Birds of India - The New Synopsis

A complete checklist of bird species and subspecies found in India

Cuculiformes (Cuckoos)

Cuculidae (Cuckoos)

• Centropus Illiger, 1811 Prodromus systematis mammalium et avium: additis terminis zoographicis utriusque classis, eorumque versione germanica p.205 Cuculus aegyptius Gmelin, 1788; Type by subsequent designation
  • 101. Andaman Coucal Centropus andamanensis Beavan, 1867 [HB#603]
    Original Description: Centropus andamanensis Beavan, 1867 Ibis p.321 (Andaman Is)
    Distribution: All of the major islands of Andamans including all islets.
    Type Specimen: ZSI#35610 (Syntype).
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, MCZ, YPM
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Endemic: Andaman & Nicobar Is.
  
  
  • 102. Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis (Stephens, 1815)
    Alternative Names: Crow-Pheasant
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 102a. Centropus sinensis sinensis (Stephens, 1815) [HB#600]
      Original Description: Polophilus sinensis Stephens, 1815 General Zoology, or systematic natural history 9 pt1 p.51
      Distribution: From the Indus plains and Himalayan foothills of Kashmir, Jammu, and Punjab, west through Gangetic plains of Haryana, Uttarakhand foothills, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal – all roughly north of Ganga; Sikkim foothills, and Assam roughly north of Brahmaputra as well as S Arunachal.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMZC, UMMZ, FMNH, MCZ, USNM, YPM, FTLB
    • 102b. Centropus sinensis parroti Stresemann, 1913 [HB#602]
      Original Description: Centropus sinensis parroti Stresemann, 1913 Novitates Zoologicae 20 p.323
      Taxonomy: Though species status has been suggested (RA2012), plumage details including that of juveniles, vocalisations and molecular affinities remains unstudied.
      Distribution: From about Ambala in Haryana, south and east of the range of the nominate subspecies in the entire country, roughly south of Ganga till the southern tip of peninsula.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM, MYS
    • 102c. Centropus sinensis intermedius (Hume, 1873) [HB#601]
      Original Description: Centrococcyx intermedius Hume, 1873 Stray Feathers 1 p.454
      Distribution: Assam (South of Brahmaputra), Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, and Mizoram.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, AMNH, ROM, USNM, YPM
  
  
  • 103. Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis (Gmelin, 1788)
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 103a. Centropus bengalensis bengalensis (Gmelin, 1788) [HB#605]
      Original Description: Cuculus bengalensis Gmelin, 1788 Systema Naturae. Editio decima tertia, aucta, reformata. Cura Jo. Frid. Gmelin (etc.). Tomus I [pars I] 13, vol. 1, part 1, p.412 (Bengal)
      Distribution: Along the Himalayan terai from Uttarakhand through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, W Bengal, Assam, and entire NE India. Disjunct in SW Karnataka, Kerala – from the midlands to the hills in the W Ghats, as well as adjoining Ghats in Tamil Nadu till Sirumalai. Once to S Andaman Is.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, FMNH, MCZ, USNM, YPM, TNHM
  
  
• Taccocua Lesson, 1830 Traité d'Ornithologie, ou Tableau Méthodique des ordres, sous-ordres, familles, tribus, genres, sous-genres et races d'oiseaux livr.2 p.143 Taccocua leschenaultii Lesson, 1830; Type by monotypy
  • 104. Sirkeer Malkoha Taccocua leschenaultii Lesson, 1830
    Alternative Names: Sirkeer Cuckoo
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: High. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: Exact demarcation of subspecies range not known.
    • 104a. Taccocua leschenaultii sirkee (Gray, 1831) [HB#596]
      Original Description: Centropus sirkee Gray, 1831 Illustrations of Indian zoology; chiefly selected from the collection of Major-General Hardwicke, F. R. S. 1 pt6 pl.28 (Kanpur)
      Taxonomy: Includes vantynei Koelz 1954 from Sasan (Junagadh, Gujarat).
      Distribution: Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal, Garhwal region (Uttarakhand), W Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH
    • 104b. Taccocua leschenaultii infuscata Blyth, 1845 [HB#597]
      Original Description: Taccocua infuscata Blyth, 1845 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 14 p.200 (Terai region near Darjeeling)
      Taxonomy: Includes affinis Blyth 1846 from Rajmahal and Monghyr [=Munger] hills.
      Distribution: Kumaon region (Uttarakhand), terai of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, E Madhya Pradesh (?), Jharkhand, Odisha, W Bengal, W Assam, and adjoining Arunachal.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMZC, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM
    • 104c. Taccocua leschenaultii leschenaultii Lesson, 1830 [HB#598]
      Original Description: Taccocua Leschenaultii Lesson, 1830 Traité d'Ornithologie, ou Tableau Méthodique des ordres, sous-ordres, familles, tribus, genres, sous-genres et races d'oiseaux livr.2 p.144 (Chennai)
      Distribution: Range south of the nominate subspecies in Tamil Nadu, adjoining Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra, Telangana, S Maharashtra, possibly adjoining Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
      Type Specimen: MNHN#MO-1997-1200 (Holotype).
      Specimens: BNHS, UMZC, MNHN, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, USNM, YPM
  
