Large Woodshrike

The large woodshrike is a thickset, broad-headed songbird about 23 cm long. Adults have grey upperparts, pale underparts, a strong black bill, broad dark eye-stripe and a conspicuous white rump. The wings and tail are darker than the back, giving the bird a clean grey, black and white appearance. Its heavy bill and upright stance recall a true shrike, although it belongs to the vanga and woodshrike family (BirdForum species account).

Its range extends from the Himalayan foothills and southern China through mainland Southeast Asia to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Ten recognised subspecies include forms occurring in northern and southern Indochina. It uses forest, forest edge, mangroves and wooded gardens, from lowlands into hills. Birds hunt mainly insects, launching aerial swoops from branches and sometimes working beside watercourses to pick prey from the surface. The species may also move through woodland with mixed feeding parties (BirdForum species account; Oiseaux.net species data).