Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Cacomantis sonneratii
Family: Cuckoos · Status: Common resident · Size: 23–24 cm · Conservation: Least Concern
Resident from the Indian subcontinent to southern China, Indochina, and the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, Palawan, and Java.
Adult has rufescent upperparts with black bars, very fine bars on white underparts, a broad white supercilium, and a rufous tail with a subterminal black band and narrow white tip. Juvenile resembles adult but has pale buff bars on head-sides, crown, and mantle, and a yellow to orange-yellow lower mandible. Separated from female Plaintive Cuckoo by broad white supercilium, darker upperparts, and fine bars on underparts. Separated from female Sunda Brush Cuckoo by white supercilium and lack of yellow eyering.
Forest, forest edge, parks and gardens.
Known brood parasite of Common Iora in Singapore; the nestling evicts the host's eggs and chicks.