  
• Phaenicophaeus Stephens, 1815 General Zoology, or systematic natural history 9 pt1 p.58 Cuculus pyrrhocephalus Pennant, 1769; Type by subsequent designation (Peters, 1940, Check-list of birds of the world, 4, p.56)
  • 105. Blue-faced Malkoha Phaenicophaeus viridirostris (Jerdon, 1840) [HB#595]
    Original Description: Zanclostomus viridirostris Jerdon, 1840 Madras Journal of Literature and Science 11 p.223 (Bottom of the Coonoor Pass)
    Alternative Names: Small Green-billed Malkoha
    Distribution: Southern peninsular India, mostly south of a latitude about Mumbai and Bhubaneswar till the tip of the peninsular but known to occur as north as Vadodara (Gujarat), Jalgaon (Maharashtra), and Mayurbhanj region (Odisha).
    Specimens: BNHS, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, YPM, TNHM, MYS, HYD, LKO
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 106. Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis (Lesson, 1830)
    Alternative Names: Large Green-billed Malkoha
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 106a. Phaenicophaeus tristis tristis (Lesson, 1830) [HB#593-594]
      Original Description: Melias tristis Lesson, 1830 Traité d'Ornithologie, ou Tableau Méthodique des ordres, sous-ordres, familles, tribus, genres, sous-genres et races d'oiseaux livr.2 p.132 (Bengal)
      Taxonomy: Population in Mishmi and Naga hills reportedly an intermediate with extralimital subspecies saliens Mayr 1938 of SE Asia (AR2001) – but no typotypical saliens specimens from the country known. Situation not examined further here.
      Distribution: Himalayan foothills from Uttarakhand till N Bengal and NE India apart from Sundarbans, Chota Nagpur plateau in Jharkhand, S W Bengal, N Odisha, and NE Ghats of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and N Andhra.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, YPM
  
  
• Clamator Kaup, 1829 Skizzirte Entwickelungs-Geschichte und natürliches System der Europäischen Thierwelt (etc.) p.53 Cuculus glandarius Linnaeus, 1758; Type by original designation
  • 107. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo Clamator coromandus (Linnaeus, 1766) [HB#569]
    Original Description: Cuculus coromandus Linnaeus, 1766 Systema Naturæ. Editio duodecima reformata. Tomus I [part 1] 12, p.171 (Puducherry [=Pondicherry])
    Alternative Names: Red-winged Crested Cuckoo
    Distribution: Breeding: Hills of Uttarakhand, east through Sikkim and N Bengal foothills, Assam, adjoining Arunachal, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Cachar, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Non-breeding: W Ghats in addition to parts of breeding range where some birds are year-round. Also, in the intervening region during passage migration.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, RBINS, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM, LKO, BNHM
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: Movements unstudied. Some populations may be dispersing to SE Asia during the non-breeding season.
  
