Large Woodshrike

This species is defined as a Review Species. Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page.

Scientific Name: Tephrodornis virgatus
Malay Name: Rembah-Rimba Besar
Chinese Name: 钩嘴林鵙

Range:
Found from the Indian subcontinent to southern China and Southeast Asia (excluding Philippines)

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: pelvicus, jugans, verneyi, annectens, fretensis, virgatus, frenatus, mekongensis, hainanus, latouchei.

Local Subspecies: fretensis

Size: 18.5-22.5 cm

Identification:
Male has uniform slaty-grey upperparts with contrasting whitish underparts, strong bill, broad blackish eye line and whitish rump-band. Female resembles male but has browner upperparts and eye line. Juvenile is browner than female and has whitish shafts, tips and bars on upperparts.

Similar looking species: Brown Shrike

Habitat: Broadleaved forest, forest edge, secondary growth and mangroves.

Behaviour/Ecology: Frequents the canopy in small flocks.

Local Status: Very rare non-breeding visitor

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

Featured reports: Apr 2022

Past accepted records in our database:

Male Large Woodshrike at Janda Baik, Malaysia. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Female Large Woodshrike at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Large Woodshrike at Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Female Large Woodshrike at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Large Woodshrike)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Tephrodornis virgatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103703834A94145293.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.
Lim, K. S. (2009). The Avifauna of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore).
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.