Indian Cuckoo

The Indian cuckoo, or Cuculus micropterus, is a medium-sized bird belonging to the cuckoo family. Both sexes exhibit similar plumage, with grey upperparts and a barred underside featuring a distinctive broad subterminal dark band and a white tip on the tail. The juveniles are distinguishable by their browner feathers and white tips on the head and wing feathers.

Identification Tips

Adult Indian cuckoos have a grey eye-ring and light brown to reddish iris. The female may be identified by her slightly paler grey throat and more brown on the breast and tail compared to the male. The barring on the belly of the female is also narrower. Nestlings can be recognized by their orange-red mouth and yellow flanges at the gape.

Habitat

This species thrives in a variety of wooded environments, including deciduous and evergreen forests, as well as garden lands and thick scrub.

Distribution

The Indian cuckoo's range extends from the Indian subcontinent, encompassing India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, eastward to Indonesia, and northward to China and Russia.

Behaviour

A solitary and shy bird, the Indian cuckoo is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other birds, such as drongos and crows. The female cuckoo often removes an egg from the host's nest to lay her own. The young cuckoo will then push out the host's eggs or chicks to monopolize the food provided by the unsuspecting foster parents.

Song & Calls

The Indian cuckoo's call is a loud, distinctive four-note sequence that has been creatively transcribed in various ways, such as "orange-pekoe" or "one more bottle." These calls are particularly common during the breeding season.

Breeding

Breeding seasons vary by region, with the Indian cuckoo breeding from May to July in northern China, March to August in India, January to June in Burma, and January to August in the Malay Peninsula. The species is known to parasitize the nests of several host species, including the black drongo and the ashy drongo in India.

Similar Species

The Indian cuckoo may be confused with the common hawk-cuckoo, but can be distinguished by its call and slight differences in plumage.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists primarily of hairy caterpillars and other insects, with occasional fruit consumption. The Indian cuckoo typically forages in the upper canopy, employing various techniques such as gleaning and aerial sallies.

Conservation status

The Indian cuckoo is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of population decline.