  
  • 108. Pied Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus (Boddaert, 1783)
    Alternative Names: Pied Crested Cuckoo, Jacobin Cuckoo
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 108a. Clamator jacobinus pica (Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1833) [HB#570]
      Original Description: Cuculus pica Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1833 Symbolae physicae seu icones et descriptiones corporum naturalium novorum aut minus cognitorum quae ex itineribus per Libyam Aegyptum Nubiam Dongolam Syrian Arabiam et Habessianiam publico institutis (etc.) sig.r note2
      Taxonomy: Only one trans-continental migrant subspecies is known to occur in India. This migrant population is either named pica or serratus (AR2001, RA2012). (Payne 2006, Cuckoos p.321) designates the African migrant population as pica and hence, the same is followed here.
      Distribution: Breeding: N India, mostly north and west of a line connecting Mumbai and Darbhanga (Bihar) while also occurring sparingly in the remaining S India as well as E India.
      Specimens: NHMUK, FMNH, MCZ, USNM, FTLB
    • 108b. Clamator jacobinus jacobinus (Boddaert, 1783) [HB#571]
      Original Description: Cuculus Jacobinus Boddaert, 1783 Table des planches enluminéez d'histoire naturelle de M. D'Aubenton p.53 (Coromandel Coast)
      Distribution: Breeding: S and W India extending to about central Maharashtra, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh with most of the population concentrating on the Coromandel coast. Non-breeding: All of the country extending into NE India including Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Nagaland.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM
      Notes: Range limits of African migrant and regional populations unclear as they only differ in size (wing length).
  
  
• Eudynamys Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (1) 15 p.303 Cuculus orientalis Linnaeus, 1766; Type by subsequent designation (Gray, 1840, A list of the genera of birds, with an indication of the typical species of each genus, p.57)
  • 109. Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus (Linnaeus, 1758)
    Alternative Names: Common Koel; Western Koel; [Koel]
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 109a. Eudynamys scolopaceus scolopaceus (Linnaeus, 1758) [HB#590]
      Original Description: Cuculus scolopaceus Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.111 (Bengal)
      Distribution: Breeding: All of the country (including Lakshadweep Is.) except the high Himalaya. Non-breeding: Largely absent from Thar desert and extreme northern India (Kashmir, Jammu, Himachal, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand).
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, TNHM, MYS, HYD, LKO, FTLB
      Notes: Seasonal movements remain undocumented.
    • 109b. Eudynamys scolopaceus malayanus Cabanis & Heine, 1863 [HB#591-592]
      Original Description: Eudynamis malayana Cabanis & Heine, 1863 Museum Heineanum. Verzeichniss der orithologischen Sammlung des Oberamtmann Ferdinand Heine 4 Heft1 p.52
      Taxonomy: Nearly year-round possibly breeding, in Andamans – hence the validity of dolosus Ripley 1946, synonymised here, to be revisited.
      Distribution: Andaman & Nicobar Islands including far flung Narcondam Is. and Barren Is. Possibly also occurs in extreme NE India along E Manipur and Mizoram.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI
  
  
• Chrysococcyx Boie, 1826 Isis 18,19 Bd.2 col.977 Cuculus cupreus Shaw, 1792; Type by monotypy
  • 110. Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculatus (Gmelin, 1788) [HB#586]
    Original Description: Trogon maculatus Gmelin, 1788 Systema Naturae. Editio decima tertia, aucta, reformata. Cura Jo. Frid. Gmelin (etc.). Tomus I [pars I] 13, vol. 1, part 1, p.404
    Distribution: Hills of Uttarakhand (historical), Sikkim, N Bengal, Assam, Arunachal, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Cachar, Mizoram. Historically – stragglers reported from Adyar (Tamil Nadu) and Teresa Is., C Nicobar.
    Specimens: BNHS, UMZC, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, YPM, BNHM
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: The basis for Nicobar distribution is the skin in BNHS (#22653).
  
  
  • 111. Violet Cuckoo Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus (Horsfield, 1821)
    Taxonomy: Year-round in Andaman and the population may relate to an undescribed subspecies.
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 111a. Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus xanthorhynchus (Horsfield, 1821) [HB#587]
      Original Description: Cuculus xanthorhynchus Horsfield, 1821 Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (1), 13 p.179
      Distribution: N Bengal, Assam plains and foothills, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Cachar, Manipur (?), Tripura, Andaman Is. Historically, it has straggled to Perambur (Tamil Nadu) and Nicobar Is.
      Specimens: BNHS, FMNH, YPM
  
  
• Chalcites Lesson, 1830 Traité d'Ornithologie, ou Tableau Méthodique des ordres, sous-ordres, familles, tribus, genres, sous-genres et races d'oiseaux livr.2 p.152 Cuculus chalcites Illiger, 1818; Type by tautonymy = Cuculus plagosus Latham, 1801
  • 112. Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites basalis (Horsfield, 1821)
    Original Description: Cuculus basalis Horsfield, 1821 Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (1), 13 p.179
    Distribution: Vagrant. Reported from Indira point, Great Nicobar Is.
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: See Gokulakrishnan et al. (2018, BA 30: 106).
  
