike (C. lineata) do it too - though not so
much. The Ground Cuckoo-shrike (C. maxima) and Cicadabird (C. tenuirostris)
appear not to do it - any comments?
Outside Australia I note that Robson records the wing flicking habit for the
Large Cuckoo-shrike (C. macei) (which is close to C. novaehollandiae
anyhow).
Have any of you noted this wing flicking behaviour in other species of
cuckoo-shrike (Coracina, Campephaga), or indeed any other Campephagidae
(cuckoo-shrikes, trillers, minivets, flycatcher-shrikes)? In the likely
event that the habit has phylogenetic significance, I'm curious to hear
accounts of it from any of these bird groups.
L.
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L A W R I E C O N O L E
2/37 Myrnong Crescent, Ascot Vale, Victoria 3032 AUSTRALIA.
Phone AH (03) 9370 3928; BH (03) 9510 5750; Mobile (0419) 588 993.
E-mail: <>
Web page: http://www.bluep.com/~oco/
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