Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike Campephaga phoenicea Scientific name definitions

20 cm; 23–35·5 g. Male is black , glossed greenish-blue, with red, orange or orange-yellow lesser and median upper­wing-coverts (“shoulder” patch); iris black, dark brown or grey; bill black, gape yellow; legs black. Distinguished from most congeners by orange or red wing-covert patch; from very similar C. flava possessing yellow lesser coverts by fact that patch on present species is larger, but a few individuals may not be distinguishable. Female is brown to grey-brown above, black barring on rump and uppertail-coverts (sometimes extending to back and scapulars), pale grey supercilium contrasting with dark lores and line through eye; flight-feathers and wing-coverts edged or fringed yellow, tail brownish-black, outer rectrices tipped and edged yellow; white with black bars and crescentic marks below, breast side and flanks variably washed yellow, bright yellow underwing-coverts. Juvenile is similar to female, but upperparts barred black, outer tail feathers striped dark and yellow, underparts more heavily barred than adult, bars tending towards spade-shaped blotches on belly; immature not fully described.

Senegal and Gambia E to S Chad, S Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea, S to Sierra Leone, N Ivory Coast, SE Ghana, SE Cameroon, N Congo, N DRCongo, Uganda and extreme W Kenya.

Forest patches, including edges and clearings, gallery forest, moist secondary growth, wooded grassland and thickets in savanna. Usually in thicker vegetation than that occupied by C. flava in E Africa, but both species recorded in variety of habitats, including juniper (Juniperus) forest in S Ethiopia. From sea-level to c. 1600 m. In areas of geographical overlap with C. petiti, ecologically separated by its preference for woodland and forest edge, rather than true forest.

Migratory in W Africa (E of c. 8° E) and in Sudan, moving N to breed during rains and returning to edge of forest belt at lower latitudes in dry season; in Nigeria occurs in S guinean zone all year, but moves N to Zaria in May–Nov and S to coast Nov–Apr; resident in Uganda, with population increase Jan–Apr probably involving non-breeding migrants from N tropics. Elsewhere, apparently sedentary or nomadic. Vagrant in W DRCongo (near Lukolela) and NE Rwanda.

Eats caterpillars (Lepidoptera) and other insects, especially orthopterans and bugs (Hemiptera). Keeps to upper or middle storeys; occasionally lower (W Africa) or in bushes and small trees (E Africa), between which it flies in low undulating flight. Forages quietly, mainly within foliage, by gleaning from leaves, twigs and branches; sometimes takes prey on the ground and in flycatching sallies. Occasionally joins mixed-species flocks.

Mainly silent. Song, often as duet, a jumble of high-pitched whistles, squeaks and churrs, reminiscent of a “good-quality” song of sunbird (Nectariniidae), continuing for 5–10 seconds. Calls include clear, loud whistle, “heew” or “huu-tseew”, burbled “t-chew” or “ti-chulu” notes in flight, often repeated, and short “tsuck”; contact call a sharp, repeated “tchit” or “tchit-tchiwi-tchiwi”.

Breeds during rains, May–Sept in Nigeria, Jul in W Sudan (Jun in S) and Mar–Apr in Uganda; carrying nesting material in Aug in Gambia; nest-building in Jun in Kenya. Monogamous. Nest a small, shallow cup of moss and lichens, bound with spider webs, c. 10 m up and well concealed in fork of leafless tree. Two clutches each contained 2 eggs. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Widespread, and uncommon to locally common. No information on effects of habitat loss, but this species’ numbers may have been reduced by forest destruction.