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Cuculus
''Cuculus'' is a genus of cuckoos which has representatives in most of the Old World, although the greatest diversity is in tropical southern and southeastern Asia. Taxonomy The genus ''Cuculus'' was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his '' Systema Naturae''. The genus name is the Latin word for "cuckoo". The type species is the common cuckoo (''Cuculus canorus''). Species The genus contains 11 species: * Black cuckoo, ''Cuculus clamosus'' * Red-chested cuckoo, ''Cuculus solitarius'' * Lesser cuckoo, ''Cuculus poliocephalus'' * Sulawesi cuckoo or Sulawesi hawk-cuckoo, ''Cuculus crassirostris'' * Indian cuckoo, ''Cuculus micropterus'' * Madagascar cuckoo, ''Cuculus rochii'' * African cuckoo, ''Cuculus gularis'' * Himalayan cuckoo, ''Cuculus saturatus'' * Oriental cuckoo, ''Cuculus optatus'' (formerly ''horsfieldi'') (split from ''C. saturatus'') * Sunda cuckoo, ''Cuculus lepidus'' (split from ''C. saturatus'') * Common cuckoo, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Cuckoo
The common cuckoo (''Cuculus canorus'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals. This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa. It is a brood parasite, which means it lays eggs in the nests of other bird species, particularly of dunnocks, meadow pipits, and reed warblers. Although its eggs are larger than those of its hosts, the eggs in each type of host nest resemble the host's eggs. The adult too is a mimic, in its case of the sparrowhawk; since that species is a predator, the mimicry gives the female time to lay her eggs without being attacked. Taxonomy The species' binomial name is derived from the Latin ''cuculus'' (the cuckoo) and ''canorus'' (melodious; from ''canere'', meaning to sing). The cuckoo family gets its common name and genus name by onomatopoeia for the call of the male common cuckoo. The English word "cuckoo" comes from the Old French ''cucu'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Common Cuckoo
The common cuckoo (''Cuculus canorus'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals. This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa. It is a brood parasite, which means it lays eggs in the nests of other bird species, particularly of dunnocks, meadow pipits, and reed warblers. Although its eggs are larger than those of its hosts, the eggs in each type of host nest resemble the host's eggs. The adult too is a mimic, in its case of the sparrowhawk; since that species is a predator, the mimicry gives the female time to lay her eggs without being attacked. Taxonomy The species' binomial name is derived from the Latin ''cuculus'' (the cuckoo) and ''canorus'' (melodious; from ''canere'', meaning to sing). The cuckoo family gets its common name and genus name by onomatopoeia for the call of the male common cuckoo. The English word "cuckoo" comes from the Old French ''cucu'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cuculus
''Cuculus'' is a genus of cuckoos which has representatives in most of the Old World, although the greatest diversity is in tropical southern and southeastern Asia. Taxonomy The genus ''Cuculus'' was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his '' Systema Naturae''. The genus name is the Latin word for "cuckoo". The type species is the common cuckoo (''Cuculus canorus''). Species The genus contains 11 species: * Black cuckoo, ''Cuculus clamosus'' * Red-chested cuckoo, ''Cuculus solitarius'' * Lesser cuckoo, ''Cuculus poliocephalus'' * Sulawesi cuckoo or Sulawesi hawk-cuckoo, ''Cuculus crassirostris'' * Indian cuckoo, ''Cuculus micropterus'' * Madagascar cuckoo, ''Cuculus rochii'' * African cuckoo, ''Cuculus gularis'' * Himalayan cuckoo, ''Cuculus saturatus'' * Oriental cuckoo, ''Cuculus optatus'' (formerly ''horsfieldi'') (split from ''C. saturatus'') * Sunda cuckoo, ''Cuculus lepidus'' (split from ''C. saturatus'') * Common cuckoo, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oriental Cuckoo
The Oriental cuckoo or Horsfields cuckoo (''Cuculus optatus'') is a bird belonging to the genus ''Cuculus'' in the cuckoo family Cuculidae. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the Himalayan cuckoo (''C. saturatus''), with the name 'Oriental cuckoo' used for the combined species. Differences in voice and size suggest that it should be treated as a separate species.King, Ben (2005The taxonomic status of the three subspecies of ''Cuculus saturatus''. ''Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club'', 125 (1):48-55 The binomial name ''Cuculus horsfieldi'' has often been used instead of ''Cuculus optatus'', but is now usually considered to be a junior synonym.Peterson, Alan P. (ed.) (1999) Zoological Nomenclature Resource (Zoonomen).' Accessed 22/08/07. Description It is 30-32 centimetres long with a wingspan of 51-57 centimetres and a weight of 73-156 grams. The adult male has a grey head, breast and upperparts. The belly is creamy-white with dark bars. The vent is frequently ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Cuckoo
The Indian cuckoo (''Cuculus micropterus'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, that is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It ranges from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and north to China and Russia. It is a solitary and shy bird, found in forests and open woodland at up to . Description This is a medium-sized cuckoo with both sexes alike. It has grey upperparts while the underside has broad black barring. The tail is barred with a broad subterminal dark band and a white tip. Young birds have white markings on the crown and white chin and throat contrasting with a dark face. Juveniles are browner and have broad white tips to the head and wing feathers. The eye-ring is gray to yellow (a feature shared with the common hawk-cuckoo). The iris is light brown to reddish. The female differs from the male in being slightly paler grey on the throat and in having more brown on the breast and tail. The barring on t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Cuckoo
