| Flycatcher-shrikes | |
|---|---|
| Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike (H. hirundinaceus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Campephagidae (but see text) |
| Genus: | Hemipus Hodgson, 1844 |
| Species | |
The flycatcher-shrikes are two species of small Asian passerine bird belonging to the genus Hemipus. They are traditionally placed in the cuckoo-shrike family, Campephagidae. It now appears that they, along with the woodshrikes and philentomas, are more closely related to the helmetshrikes, Prionopidae, and vangas, Vangidae.[1]
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They are 12.5–14.5 cm in length.[2] They are slender birds with fairly long wings and tails. The bill and feet are black.[3] The plumage is dark above and pale below with white on the rump. The Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike has a large white patch on the wing which the Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike lacks.[2]
They are found in broad-leaved forest, forest edge and secondary forest in southern Asia. Both species have large ranges and are not considered to be threatened. The Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike occurs in the Indian Subcontinent, south-west China, mainland South-east Asia and on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.[2] The Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike is found in the Malay Peninsula and on Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Bali.[3]
They forage actively in the forest canopy for insects. They are often found in groups and frequently join mixed-species foraging flocks.[3] They will also catch insects in flight.[4]
The nest is cup-shaped and built on a tree branch. Two or three eggs are laid; they are greenish or pinkish with darker markings.[2] Both parents are involved in building the nest, incubating the eggs and rearing the young.[4]
The two shrike-flycatcher species of Africa are also occasionally known as flycatcher-shrikes: