Barred Cuckooshrike (Coracina lineata)

Conservation status

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Identification

The Barred Cuckooshrike is most readily identified by its yellow eye, grey plumage and finely barred white lower parts. It is usually detected high in forest trees rather than at ground level.

This is a medium-sized, slender cuckooshrike with a short, pointed bill and a prominent yellow eye. The body is slaty grey, with a white lower belly and undertail marked by fine grey barring.

Identification: Field identification

Look high in the canopy, particularly in fruiting trees and fig trees. The combination of a yellow eye, slaty-grey body and finely barred white lower parts is more useful than size alone when visibility is limited.

• Record the eye colour, upperpart colour, extent of white on the belly and undertail, and the presence of fine barring.
• Photograph the bird from several angles where possible, because the lower belly and undertail pattern may be concealed when it is perched above the observer.

Identification: Field signs and similar species

The supplied species sources do not provide a diagnostic call, nest description, track, scat, roost, hollow or other ground sign for this species. They also do not identify specific Australian species that are likely to be confused with it.

• Treat an unidentified grey canopy bird as unconfirmed unless the yellow eye and barred white lower parts are recorded clearly or supported by a diagnostic photograph.
• Do not rely on nest searches, tracks or scats as the primary detection method for this species on clearing sites.

Distribution: Australian range

In Australia, the species occurs along the tropical and subtropical east coast. The supplied material identifies Queensland and New South Wales range limits but does not provide a mapped bioregional distribution, population estimate or population trend.

The Australian subspecies occurs from east Cape York Peninsula through eastern Queensland to north-east New South Wales. The type locality is Moreton Bay, Queensland.

Southern Australian limit: North-east New South Wales.

Northern Australian limit: East Cape York Peninsula.

• Relevant Australian states are Queensland and New South Wales.
• The supplied sources do not allocate the species to named IBRA bioregions.

Distribution: Strongholds and population information

The supplied sources do not identify Australian strongholds, discrete subpopulations, abundance, density, population size or population trend. Internationally, the species is reported as Least Concern, but that status does not replace site-specific assessment in New South Wales.

• Use regional records, targeted canopy surveys and local biodiversity databases to assess whether a project site supports the species.
• Map connected rainforest and mature fruiting trees within and around the project area, because the species is associated with forest canopy and fruiting trees.

Habitat: Habitat types

The Barred Cuckooshrike is primarily a forest bird associated with rainforest and tropical or subtropical forest on the east coast. It uses the upper levels of the canopy and is likely to be overlooked where survey effort is concentrated near the ground.

The species inhabits rainforest in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and tropical and subtropical eastern Australia. The supplied material describes cuckooshrikes generally as mainly forest birds, with some species using disturbed forest, but it does not define the disturbance tolerance of the Barred Cuckooshrike specifically.

• Prioritise intact or partly disturbed rainforest, wet forest and connected forest remnants for assessment.
• Include mature forest edges and fruiting trees in habitat mapping where they connect to larger forest areas.

Habitat: Structure and environmental setting

The available species information places the bird high in the canopy and often in fruiting trees. It does not provide species-specific elevation limits, canopy height, tree diameter, climate thresholds or minimum patch size.

• Retain mature canopy trees and fruiting trees where practicable.
• Assess canopy continuity and links between forest remnants, rather than treating isolated trees as equivalent to connected forest habitat.
• Record the presence of fig trees and other fruiting canopy trees during pre-clearance surveys.

Foraging habitat: Food

The Barred Cuckooshrike forages mainly in the upper canopy, where it can be difficult to detect from the ground. Available information indicates a diet based on insects and other arthropods, with fruit, particularly figs, also important within the cuckooshrike group.

The species account describes it in fruiting trees, often fig trees. Cuckooshrikes as a group mainly eat insects and other arthropods, and many species also eat fruit, especially figs, seeds and occasional small vertebrates or other plant matter.

• Inspect fruiting fig trees and other fruiting canopy trees during habitat assessment.
• Retain vegetation that supports both canopy fruit and arthropod prey.
• Avoid assuming that a site has low value because no birds are seen in lower vegetation.

Foraging habitat: Foraging method and area

The bird is generally a slow-moving, upper-canopy forager. The supplied documents do not provide a species-specific foraging distance, home range, territory size or feeding density.

• Survey the full canopy profile with experienced observers, vantage points and, where suitable, photographic or acoustic support.
• Include adjacent canopy and connected forest in the assessment because a small clearing may affect feeding trees beyond the immediate disturbance footprint.

