- general description
- appearance
- a medium-sized bird with a slender body and long tail.
- it has gray upperparts and pale underparts with fine dark barring.
- the throat and upper chest are unbarred and slightly paler than the rest of the underparts.
- the wings are rounded, and the tail is long and slightly graduated.
- the eyes are yellow, and the beak is dark and slightly curved.
- size
- measures about 28-32 cm in length.
- typically weighs around 80-120 grams.
- behavior
- known for its distinctive and repetitive “coo-coo” call, often heard during the breeding season.
- solitary and secretive, often perching quietly in dense foliage.
- practices brood parasitism, laying its eggs in the nests of other bird species.
- habitat
- range
- found across the Himalayas and parts of east esia, including northern india, nepal, bhutan, china, taiwan, korea, and japan.
- environment
- inhabits a variety of forested environments, including montane and temperate forests, as well as mixed and deciduous woodlands.
- prefers areas with dense tree cover for foraging and nesting.
- diet
- primarily insectivorous, feeding on caterpillars, beetles, and other insects.
- also consumes small vertebrates and occasionally fruits and berries.
- breeding
- nesting
- does not build its own nest; instead, it lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species, particularly warblers and other small songbirds.
- the host species incubates the eggs and raises the cuckoo chick, often to the detriment of its own offspring.
- reproduction
- breeding season varies across its range but generally occurs during the warmer months.
- female lays a single egg in the host’s nest.
- the cuckoo chick hatches earlier and grows faster than the host chicks, often outcompeting them for food.
- 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 himalayan 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 distinctive “coo-coo” call is often one of the first signs of its presence in an area.
- the cuckoo’s diet includes many hairy caterpillars that are avoided by other birds, helping to control pest populations.