White breasted cuckoo shrike

Introduction: White-breasted cuckooshrike (Coracina pectoralis) occur in woodlands and riverine forest. They are usually found singly or in pairs, typically in the tree-canopy.

Distribution: North-eastern Namibia region mainly the Zambezi Region (formerly the Caprivi Strip).

Diet: Eats mainly caterpillars, gleaning bark from tree trunks, branches, leaves and twig. Occasionally forages from the ground.

Description: Pale grey upperparts, and upper wings. Flight feathers blackish, underwing coverts white. Grey throat, remainder of underparts white. Often confused with the smaller grey cuckooshrike which has grey (not white) underparts.

Breeding: A nest is constructed by both sexes, using leaf-stalkes and thin twigs and lined with lichen and bound to branches by spider web. Only 1 or 2 eggs are laid from August to December and incubated for 23 days.

Size: 26cm.

Weight: 60g.