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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Campephagidae
  4. ›
  5. Coracina
  6. ›
  7. Black-faced Cuckooshrike
Black-faced Cuckooshrike
Photo · no rights reserved

BirdUp · Species

Black-faced Cuckooshrike

Coracina novaehollandiae(Gmelin, JF, 1789)

Updated 11 June 2026

Conservation status: Least ConcernOrigin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Campephagidae
Genus
Coracina

At a glance

The Black-faced Cuckooshrike is a medium-sized bird, about 29–39 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
29–39 cm
Conservation status
Least Concern
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Black-faced Cuckooshrike look like?

The Black-faced Cuckooshrike is a medium-sized bird, about 29–39 cm long and weighing 87–148 g.

The black-faced cuckooshrike is a common omnivorous passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. It has a protected status in New South Wales, under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
29–39 cm
Weight
86.5–148 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Black-faced Cuckooshrike?

The Black-faced Cuckooshrike is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

Thomas Mesaglio · Wategora Reserve along Duck River, Sydney, New South Wales

Call

James Ray · Faulconbridge NSW 2776, Australia

Call

James Ray · Davis Rd opp Pamela Pde, Marayong NSW 2148, Australia

Call

Thomas Mesaglio · Wategora Reserve along Duck River, Sydney, New South Wales

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Black-faced Cuckooshrike eat?

The Black-faced Cuckooshrike feeds on fruit, seeds, foliage/herbs and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

4 photos

The BirdUp app

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Black-faced Cuckooshrike live in Australia?

The Black-faced Cuckooshrike is native to Australia, recorded across 95 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning australia and Tasmania.

BreedingAustralia and Tasmania

Non-breedingNew Guinea, Indonesia, Solomon Islands

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident

8 regions recorded