Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Sirkeer Malkoha

Taccocua leschenaultii

The Sirkeer Malkoha, or Sirkeer Cuckoo (Taccocua leschenaultii), presents a striking figure in the dry scrub forests and open woodlands of the Indian subcontinent. This non-parasitic cuckoo is notable for its long tail and the rich olive brown plumage adorning its upper side. A distinctive feature of this species is its curved red beak, which sports a yellow tip, a characteristic that is as functional as it is visually arresting.

Identification Tips

Observers should look for the narrow white streak above the eye, a feature that is particularly visible in the right light. The bird's underside is a warm rufous, contrasting with the greenish gloss of the wings and darker tail feathers. The tail itself is graduated, with the outer feathers being sequentially shorter, and is tipped broadly in white. The legs of the Sirkeer Malkoha are a subtle grey, and the iris of the eye a reddish brown, complementing the overall color scheme of the bird.

Habitat

The Sirkeer Malkoha is typically found in scrub and thin forest habitats, often favoring hilly terrain but generally residing below an altitude of about 1500 meters above sea level.

Distribution

This species is widespread across the sub-Himalayan Indian subcontinent, extending into Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and, more patchily, into Pakistan and Rajasthan. It has been observed that their range expanded into the Sind region in the 1930s, likely due to human alterations to the landscape such as the construction of the Sukkur barrage and the extension of canal irrigation.

Behaviour

The Sirkeer Malkoha is known for its ground foraging behavior, often seen creeping between grasses and bushes or moving across rocky habitats. When disturbed, it may run on the ground with a mongoose-like gait or take to weak flight. Typically very silent, this bird can emit a low buzzing sound or sharp, repeated calls reminiscent of a rose-ringed parakeet when vocalizing.

Song & Calls

The Sirkeer Malkoha's vocal repertoire includes a low buzzing 'zwik', as well as sharp 'kik' or 'kek' sounds, which bear a tonal similarity to the calls of the rose-ringed parakeet.

Breeding

During the breeding season, which spans from March to August, the Sirkeer Malkoha engages in a courtship display that involves pairs bowing with tails splayed and held upright. The display is accompanied by clicking sounds, and the nest is a broad saucer of twigs lined with green leaves. The clutch typically consists of two to three pale yellowish brown eggs.

Similar Species

While the Sirkeer Malkoha is distinctive in its appearance, it may be confused with other long-tailed species in its habitat. Careful observation of its unique beak coloration and tail pattern can aid in correct identification.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Sirkeer Malkoha includes caterpillars, insects, other invertebrates, small vertebrates, and occasionally berries and seeds. Its foraging habits are adapted to its environment, with a preference for ground-level searching.

Conservation status

The Sirkeer Malkoha is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers that would warrant a higher level of concern.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Sirkeer Malkohas on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Cuckoos

A photo of a Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis)

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Cacomantis flabelliformis
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Jake W
Great app
I use this app all the time as it’s quick and easy to log individual sightings or whole birding sessions. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and the forum is full of really friendly people. The challenges are a great way to get involved and learn more about birds. Cannot recommend it enough!
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Talli A
My favourite app
As a young birdwatcher who was always keen to be apart of a community but never seemed to find one, my problem was solved downloading this!!! Everyone is so friendly and just as excited to see birds as me 😁
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life PokΓ©mon go.
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❀️
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter πŸ˜„
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright Β© 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.