Breeding habitat: Breeding facts

Species-specific breeding information is limited in the supplied material. General cuckooshrike information indicates territorial, monogamous pairs that build small cup nests in trees, but the timing and measurements below are not confirmed for the Barred Cuckooshrike.

The following information is general for cuckooshrikes and should not be treated as a confirmed species-specific breeding schedule. The supplied sources do not provide the Barred Cuckooshrike's breeding months, clutch size, incubation period, age at maturity or lifespan.

Breeding season: Not specified for the Barred Cuckooshrike in the supplied sources.

Clutch size: Not specified for the Barred Cuckooshrike. General cuckooshrike information reports about four eggs in some species, with two or three typical in the family account.

Incubation: Not specified for the Barred Cuckooshrike. General cuckooshrike information gives 14 to 27 days across the family.

Age at maturity: Not specified.

Lifespan: Not specified.

Breeding habitat: Breeding habitat and site practice

General cuckooshrike breeding information describes small, inconspicuous cup nests placed in trees, often using fine twigs, hair, lichens and spiderwebs. Both adults commonly assist with nest building and care of young in the family account.

• Treat mature trees and connected canopy as potential breeding habitat, even when no nest is visible.
• Complete pre-clearance inspections during the locally applicable breeding period once regional records or survey data establish timing.
• Use experienced observers to inspect tree crowns and branch forks where safe access and visibility allow.
• If an active nest or dependent young is found, stop work in the immediate area and obtain project-specific fauna advice before proceeding.

Sheltering habitat: Known shelter features

The supplied sources do not describe a specialised shelter, hollow, burrow or roost for the Barred Cuckooshrike. Its regular use of upper forest levels means that mature canopy and dense forest structure should be retained where possible.

No species-specific information is provided on hollows, roost trees, burrows, dens, ground cover, roost height or refuge dimensions. The bird is described as an arboreal canopy species associated with rainforest and fruiting trees.

• Retain mature canopy trees and connected forest vegetation as potential daytime refuge and roosting habitat.
• Avoid removing isolated mature trees that provide canopy links or fruiting resources between forest remnants.

Sheltering habitat: Pre-clearance implications

Because the species is usually seen high in trees, a ground-only fauna inspection may fail to detect it. No species-specific shelter inspection distance or exclusion radius is provided in the supplied material.

• Use elevated vantage points or other suitable methods to inspect the canopy before clearing.
• Record occupied trees, repeated observations and nearby fruiting trees so that habitat retention and staged clearing can be planned.
• Do not infer absence from a lack of ground signs, because tracks, scats and other ground indicators are not described for this species.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The supplied sources do not list species-specific threats or quantify the effects of development, fire, roads, predators, disease or hydrology change. The main project concern supported by the species' habitat and foraging information is the removal and isolation of rainforest canopy and fruiting trees.

Clearing rainforest, mature canopy and fruiting fig trees can directly remove feeding and potential breeding habitat. Breaking connected forest into small remnants may also reduce access to upper-canopy resources, although the supplied sources do not quantify fragmentation effects for this species.

• Avoid clearing mature canopy and fruiting trees where practicable.
• Maintain links between forest remnants and retain buffers around occupied or repeatedly used trees.
• Stage clearing from one side of retained habitat towards open ground so that birds have an opportunity to leave the work area.

Threats: Fire, roads and hydrology

The supplied documents do not identify fire, roads, altered drainage or hydrology change as confirmed threats to the Barred Cuckooshrike. These pressures should still be considered where they could remove or degrade the rainforest and canopy habitat on which the species depends.

• Assess whether changed drainage, inundation, sedimentation or drying could alter rainforest vegetation and fruiting trees.
• Limit unnecessary vegetation removal for access tracks and road verges through retained forest.
• Apply the project's fire planning and weed controls to protect retained rainforest habitat, while recognising that species-specific fire thresholds are not provided.

Threats: Predators and disease

The supplied sources do not report species-specific effects from predators, introduced animals or disease. Manage these issues through the project's standard fauna procedures and seek local advice where unusual mortality or repeated nest failure is observed.

• Record injured or dead birds and report patterns through the project's fauna incident process.
• Do not attribute a decline to predators or disease without supporting field evidence.

Survey methodology: 1. Diurnal habitat and bird searches

Barred Cuckooshrikes are canopy birds of rainforest and tropical or subtropical forest on Australia's east coast. They are often high in fruiting trees, especially figs, so surveys must focus on the upper canopy as well as ground access points.

Survey suitable rainforest and subtropical forest during daylight, when birds can be watched in the canopy.

