- general description
- appearance
- the plaintive cuckoo is a small to medium-sized bird with a slender body and long tail.
- it has a grayish-brown head and upperparts with a slightly rufous or chestnut tint on the wings.
- the underparts are pale gray to white, with fine barring on the lower belly and flanks.
- its tail is long and graduated, with white spots on the tips of the feathers.
- the eyes are red, and the beak is slightly curved and dark.
- size
- measures about 23-26 cm in length.
- typically weighs around 30-45 grams.
- behavior
- known for its distinctive and repetitive “piu-piu” call, often heard during the breeding season.
- usually solitary and secretive, often seen perched quietly in dense foliage.
- practices brood parasitism, laying its eggs in the nests of other bird species.
- habitat
- range
- widely distributed across south asia and southeast asia, including india, sri lanka, bangladesh, myanmar, thailand, malaysia, indonesia, and the philippines.
- environment
- inhabits a variety of environments, including open woodlands, forest edges, scrublands, gardens, and agricultural areas.
- prefers areas with dense vegetation where it can easily remain hidden while foraging or calling.
- diet
- primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of insects, including caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers.
- also consumes spiders and other small invertebrates.
- breeding
- nesting
- does not build its own nest; instead, it lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species, particularly small songbirds like prinias and tailorbirds.
- the host species incubates the eggs and raises the plaintive cuckoo chick, often at the expense of its own offspring.
- reproduction
- breeding season varies across its range but generally occurs during the warmer months when food is abundant.
- female lays a single egg in the host’s nest.
- the cuckoo chick often hatches earlier and grows faster than the host’s chicks, sometimes pushing them out of the nest.
- conservation status
- currently not considered endangered or vulnerable.
- listed as least concern by the iucn due to its wide range and stable population.
- interesting facts
- the plaintive cuckoo’s brood parasitism strategy allows it to reproduce without the need to build a nest or care for its young, which can increase its reproductive success.
- its name, “plaintive,” reflects the sorrowful quality of its repetitive call, which is a common sound in its habitat during the breeding season.
- despite being a brood parasite, the plaintive cuckoo is a highly adaptable bird that can thrive in a variety of habitats, including human-modified landscapes.