Indian Cuckoo

Indian Cuckoo

Scientific Name: Cuculus micropterus

Malay Name: Sewah Biasa

Chinese Name: 四声杜鹃

Range: Found from the Indian subcontinent to China, Siberia, Korea and Southeast Asia (except Singapore and Philippines) with the northern populations wintering south to Southeast Asia

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: micropterus, concretus.

Local Subspecies: micropterus, concretus

Size: 31-33 cm

Identification: Male has greyish head, throat and upper breast, brownish tinge mantle, wings and tail, whitish rest of underparts with blackish bars and greyish-green eyering. Female resembles male but has rufescent wash across breast. Juvenile resembles adult but has browner crown and head-sides, prominent rufous to whitish feather-tips on upperparts and buffish underparts with broken dark bars.

Similar looking species: Himalayan Cuckoo

Habitat: Forest, forest edge, mangroves, parks and gardens.

Behaviour/Ecology:

Local Status: Common migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2018)

Location: Central Catchment Forest, former Bidadari Cemetery, Chinese/Japanese Gardens, Jurong Eco Garden, Satay by the Bay, Lorong Halus, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Pasir Ris Park, Tuas South, Pulau Ubin and West Coast Park.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus
Estimated average number of individuals by week based on eBird data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024
Peak week Nov 05-Nov 11
Early date 22 Aug 2024
Late date 23 Jun 2011
Usually quite common from Nov to Dec, with numbers dwindling through the spring months.

References:

BirdLife International. (2018). Cuculus micropterus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22683870A130085980.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

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