Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo

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, Sep 2023, Nov 2023, Dec 2023, Jan 2024, Feb 2024, Mar 2024, Apr 2024, May 2024, Sep 2024, Oct 2024, Nov 2024, Mar 2025

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx fugax
Estimated average number of individuals by week based on eBird data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024
Peak week 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 April 28, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/malaysian-hawk-cuckoo.

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