I believe that an American ornithologist many years ago referred to all
the Cuckoo-shrikes as Graybirds (his spelling). This left him with the
Black Graybird - I think in the Celebes or thereabouts. All the same it
wouldn't be a bad name and would save me having to explain Bifcus to
beginners.
Actually the Cuckoo-shrikes do fly like Cuckoos, and they do look very
like the European Grey Shrike when we saw it on TV. But it is a
confusing compound.
Anthea Fleming
in chilly Melbourne
On 13/06/2011 12:07 PM, Philip Veerman wrote:
Fine, but please do not be confused. You wrote "other cuckoos" (maybe
you just forgot a word). Cuckoo-shrikes are most definitely NOT cuckoos
or even remotely close, they are passerines (nor are they shrikes). Part
of my reason for wanting to abandon the silly group name and start a new
group name "Cush" for that genus. The suggested name would retain some
of the etymology by being a shortening. Thus Black-faced Cush, Ground
Cush, etc. That would remove all confusion and be much simpler.
Philip Veerman
24 Castley Circuit
Kambah ACT 2902
02 - 62314041
-----Original Message-----From:
On Behalf Of Wendy
Sent: Sunday, 12 June 2011 11:43 PM To:
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike
Yes,
I have not had much chance to observe B-f C-S but other cuckoos I have
watched feed would pounce on a caterpillar and take it to a perch where
they
beat it on the stick - maybe to gut it? before eating it.
wendy
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