Search retained forest, forest edges and fruiting trees, with particular attention to figs and other trees carrying fruit.

Record all Barred Cuckooshrikes, calls, flight directions, feeding trees, flock associations and the height of each observation where it can be estimated.

Reported Australian range: Eastern Australia, from eastern Cape York Peninsula to north-eastern New South Wales

Typical habitat: Rainforest and tropical or subtropical forest

Typical position: High in fruiting trees, often fig trees

• Walk systematic transects through all suitable habitat within the proposed clearing area and nearby retained habitat.
• Use a suitably experienced observer with binoculars and a clear view into the upper canopy.
• Repeat searches when fruiting trees are active, because the species is often seen high in fruiting trees.

Survey methodology: 2. Stationary canopy observations

Establish fixed observation points with views into fruiting trees, forest edges and the upper canopy.

Watch quietly for movements, feeding, calls and flights between retained forest patches.

Record the observation point, date, start and finish time, weather, visibility, tree species used and the number of birds seen.

• Prioritise observation points where the canopy is open enough for reliable identification of a medium-sized, slender, slaty-grey bird with a bold yellow eye.
• Include observation points on both sides of proposed clearing areas where canopy connectivity may be broken.
• Do not treat a lack of detections from ground-level searches as evidence that the habitat is unused.

Survey methodology: 3. Transect coverage and repeat visits

Cover the full area proposed for clearing and the adjoining retained forest that may be used for movement or feeding.

Use repeat daytime visits where the first search has poor visibility, low fruit availability or restricted canopy views.

The supplied documents do not provide a species-specific transect length, survey duration, number of visits or seasonal survey window.

• Document the area searched, transect length, observer hours, weather and canopy visibility for every visit.
• Schedule additional visits when access, weather or dense foliage has limited detection.
• Treat the species as a canopy bird and plan survey routes so that upper-storey habitat is assessed, not only the forest floor.

Survey methodology: Minimum effort and reporting

• Prepare a survey map showing all transects, observation points, fruiting trees, retained forest and proposed clearing areas.
• Record positive and negative results, including the search effort and conditions needed to interpret non-detection.
• Submit confirmed records and spatial data to the relevant state wildlife database, including the NSW database where the project is in New South Wales.
• Obtain an experienced bird observer or taxonomist to confirm uncertain records, particularly where visibility is poor.
• Report any taxonomic or identification uncertainty because the species has several recognised subspecies across its range.

Before habitat disturbance: Avoid and minimise

Avoid removing occupied or suitable forest wherever practicable. Planning should retain canopy feeding areas and movement links because the species uses rainforest and subtropical forest and may forage high in fruiting trees.

• Retain rainforest and subtropical forest, especially mature canopy containing fruiting trees and figs.
• Keep connected canopy and retained forest links between habitat patches where practicable.
• Avoid clearing the largest or most productive fruiting trees within or beside the work area.
• Keep clearing footprints, access tracks, laydown areas and lighting away from retained forest edges where practicable.

Before habitat disturbance: Approvals and project planning

• Check the current EPBC Act status and whether the project may affect another protected matter, noting that the supplied species information identifies the species as not nationally listed.
• Check state threatened-species requirements, permits and approval conditions before work starts, with particular attention to New South Wales where the supplied information identifies the species as Vulnerable.
• Prepare a fauna management plan that identifies suitable forest, fruiting trees, canopy links, survey results, exclusion areas, stop-work triggers and reporting responsibilities.
• Stage clearing so that retained habitat remains available while works proceed and fauna can move away from active areas.

Before habitat disturbance: Site preparation

• Complete a pre-clearance survey of the footprint, access routes and work areas using the approved project method.
• Mark retained forest, fruiting trees, canopy links and no-go areas before machinery enters the site.
• Install exclusion fencing where it can protect retained forest and prevent machinery or stored materials entering habitat.
• Brief operators and supervisors on the species' appearance, canopy use, stop-work process and fauna spotter catcher's authority.

During habitat disturbance: Daily work controls

The species is a canopy bird, so clearing controls must protect retained upper-storey habitat and give the fauna spotter catcher a clear view of birds moving through the work area. Work should stop when an animal or an unassessed habitat feature may be affected.

• Inspect exclusion fencing, no-go markers, retained trees and access routes before each shift.
• Keep machinery, vehicles, personnel and stockpiles within approved areas.
• Use the fauna spotter catcher to inspect the next work area before vegetation removal or machinery movement.
• Avoid unnecessary noise, lighting and disturbance beside retained forest and fruiting trees.
• Maintain a clear communication link between the fauna spotter catcher, machine operator and site supervisor.

