The Black cuckoo-shrike has gotten its name from the male's plumage. The male is completely black with a dark bill and a patche of yellow cere just beside the bill. The female, on the other hand, has, as in this picture, an almost cuckoo-like appearance with distinct watering on the throat and chest and bright yellow elements in the plumage. The food consists of butterflies and moths, and especially their larvae, as well as flying termites and other insects.