This species is a partial migrant in the Top End, seen mostly during the dry season and very few breeding records. Above is an adult with a black chin and throat. Immatures have a smaller black mask. Cuckooshrikes are unrelated to either cuckoos or shrikes, but are in their own family, Campephagidae which includes the trillers, minivets and flycatcher-shrikes. Three races are found in Australia. This is the widespread C. n. melanops. The very dark nominate race is confined to Tasmania, and a much paler subspecies. C. n. subpallida is confined to NW Australia. This species was formerly lumped with the Slaty, Wallacean, Large, Javan and Kai Cuckooshrikes, but split in the 4th edition of Clements Checklist. The English names are sometimes hyphenated Cuckoo-shrike." Additional photo of an immature.
Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LZ5 | Nikon FieldScope III | 30XWA | hand-held (no adapter)