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Cuckoos

Cuckoos are medium-sized, slender birds that are part of the Cuculidae family and are known for their distinct calls. This diverse family includes various species such as the common cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, and anis, with some members possibly constituting their own separate families. These birds have a global presence, though they are predominantly found in tropical regions and exhibit a mixture of sedentary and migratory behaviors. Cuckoos have varied diets that can include insects, larvae, fruit, and other small animals. A prominent feature among cuckoos is brood parasitism, practiced by some species, where they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, leaving the host species to raise their offspring. The practice has influenced their cultural significance throughout human history, appearing in myths and symbolizing diverse concepts from springtime to unrequited love across different cultures. Physically, cuckoos range from very small to relatively large, with some species demonstrating zygodactyl feet (two toes pointing forward and two backward) and long tails that aid in flight. They exhibit varying levels of sexual dimorphism and have adapted different wing shapes and styles to suit their arboreal or terrestrial lifestyles. Cuckoos are mostly solitary and their breeding strategies vary from communal nesting to solitary brood parasitism. Their secretive nature is often contrasted by the conspicuous nature of their calls, which is essential for communication within the species. Despite the general disadvantage of parasitism to host species, there are complex ecological interactions that sometimes lead to mutual benefits. The evolutionary history and fossil record of cuckoos are not well understood, but they have been grouped with turacos and bustards into a higher clade named Otidimorphae. With over 150 species divided into roughly 33 genera, cuckoos continue to captivate ornithologists and bird enthusiasts worldwide.

Regions

Categories

All
Accentors
African & Green Broadbills
Albatrosses
Alcippe Fulvettas
Anhingas, Darters
Asian Barbets
Auks
Austral Storm Petrels
Australasian Babblers
Australasian Robins
Australasian Warblers
Australasian Wrens
Australo-Papuan Bellbirds
Babblers, Scimitar Babblers
Barn Owls
Bee-eaters
Birds-of-paradise
Boatbills
Bristlehead
Bulbuls
Buntings
Bushtits
Bustards
Buttonquail
Caracaras, Falcons
Cassowaries, Emu
Cettia Bush Warblers & Allies
Chats, Old World Flycatchers
Cisticolas & Allies
Cockatoos
Cormorants, Shags
Coursers, Pratincoles
Crab-plover
Cranes
Crombecs, African Warblers
Crows, Jays

Cuckoos

Cuckooshrikes
Cupwings
Dippers
Drongos
Ducks, Geese, Swans
Elachura
Fairy Flycatchers
Fairy-bluebirds
Fantails
Figbirds, Orioles, Turnagra
Finches, Euphonias
Finfoots
Flamingos
Flowerpeckers
Flufftails
Frigatebirds
Frogmouths
Gannets, Boobies
Goldcrests, Kinglets
Grassbirds & Allies
Grebes
Ground Babblers
Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Herons, Bitterns
Honeyeaters
Honeyguides
Hoopoes
Hornbills
Hylocitrea
Ibisbill
Ibises, Spoonbills
Ifrit
Indigobirds, Whydahs
Ioras
Jacanas
Jewel-babblers, Quail-thrushes
Kingfishers
Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Larks
Laughingthrushes & Allies
Leaf Warblers & Allies
Leafbirds
Longspurs, Snow Buntings
Magpie Goose
Megapodes
Melampittas
Monarchs
Mottled Berryhunter
Nightjars
Northern Storm Petrels
Nuthatches
Old World Parrots
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
Ospreys
Owls
Oystercatchers
Painted-snipes
Parrotbills & Allies
Pelicans
Penduline Tits
Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Pheasants & Allies
Pigeons, Doves
Pittas
Ploughbill
Plovers
Rail-babbler
Rails, Crakes & Coots
Reed Warblers & Allies
Rollers
Sandpipers, Snipes
Shrikes
Sittellas
Skuas
Starlings, Rhabdornis
Stilts, Avocets
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
Storks
Sunbirds
Swallows, Martins
Swifts
Sylviid Babblers
Thrushes
Tits, Chickadees
Treecreepers
Treeswifts
Trogons
Tropicbirds
Typical Broadbills
Vangas & Allies
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits
Wallcreeper
Waxbills, Munias & Allies
Waxwings
Weavers, Widowbirds
Whipbirds
Whistlers & Allies
White-eyes
Woodpeckers
Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
Wrens
Jayshrike

Andaman Coucal

Centropus andamanensis
A photo of a Asian Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus) , male

Asian Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx maculatus
A photo of a Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) , male

Asian Koel

Eudynamys scolopaceus
A photo of a Banded Bay Cuckoo (Cacomantis sonneratii)

Banded Bay Cuckoo

Cacomantis sonneratii

Bay Coucal

Centropus celebensis

Biak Coucal

Centropus chalybeus

Black-bellied Malkoha

Phaenicophaeus diardi

Black-billed Coucal

Centropus bernsteini

Black-billed Koel

Eudynamys melanorhynchus

Black-eared Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx osculans

Black-faced Coucal

Centropus melanops

Black-hooded Coucal

Centropus steerii

Bornean Ground Cuckoo

Carpococcyx radiceus

Brush Cuckoo

Cacomantis variolosus
A photo of a Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae)

