Cracticus is a genus of butcherbirds native to Australasia. It is one of six (or seven) members of the genus "Cracticus" known as butcherbirds. Pied butcherbirds sometimes sing on moonlit nights. Within the genus, it is most closely related to the grey and silver-backed butcherbirds. The cracticids&colon; currawongs, bellmagpies and butcherbirds, are similar to the other corvids. Grey butcherbirds sit in branches and wait for prey. The Australasian butcherbirds are not shrikes, although they occupy a similar ecological niche. Butcherbirds are songbirds closely related to the Australian magpie. Butcherbirds are large songbirds, being between in length. Butcherbirds live in a variety of habitats from tropical rainforest to arid shrubland.