Mindoro cuckooshrike

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Mindoro cuckooshrike (Coracina mindorensis)

The Mindoro cuckooshrike is a large gray bird found only on Mindoro and Tablas in the Philippines. It has pale gray eyes and a black mask across the face. Males are mostly uniform gray, while females have slight barring on the underwings.

It was once thought to be a subspecies of the bar-bellied cuckooshrike but is now treated as its own species. There are no official subspecies.

Habitat and behavior: It lives in tropical moist forests from lowlands up to about 2,000 meters, usually high in the canopy. It often travels in small groups or with other cuckooshrikes.

Diet: Insects are the main food (like caterpillars, mantises, and dragonflies), and figs are also eaten.

Breeding: The breeding season is April to May. The nest is a shallow cup of moss, leaves, roots, and mud about 20 meters above the ground. It lays two pale gray eggs, and the female has been observed feeding the chicks.

Conservation: The IUCN has not yet assessed this species. It is likely in decline due to habitat loss from logging and farming, with Mindoro’s forests greatly reduced and fragmented. Other threats include slash-and-burn farming and marble mining. It occurs in a few protected areas, but protection and enforcement are often weak.