The Andaman cuckooshrike (Coracina dobsoni) belongs to the family of trillers, minivets and cuckooshrikes, Campephagidae.
The Andaman cuckooshrike species are endemic to the Andaman Islands in India. The IUCN has listed these cuckooshrike species as "Near Threatened". These cuckooshrikes are monotypic species.
Appearance, physical description and identification
The Andaman cuckooshrike (Coracina dobsoni) is a small-sized cuckooshrike, measuring 20 to 25 cm in length.The adult male cuckooshrike has gray head, nape, upperparts and rump. The tail is long and dark gray without white tips. The throat and upper breast are gray. The belly and vent region are white with strong black barring.
The bill is dark gray. The irises are red. The feet are dark gray. Their call is a loud, piercing sound.
Presently image is not available.
Origin, geographical range and distribution
These Andaman cuckooshrike species are endemic to India.In India, these cuckooshrike species are distributed in North, Middle, and South Andaman Islands and Little Andaman Islands.
Ecosystem and habitat
These cuckooshrike species have moderate forest dependence. These species normally occur in altitudes from 0 to 100 meters.The artificial ecosystems and habitats of these species include plantations and heavily degraded tropical and subtropical forests.
The natural ecosystems of these cuckooshrike species include tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, evergreen forests, swamps, marshes and tropical and subtropical mangrove forests.
Diet and feeding behavior
The diet of Andaman cuckooshrike consists mainly of insects. Beetles, cicadas, crickets, grasshoppers, mantids, moths, termites, spiders and insect imagoes and larvae are their primary food.Reproduction and breeding habits
The breeding season of these cuckooshrike species is during April and May in Andaman Islands.Migration and movement patterns
These cuckooshrike species are non-migratory resident birds.Post breeding, the juveniles may disperse and establish in new locations within the range. They may make local movements for feeding and breeding within their range.
Andaman cuckooshrike - Quick Facts
- Scientific name: Coracina dobsoni
- Species author: (Ball, 1872)
- Synonyms/Protonym: Graucalus Dobsoni Ball, 1872
- Family: Campephagidae › Passeriformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Vernacular names: English: Andaman cuckooshrike, Chinese: 安达曼鹃鵙, French: Échenilleur des Andaman, German: Andamanenraupenfänger, Spanish: Oruguero de las Andamán, Russian: Andaman cuckooshrike, Japanese: アンダマンオオサンショウクイ
- Other names: Andaman Cuckooshrike
- Distribution: India
- Diet and feeding habits: insects, insect larvae, beetles, grasshoppers, locust, cicadas, crickets, moths, butterflies, mantids, termites
- IUCN status listing: Near Threatened (NT)
Conservation and survival
The global population size of the Andaman cuckooshrike (Coracina dobsoni) is estimated to number 6,000 to 15,000 mature individual birds. The overall population trend of these species is reported to be decreasing.Throughout its range this cuckooshrike species is reported to be uncommon to rare. The generation length is 4.6 years. Its distribution size is about 10,100 sq.km.
Habitat destruction, logging operations and deforestation are the main threats that may endanger the survival of these species.
IUCN and CITES status
The Andaman cuckooshrike (Coracina dobsoni) is approaching the thresholds for being Vulnerable under the range size criterion, under the population trend criterion and under the population size criterion.The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated the species and has listed it as "Near Threatened".
The CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) status is ‘Not Evaluated’ for Andaman cuckooshrike (Coracina dobsoni).
| Taxonomy and scientific classification of Coracina dobsoni | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Campephagidae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Coracina |
| Species: | C. dobsoni |
| Binomial name: | Coracina dobsoni |
| IUCN status listing: |
 Near Threatened |
Current topic in Birds of India: Andaman cuckooshrike - Coracina dobsoni.