Channel-billed Cuckoo

Scythrops novaehollandiae

Chestnut-bellied Malkoha

Phaenicophaeus sumatranus

Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo

Cacomantis castaneiventris

Chestnut-breasted Malkoha

Phaenicophaeus curvirostris
A photo of a Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (Clamator coromandus)

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo

Clamator coromandus
A photo of a Common Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius)

Common Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx varius

Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo

Carpococcyx renauldi
A photo of a Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

Cuckoo

Cuculus canorus

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx bocki

Dwarf Koel

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

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Cacomantis flabelliformis

Fork-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo

Surniculus dicruroides

Goliath Coucal

Centropus goliath
A photo of a Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis)

Greater Coucal

Centropus sinensis
A photo of a Green-billed Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus tristis)

Green-billed Malkoha

Phaenicophaeus tristis

Grey-bellied Cuckoo

Cacomantis passerinus
A photo of a Himalayan Cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus) , male

Himalayan Cuckoo

Cuculus saturatus
A photo of a Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx nisicolor)

Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx nisicolor
A photo of a Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx basalis)

Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx basalis
A photo of a Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus)

Indian Cuckoo

Cuculus micropterus

Ivory-billed Coucal

Centropus menbeki
A photo of a Jacobin Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus)

Jacobin Cuckoo

Clamator jacobinus
A photo of a Large Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx sparverioides)

Large Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx sparverioides
A photo of a Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis)

Lesser Coucal

Centropus bengalensis

Lesser Cuckoo

Cuculus poliocephalus
A photo of a Little Bronze Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus) , male

Little Bronze Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx minutillus

Long-billed Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx megarhynchus
A photo of a Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx fugax)

Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx fugax

Moluccan Cuckoo

Cacomantis aeruginosus

Moluccan Drongo-Cuckoo

Surniculus musschenbroeki

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx vagans
A photo of a Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) , male

Oriental Cuckoo

Cuculus optatus

Pacific Koel

Eudynamys orientalis
A photo of a Pallid Cuckoo (Cacomantis pallidus) , male

Pallid Cuckoo

Cacomantis pallidus
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Species Categories

Accentors

African & Green Broadbills

Albatrosses

Alcippe Fulvettas

Anhingas, Darters

Asian Barbets

Auks

Austral Storm Petrels

Australasian Babblers

Australasian Robins

Australasian Warblers

Australasian Wrens

Australo-Papuan Bellbirds

Babblers, Scimitar Babblers

Barn Owls

Bee-eaters

Birds-of-paradise

Boatbills

Bristlehead

Bulbuls

Buntings

Bushtits

Bustards

Buttonquail

Caracaras, Falcons

Cassowaries, Emu

Cettia Bush Warblers & Allies

Chats, Old World Flycatchers

Cisticolas & Allies

Cockatoos

Cormorants, Shags

Coursers, Pratincoles

Crab-plover

Cranes

Crombecs, African Warblers

Crows, Jays

Cuckoos

Cuckooshrikes

Cupwings

Dippers

Drongos

Ducks, Geese, Swans

Elachura

Fairy Flycatchers

Fairy-bluebirds

Fantails

Figbirds, Orioles, Turnagra

Finches, Euphonias

Finfoots

Flamingos

Flowerpeckers

Flufftails

Frigatebirds

Frogmouths

Gannets, Boobies

Goldcrests, Kinglets

Grassbirds & Allies

Grebes

Ground Babblers

Gulls, Terns, Skimmers

Herons, Bitterns

Honeyeaters

Honeyguides

Hoopoes

Hornbills

Hylocitrea

Ibisbill

Ibises, Spoonbills

Ifrit

Indigobirds, Whydahs

Ioras

Jacanas

Jewel-babblers, Quail-thrushes

Kingfishers

Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Larks

Laughingthrushes & Allies

Leaf Warblers & Allies

Leafbirds

Longspurs, Snow Buntings

Magpie Goose

Megapodes

Melampittas

Monarchs

Mottled Berryhunter

Nightjars

Northern Storm Petrels

Nuthatches

Old World Parrots

Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches

Ospreys

Owls

Oystercatchers

Painted-snipes

Parrotbills & Allies

Pelicans

Penduline Tits

Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels

Pheasants & Allies

Pigeons, Doves

Pittas

Ploughbill

Plovers

Rail-babbler

Rails, Crakes & Coots

Reed Warblers & Allies

Rollers

Sandpipers, Snipes

Shrikes

Sittellas

Skuas

Starlings, Rhabdornis

Stilts, Avocets

Stone-curlews, Thick-knees

Storks

Sunbirds

Swallows, Martins

Swifts

Sylviid Babblers

Thrushes

Tits, Chickadees

Treecreepers

Treeswifts

Trogons

Tropicbirds

Typical Broadbills

Vangas & Allies

Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers

Wagtails, Pipits

Wallcreeper

Waxbills, Munias & Allies

Waxwings

Weavers, Widowbirds

Whipbirds

Whistlers & Allies

White-eyes

Woodpeckers

Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies

Wrens

Jayshrike

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