Their colour ranges from black-and-white to mostly black with added grey plumage, depending on the species.

They have high-pitched complex songs, which are used to defend their essentially year-round group territories: unlike birds of extratropical Eurasia and the Americas, both sexes sing prolifically.

This "larder" is used to support the victim while it is being eaten, to store prey for later consumption, or to attract mates.

They are opportunistic, showing little fear and readily taking food offerings to the point of becoming semi-tame.

Except in the rainforest-dwelling hooded and black butcherbirds,[9] cooperative breeding occurs, with many individuals delaying dispersal to rear young.