  
• Cacomantis Müller, 1843 Verhandelingen over de natuurlijke geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche bezittingen, Zoologie Land-Volk. pt6 p.177,note Cuculus flavus Gmelin, 1788; Type by subsequent designation (Salvadori, 1880, Ornitologia della Papuasia e delle Molucche, 1, p.331) = Cuculus merulinus Scopoli, 1786
  • 113. Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii (Latham, 1790)
    Alternative Names: Bay-banded Cuckoo
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 113a. Cacomantis sonneratii sonneratii (Latham, 1790) [HB#582]
      Original Description: Cuculus Sonneratii Latham, 1790 Index ornithologicus, sive systema ornithologiæ; complectens avium divisionem in classes, ordines, genera, species, ipsarumque varietates: adjectis synonymis, locis, descriptionibus, &c. 1 p.215 (India)
      Distribution: Foothills of W Himalaya from Uttarakhand till E Arunachal and all NE Indian states. W Ghats, E Ghats and C Indian foothills and straggling to other parts of peninsula and perhaps to Andaman Is. as well.
      Type Specimen: MNHN#MO-1997-1213 (Holotype).
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMZC, MNHN, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, LKO
  
  
  • 114. Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus (Scopoli, 1786)
    Original Description: Cuculus merulinus Scopoli, 1786 Deliciae Florae et Faunae Insubricae 2 p.89
    Alternative Names: Rufous-bellied Plaintive Cuckoo
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 114a. Cacomantis merulinus querulus Heine, 1863 [HB#585]
      Original Description: Cacomantis querulus Heine, 1863 Journal für Ornithologie 11 p.352 (Lower Bengal & Assam)
      Distribution: E India from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Kanha (Madhya Pradesh), ranging east including Bengal, Assam, and all NE Hills states. South through Odisha and NE Ghats of Andhra while it has historically straggled to Chennai.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, YPM
  
  
  • 115. Grey-bellied Cuckoo Cacomantis passerinus (Vahl, 1797) [HB#584]
    Original Description: Cuculus passerinus Vahl, 1797 Skrivter af Naturhistorie-Selskabet 4 Heft1 p.57 (Tharangambadi [=Tranquebar])
    Alternative Names: Indian Plaintive Cuckoo
    Distribution: Most the country from the foothills of Kashmir, W through W Himalaya and N India, W Rajasthan, and further south in all of the states, east till about W Assam at least, possibly further as well.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, AMNH, FMNH, YPM, TNHM, HYD, BNHM
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
• Surniculus Lesson, 1830 Traité d'Ornithologie, ou Tableau Méthodique des ordres, sous-ordres, familles, tribus, genres, sous-genres et races d'oiseaux livr.2 p.151 Cuculus lugubris Horsfield, 1821; Type by subsequent designation (Gray, 1855, Catalogue of the genera and subgenera of birds contained in the British Museum, p.97)
  • 116. Fork-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo Surniculus dicruroides (Hodgson, 1839)
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 116a. Surniculus dicruroides dicruroides (Hodgson, 1839) [HB#588]
      Original Description: Pseudornis Dicruroides Hodgson, 1839 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 8 p.136 pl.
      Taxonomy: SW Indian birds sometimes assigned to the Sri Lankan endemic subspecies stewarti Baker 1919. The type specimen from Nepal (NHMUK 1843.1.13.1008) would benefit from re-examination as the typical birds found in Nepal belong to the 'Square-tailed' group. If that be the case, then the name dicruroides shall no longer apply to the 'Fork-tailed' group, which should then be referred to as S. stewarti with the peninsular Indian population remaining undescribed.
      Distribution: Peninsular India, up till Rajasthan, C Indian hills., W Ghats, NE Ghats while some birds found up till Himalayan foothills.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, FMNH, ROM, TNHM
      Notes: Movements unstudied – some birds resident while largely migratory.
  