During habitat disturbance: Fauna spotter catcher and machinery

• The fauna spotter catcher must have authority to pause work whenever a bird enters the clearing zone, a retained habitat feature is at risk or visibility is inadequate.
• Position the spotter catcher where the upper canopy, tree crowns, understorey and machinery operating zone can be seen safely.
• Use staged clearing and allow birds to move towards nearby retained forest rather than driving them into active work areas.
• Do not allow untrained workers to capture, handle or relocate the bird.
• Record the location, time, work activity, response and outcome for every fauna interaction.

During habitat disturbance: Animal and habitat responses

• If a Barred Cuckooshrike is found, stop the affected activity, identify the bird and allow it to move to nearby retained forest where safe.
• Only an authorised and suitably trained person may handle or relocate fauna, and handling must be limited to what is required for immediate safety.
• Do not pursue a flying bird through the canopy or attempt capture when this would increase stress or injury risk.
• If the bird is injured, contain it only if safe and arrange prompt transfer to an appropriate veterinarian or wildlife carer.
• Stop work if an injured animal is found, if a bird is trapped or repeatedly returning to the work area, or if clearing may affect unassessed suitable forest.
• Stop work if marked retained trees, canopy links or exclusion areas are damaged or entered.

After habitat disturbance: Post-clearance checks

Post-clearing checks must confirm that retained forest, canopy links and fruiting trees remain protected. Records should support compliance reporting and guide any further management response.

• Inspect the cleared boundary and retained forest immediately after each clearing stage for stranded, injured or displaced fauna.
• Check that no-go markers, exclusion fencing and retained trees remain intact after machinery leaves.
• Repeat targeted bird searches in retained forest and around remaining fruiting trees where the project approval or fauna management plan requires monitoring.
• Investigate any reduction in observations alongside changes in canopy cover, fruit availability or connectivity rather than treating non-detection alone as evidence of absence.

After habitat disturbance: Monitoring and reporting

• Report fauna incidents, stop-work events, injuries, relocations, habitat damage and corrective actions to the project environmental officer.
• Maintain maps and photographs of retained forest, fruiting trees, canopy links and cleared areas.
• Submit confirmed records and relevant monitoring results to the relevant state wildlife database.
• Complete any approval reporting, rehabilitation reporting or offset reporting required for the project.
• Review monitoring results and amend work controls if birds continue to use areas affected by construction.

Rehabilitation actions: Habitat restoration

Rehabilitation should restore continuous forest structure and feeding habitat used by this canopy species. The supplied documents do not identify particular Australian planting species, nest-box requirements or fire thresholds, so rehabilitation design must be based on the local rainforest or subtropical forest community and project approval conditions.

• Replant locally appropriate rainforest or subtropical forest species that rebuild a connected canopy and provide native fruit resources.
• Include locally appropriate fig species where they form part of the pre-clearing community and are approved for the site.
• Reconnect isolated retained trees and forest patches with plantings wherever practicable.
• Protect regenerating plants from browsing, weeds, vehicle damage and further soil disturbance.
• Retain existing mature fruiting trees and protect them during establishment of planted vegetation.

Rehabilitation actions: Ongoing management and success measures

Suggested monitoring indicators: Survival of plantings, recovery of canopy links, retention or establishment of fruiting trees, weed control, predator control and Barred Cuckooshrike records

• Control weeds that suppress canopy regeneration and fruiting plants.
• Manage introduced predators and other site threats in accordance with the approved fauna management plan.
• Apply fire management that protects rainforest and subtropical forest regeneration and follows the requirements of the local plant community.
• Do not install hollows or nest boxes as a species-specific measure unless local assessment shows that they are appropriate, because the supplied documents do not identify hollow use or nesting requirements for Barred Cuckooshrikes.
• Monitor planted survival, canopy development, fruiting trees, connectivity and use by Barred Cuckooshrikes at the intervals set by the approval or rehabilitation plan.
• Use repeat bird observations, with the survey effort and conditions recorded, as one measure of whether restored habitat is being used.

Sources

• Barred cuckooshrike - Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barred_cuckooshrike
• Barred Cuckooshrike - eBird, ebird.org: https://ebird.org/species/yeecus1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Barred Cuckooshrike - Coracina lineata - Birds of the World, birdsoftheworld.org: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/yeecus1/cur/introduction
• Campephagidae, Cuckooshrikes, Cicadabirds, Trillers & Minivets, fatbirder.com: https://fatbirder.com/ornithology/campephagidae/