The black cuckoo (''Cuculus clamosus'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. The species is distributed widely across sub-Saharan Africa. There are two subspecies. This cuckoo has a very wide range and is quite common so it is classified as a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Description The black cuckoo is a medium-sized cuckoo. The sexes are similar, the plumage varying by subspecies; ''Cuculus clamosus clamosus'' has upper parts black glossed with green, slatey-grey wings and black tail tipped with white and sometimes with the outer feathers barred or spotted with white or buff; ''Cuculus clamosus gabonensis'' is mostly black with a red throat and black and white barring on the belly. Distribution and habitat The subspecies ''Cuculus clamosus gabonensis'' is a resident in Central Africa, whereas the Southern African subspecies ''Cuculus clamosus clamosus'' is bird migration, migratory, breeding in Southern Africa in Sept ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-chested Cuckoo
The red-chested cuckoo (''Cuculus solitarius'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is a medium-sized bird found in Africa south of the Sahara. In Afrikaans, it is known as "Piet-my-vrou", after its call. Description The red-chested cuckoo is a medium-size cuckoo about in length. The male has slate-grey upper parts, pale grey throat and sides of head and dark grey tail tipped with white. The breast is rufous or cinnamon, often with barring, and the belly is creamy-white or pale buff. The female is similar but the colour of the breast is duller and with variable amounts of barring. Distribution and habitat thumbnail, left, A female in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa ">South_Africa.html" ;"title="KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa">KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Himalayan Cuckoo
The Himalayan cuckoo (''Cuculus saturatus'') is a species of cuckoo in the genus ''Cuculus''. It breeds from the Himalayas eastward to southern China and Taiwan. It migrates to southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands for the winter. It was formerly known as "Oriental cuckoo" and contained several subspecies found over most of Asia. In 2005, it was determined that this "species" consists of three distinct lineages: * Himalayan cuckoo, ''Cuculus (saturatus) saturatus'' * Oriental cuckoo proper, ''Cuculus (saturatus) optatus'' * Sunda cuckoo, ''Cuculus (saturatus) lepidus'' These are usually seen as distinct species nowadays. As the type specimen of the former "Oriental" cuckoo is a bird of the Himalayan population, the name ''saturatus'' applies to the Himalayan cuckoo if it is considered a species. References Himalayan cuckoo Birds of the Himalayas Birds of South China Himalayan cuckoo Himalayan cuckoo The Himalayan cuckoo (''Cuculus saturatus'') is a species of cuck ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African Cuckoo
The African cuckoo (''Cuculus gularis'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa where it migrates within the continent, generally arriving and breeding in any one locality during the rainy season. A fairly common bird, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern". Description left, The upper tail covers are grey like those of a common cuckoo, rather than blackish as in lesser or Madagascar cuckoos. 260px, Tail barring is complete, unlike the common cuckoo which has the outer rectrices incompletely barred. This is a medium-sized species with a long tail, with a total length of . Its dashing flight makes it resemble a bird of prey. The sexes are similar, the head, upper parts and wings being dark grey, the throat and breast pale grey and the belly white barred with dark grey. The tail is dark grey with dark barring and a white tip. The eye is yellow in the male and lig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lesser Cuckoo
The lesser cuckoo (''Cuculus poliocephalus'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malawi, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In culture 150px, left, Lesser cuckoo on a 1971 Japanese stamp In Japan, the bird is called and frequently praised for its song. It has been celebrated by numerous ''waka'' poets since the anthology ''Kokin wakashū'' (920). Sei Shōnagon in her essay ''The Pillow Book'' (1002) mentions a trip she and other courtiers mounted on just to hear this bird, and it was expected of them that they would compose poetry on the occasion. It is also the central image in poem 81 by Tokudaiji Sanesada in the anthology of 100 poems, the ''Hyakunin Isshu ''. The Japanese haiku magazine '' Hototogisu'' takes its name from the b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Madagascar Cuckoo
The Madagascar cuckoo (''Cuculus rochii''), also known as the Madagascar lesser cuckoo, is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. Though it breeds only in Madagascar, it spends the non-breeding season in a number of countries in the African Great Lakes region and the Indian Ocean islands: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most cent .... Description The Madagascar cuckoo is a small, slim cuckoo, measuring in length. References Madagascar cuckoo Birds of Madagascar Birds of East Africa Madagascar cuckoo Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{cuculiformes-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sulawesi Cuckoo
The Sulawesi cuckoo (''Cuculus crassirostris'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is often known as the Sulawesi hawk-cuckoo but appears not to be related to the other hawk-cuckoos.Payne, Robert B. (2005) ''The Cuckoos'', Oxford University Press. It is endemic to Sulawesi Island in Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...s. References Cuculus Birds described in 1872 Taxa named by Arthur Hay, 9th Marquess of Tweeddale Endemic birds of Sulawesi Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{cuculiformes-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
