White-bellied Cuckooshrike

1. Small black mask between bill and eye (distinct from the full-face mask of Black-faced Cuckooshrike).

2. Pale blue-gray upperparts contrasting with white or light gray belly.

3. Wing-shuffling behaviour upon landing.

Breeding occurs between August and March in Australia, with nests built 7–1 meters above ground on horizontal branches. Both parents participate in constructing shallow cup-shaped nests made from grass, twigs, bark, leaves, and spider webs, often decorated with lichen. Clutch sizes range from 1–3 eggs, with incubation lasting 21–22 days and fledging occurring approximately 22 days later. Their diet primarily consists of larger insects such as dragonflies, cockroaches, mantids, grasshoppers, beetles, and ants, supplemented by spiders, fruit, and seeds. They forage by gleaning insects from tree foliage or occasionally sallying for prey.

White-bellied Cuckooshrikes inhabit open eucalyptus forests, woodland edges, riparian zones, and suburban gardens across tropical northern and eastern Australia. They are typically found below 8 meters above sea level, spending most of their time in the middle to upper levels of trees while searching for insects. Early morning is ideal for spotting them as they are most active during this time. Their call includes a high-pitched "kissik kissik" or "whee-eeyu," which resembles parrot vocalizations.