Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo

Scientific Name: Hierococcyx fugax

Malay Name: Sewah-Tekukur Melayu

Chinese Name: 马来棕腹鹰鹃

Range: Found from the Thai-Malay Peninsula to the Greater Sundas

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 29 cm

Identification: Both adult and juvenile resembles juvenile Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo but has darker brown upperparts, generally whiter and cleaner underparts with dark-brownish spot-like streaks at breast, prominent whitish patch at nape and evenly spaced tail-bars.

Similar looking species: Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo

Habitat: Forest, forest edge, wooded areas and mangroves.

Behaviour/Ecology: Known only to brood parasite on White-rumped Shama.

Local Status: Uncommon migrant and uncommon visitor

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Central Catchment Forest, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, former Bidadari Cemetery and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Featured reports: Mar 2022, Apr 2022, Nov 2022, Dec 2022, Feb 2023, Mar 2023, Aug 2023

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax
Estimated average number of individuals by week based on eBird data, Jul 2013 to Jun 2023
Peak weeks Sep 24-Sep 30, Nov 26-Dec 02
Early date 16 Jul 2021
Late date 29 Jun 2003
Generally thought to be a migratory species more commonly encountered in winter, but perhaps it's less of a seasonal migrant and more of a year-round visitor?
Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo at Bidadari. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo at Bidadari. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo at Bidadari. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo at Bidadari. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Hierococcyx fugax. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22728125A94971412.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

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

Yong, D. L. (2008). Hodgson’s Hawk Cuckoo: A Birder’s Nightmare. Singapore Avifauna, 22(1), 12–17.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo. Retrieved on October 2, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/malaysian-hawk-cuckoo.

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