Ground Cuckooshrike
A species of Coracina Scientific name : Coracina maxima Genus : Coracina
Ground Cuckooshrike, A species of Coracina
Botanical name: Coracina maxima
Genus: Coracina
Content
Description General Info
Description
The ground cuckoo-shrike is a slender, long-legged bird, the largest of the cuckoo-shrikes measuring 33–37 cm in length, and weighing approximately 115 g. The name cuckoo-shrike, was developed not because it is affiliated with either the cuckoo bird or the shrike, but because of the similar features that it has to both these birds. The stout, hooked shrike-like beak and the plumage of the bird which is similar to that of the cuckoo, is the reason for the name cuckoo-shrike. The adult bird possesses a pale grey head and upper body, with a black mask around pale yellow eyes. Its lower back, rump and underparts are white and finely barred with black, contrasting with the black wings and the forked black tail. This forked tail is a characteristic specific only to the ground cuckoo-shrike. The immature ground cuckoo-shrike is similar in appearance to the adult, but has fine, broken black barrings on the throat and upper parts and dark eyes with a dark eye-line, instead of a black mask with pale yellow eyes. The flight call of this bird is a distinctive ‘pee-ew, pee-ew’ or ‘chill-chill….kee-lik, keelick’. Due to the colouration of the ground cuckoo-shrike, when in flight they can look quite black and white so may be mistaken for an Australian magpie. 
Size
38 cm
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Ground Cuckooshrike forages on the ground in small groups, primarily consuming insects such as praying mantises, grasshoppers, locusts, ants, and spiders. Ground Cuckooshrike's long legs and swift running facilitate this ground-based feeding.
Habitat
The ground Cuckooshrike favors open and generally arid environments with sparse or absent ground cover. Typical habitats include lightly wooded areas with eucalyptus and acacia, as well as spinifex and grassland featuring scattered vegetation. These birds are also found in habitats with scattered trees along watercourses, and they may venture into man-modified landscapes such as pastures and vineyards.
Dite type
Omnivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Distribution Area
The distribution of the ground cuckoo-bird is widespread across Australia, mainly occurring in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and in some parts of Victoria. They occur mostly inland of the Great Dividing Range in Australia's semi-arid regions, but also occur in areas on the east coast. They have been found to occur in areas of open woodland, arid shrub-land and open grasslands that are dominated by dead trees and species such as mulga, cypress-pine and mallee-spinifex. The ground cuckoo-shrike are more likely to occur in these habitats if they are located near watercourses; floodplains, creeks and wetlands. Because of the location of the preferred habitats, ground cuckoo-shrikes are more frequently found in inland areas rather than coastal regions. Various reports have recorded seeing the ground cuckoo-shrike in their observations, showing them to be present in woodland areas located on river channels and floodplains, Mulga tall shrubland and cleared woodland regrowth areas. Despite their large range throughout Australia, they are an uncommon species, which are thinly distributed and nomadic, which can make it hard to predict their location and where they can be expected to be seen. The current population trend of the ground cuckoo-shrike is said to be decreasing, possibly due to declines in the Murray-Mallee region since the mid 1970s. There are a few places recorded by Dolby and Clarke (2014), in their book that clearly lists and describes places where the ground cuckoo-shrike can be expected to be spotted.
Species Status
Though the population of the ground cuckoo-shrike is decreasing, its conservation status is classed as least concern. In 2013, it was listed as vulnerable in Victoria under the Advisory List of Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in Victoria 2013. A possible threat to the ground cuckoo-shrike is the increase in woody vegetation density. This would benefit most woodland bird species, but in the case of the ground cuckoo-shrike which dwells in open woodland habitats, it could have a detrimental effect on its population.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Cuckoo-shrikes Genus
Coracina Species
Ground Cuckooshrike 
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