  
  • 117. Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris (Horsfield, 1821)
    Original Description: Cuculus lugubris Horsfield, 1821 Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (1), 13 p.179
    Alternative Names: Drongo Cuckoo (with S. dicruroides & S. velutinus EL)
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 117a. Surniculus lugubris barussarum Oberholser, 1912 [HB#588]
      Original Description: Surniculus lugubris barussarum Oberholser, 1912 Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections 60 (7) p.5
      Taxonomy: There is only one subspecies of Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo in India. Here, the subspecies brachyurus Stresemann 1913 (Type locality: Bentong, Pahang, Malay States) is treated as a synonym of barussarum (Type Locality: Tana Bala Island, Batu Islands).
      Distribution: Breeding: W Himalayan foothills from Kashmir, Punjab, and Himachal E through Uttarakhand, Sikkim, W Bengal, and NE India.
      Specimens: BNHS, UMZC, UMMZ, FMNH, MCZ, YPM
  
  
• Hierococcyx Müller, 1845 Verhandelingen over de natuurlijke geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche bezittingen, Zoologie Land-Volk. no.8 p.233,note Cuculus fugax Horsfield, 1821; Type by monotypy
  • 118. Large Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides (Vigors, 1832) [HB#572]
    Original Description: Cuculus sparverioïdes Vigors, 1832 Proceedings of the Committee of Science and Correspondence of the Zoological Society of London Part 1 no.14 p.173 (Himalaya)
    Distribution: Himalayan hills from Kashmir (?), Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, N Bengal till Assam and all NE hill states as well as S W Bengal. Non-breeding: Sparingly in C India, NE Ghats, and W Ghats; stragglers to Andaman Is. as well as Nicobar Is. (Great Nicobar Is., Tillongchong Is.).
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, YPM, LKO
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 119. Common Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius (Vahl, 1797)
    Alternative Names: Brainfever Bird
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 119a. Hierococcyx varius varius (Vahl, 1797) [HB#573]
      Original Description: Cuculus varius Vahl, 1797 Skrivter af Naturhistorie-Selskabet 4 Heft1 p.61 (Tharangambadi [=Tranquebar], Tamil Nadu)
      Distribution: Throughout the country from Kashmir till the tip of the peninsula except the Himalayan region and NE India, east of central Assam (Guwahati region).
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, YPM, TNHM, MYS, HYD, LKO, FTLB
      Notes: Reports further east in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram not validated. Whether the Sri Lankan endemic subspecies ciceliae Philips 1949 has straggled to the SE coast of Tamil Nadu needs to be validated.
  
  
  • 120. Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx nisicolor (Blyth, 1843) [HB#575]
    Original Description: Cuculus nisicolor Blyth, 1843 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 12 p.943
    Alternative Names: Whistling Hawk Cuckoo
    Distribution: Hills of Sikkim, N Bengal, Arunachal, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Cachar, Manipur, and Mizoram. Straggler to Andaman Is.
    Specimens: UMMZ, YPM, LKO
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
• Cuculus Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.110 Cuculus canorus Linnaeus, 1758; Type by tautonymy
  • 121. Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus poliocephalus Latham, 1790 [HB#581]
    Original Description: Cuculus poliocephalus Latham, 1790 Index ornithologicus, sive systema ornithologiæ; complectens avium divisionem in classes, ordines, genera, species, ipsarumque varietates: adjectis synonymis, locis, descriptionibus, &c. 1 p.214 (India)
    Taxonomy: Includes assamicus Koelz 1952 from Kohima, Nagaland.
    Alternative Names: Small Cuckoo
    Distribution: Breeding: Himalayan hills from Gilgit and Kashmir, east till Assam, Arunachal and other NE hill states like Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Mizoram. Passage: Across the entire country but mostly in W Ghats and E Ghats.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, USNM, YPM, BNHM
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 122. Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus Gould, 1838
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 122a. Cuculus micropterus micropterus Gould, 1838 [HB#576]
      Original Description: Cuculus micropterus Gould, 1838 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Pt5 no.60 p.137 (Himalaya)
      Taxonomy: Includes fatidicus Koelz 1954 from Laikul, N Cachar.
      Distribution: Hills across most of the country from Kashmir south till the tip of the peninsula except the Thar desert, Rann and parts of W Gujarat. Also, occurs in Andaman Is. and has occurred in Great Nicobar Is. as well.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, RBINS, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM, LKO
      Notes: Movements unstudied and compounded due to lack of vocalisation during non-breeding season.
  
