Common Woodshrike

Tephrodornis pondicerianus - Téphrodorne de Pondichéry

Systematics
  • Order 
    :

    Passeriformes

  • Family
    :

    Vangidés

  • Genus
    :

    Tephrodornis

  • Species
    :

    pondicerianus

Descriptor

Gmelin, JF, 1789

Biometrics
  • Size
    : 18 cm
  • Wingspan
    : -
  • Weight
    : 20 à 27 g
Longevity

4 years

Geographic range

Distribution

Identification

Téphrodorne de Pondichéry
adult
Téphrodorne de Pondichéry
juvenile

Anglicans call it the Common Woodshrike, a translation for which could be common woods bird. The French name, Tephrodorne de Pondichéry, is perhaps more evocative or geographically appropriate, reminding us of classroom and commercial posts! Its Latin, and therefore French, name was attributed to German naturalist J.F. Gmelin (1748-1804), who placed the bird on the Coromandel coast, where Pondichéry is located. An exotic name and a perhaps changing classification: tephrodornithidae, prionopidae and, at the base, campephagidae (cuckoos). Let the scientists do their work. Our Common Woodshrike from Pondichéry measures from 15 to 18 cm and presents several shades of brown. Its cap is grey-brown, a wide white eyebrow outlines a black eye, encircled by a yellow orbital circle; parotids are very dark brown, almost black. The black beak has the external mandible slightly curved downward. The throat is white-cream, one can see some dark vertical stripes that are less pronounced on the abdomen; the underside is rather light. The nape and mantle are grey-brown, the coverts and primaries grey-brown, darker, the greater coverts show fine white edgings, a very marked white mark appears on the undertail coverts. The rectrices are dark brown, almost black. The legs are black. The female is identical to the male, with a lighter mask on the parotids. The juveniles have the upper coverts and flight feathers brown with white marks.

Subspecific information 3 subspecies

  • Tephrodornis pondicerianus pondicerianus (e India to s Laos)
  • Tephrodornis pondicerianus pallidus (Pakistan and nw India)
  • Tephrodornis pondicerianus orientis (Cambodia and s Vietnam)

Foreign names

  • Téphrodorne de Pondichéry,
  • Ceniciento chico,
  • cinzentão-pequeno,
  • Indienvanga,
  • Kleine Rupsklauwier,
  • Averla boschereccia comune,
  • vitbrynad skogstörnskata,
  • Hvitbrynaskefugl,
  • vangovec hvízdavý,
  • stromovníček šedohnědý,
  • Asketornskade,
  • metsäkäpinkäinen,
  • eruguera celluda,
  • kruczodzierzb mały,
  • Белобровый древесный личинкоед,
  • モズサンショウクイ,
  • 林鵙,
  • นกเฉี่ยวดงธรรมดา,
  • 林鵙,

Voice song and cries

The Common Woodshrike emits a repeated, high-pitched weet-weet-weet alarm call making a hard whee-whee-whee. This bird is generally quite loud.

Habitat

The Common Woodshrike loves open forests, bamboo groves, and dry stretches dotted with small shrubs; it can also be seen in orchards, hedgerows, near gardens and thus near dwellings. It is usually found at sea level, not above 1500 m.

Behaviour character trait

A sedentary bird, usually in pairs, with little observed migration. Common Woodshrike of Pondicherry.

Dietfeeding habits

The Common Woodshrike is an insectivore, enjoying beetles, butterflies, their caterpillars, and spiders. Depending on the season or its habitat, it will feast on fruits as well. It can be seen in pairs or small groups, sometimes on the ground, looking for its food under dead leaves and in the crevices of trees.

Reproduction nesting

The breeding season runs from February to July, the nest is built in a tree, at a height of 2 to 9 m, by the couple; in the form of a small cup, the construction is neat, quite regular. It is made of moss, lichen, bark and roots, the interior is lined with fibers, grasses, mammal hair found during searches. The parents will incubate 2 to 4 eggs, at hatching only the female takes care of the fledglings. The flight learning period is poorly known.

Geographic range

The entire Indian Peninsula, Bangladesh, Pakistan (the Pallidus subspecies is lighter with less distinct black ear patches) and Sri Lanka (the Affinis subspecies is darker, with less distinct white eyebrow and shorter tail) and southern Nepal, is home to the Common Woodshrike. It is also present in Burma, Thailand, and parts of Indochina: Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam (the Orientis subspecies).

Threats - protection

IUCN conservation status
Extinct
Threatened
Least
concern
Extinc
in the Wild
Near
threatened
Not
evaluated
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

Common throughout India and South-East Asia, the Common Woodshrike seems to live in harmony with humans.

Sources of information

Other sources of interest

QRcode Téphrodorne de PondichérySpecification sheet created on 02/08/2023 by
Translation by AI Oiseaux.net
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