  
  • 123. Himalayan Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus Blyth, 1843 [HB#580]
    Original Description: Cuculus saturatus Blyth, 1843 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 12 p.942
    Taxonomy: Larger birds reported from Nicobar Is. may be of the northerly breeding Oriental Cuckoo C. optatus. Study required.
    Alternative Names: Oriental Cuckoo (with C. optatus EL)
    Distribution: Himalaya from Gilgit and Kashmir, east till Arunachal as well as all NE hill states. Non-breeding: Occurs in Andaman Is., Central Nicobar Is. and Great Nicobar Is. Stragglers to peninsular India reported from Rajasthan, Bihar, and Gujarat.
    Specimens: BNHS, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, ROM
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
  
  
  • 124. Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus Linnaeus, 1758
    Taxonomy: Taxonomy of the Himalayan breeding birds are vexed. RA2012 considers them as telephonus, different from subtelephonus of the northwest. AR2001 consider them as the nominate subspecies. Payne (2006, Cuckoos p.511) includes them under bakeri, or as intermediate between subtelephonus and bakeri. Neither the nominate subspecies, nor telephonus Heine 1863 have a contiguous range with the Himalayan population. Here, the extreme western birds are treated as subtelephonus and extreme eastern birds as bakeri and most of the Himalayan population as intermediate. If the Himalayan population has consistent diagnosable characteristics, a new name may be required.
    Alternative Names: Eurasian Cuckoo
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 124a. Cuculus canorus canorus Linnaeus, 1758 [HB#578]
      Original Description: Cuculus canorus Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.110
      Taxonomy: Restricted here to the northern breeding birds in Russia and N China – including telephonus Heine 1863 (after H&M4).
      Distribution: Passage: Migrating through most of the peninsula in autumn entering through northeast and crossing the country in the west and southwest.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, USNM, YPM
      Notes: Labelled specimens exist but may not necessarily belong to the northerly breeding population due to nomenclature confusions. However, satellite tagged birds from this population have crossed India during migration.
    • 124b. Cuculus canorus subtelephonus Zarudny, 1914 [HB#577]
      Original Description: Cuculus canorus subtelephonus Zarudny, 1914 Ornitologicheskii Vestnik 5 p.108,114
      Distribution: Breeding: W Himalayan foothills from Gilgit east through Kashmir, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, N Bengal and E Himalaya of Arunachal and N Assam as well as sparingly in the peninsular India. Passage: Most of the country south of the breeding range, including Lakshadweep Is.
      Specimens: UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, USNM
      Notes: True subtelephonus possibly breeding around Gilgit and some passage birds in northwest of the country may belong to this subspecies. Labelled specimens exist, but have not been investigated.
    • 124c. Cuculus canorus bakeri Hartert, 1912 [HB#579]
      Original Description: Cuculus canorus bakeri Hartert, 1912 Die Vögel der paläarktischen Fauna. Systematische Übersicht der in Europa, Nord-Asien und der Mittelmeerregion vorkommenden Vögel 2 p.948 (Shillong, Meghalaya)
      Taxonomy: C Indian breeding population has pale as well as dark birds (like this subspecies) and hence subspecies uncertain.
      Distribution: Breeding: NE India including Nagaland, Meghalaya, Cachar, Manipur, and Mizoram; but possibly north in Assam and perhaps Arunachal. Passage: Across the peninsula while it also occurs in lowland Assam and has straggled to Great Nicobar Is.
      Type Specimen: AMNH#624971 (Holotype).
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH
      Notes: Satellite telemetry studies from China has demonstrated that birds belonging to this subspecies also crosses India on its passage to Africa.