Centropus Illiger, 1811 Prodromus systematis mammalium et avium: additis terminis zoographicis utriusque classis, eorumque versione germanica p.205 Cuculusaegyptius Gmelin, 1788; Type by subsequent designation
101. Andaman CoucalCentropus andamanensis Beavan, 1867 [HB#603] Original Description:Centropusandamanensis 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 CoucalCentropus 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:Polophilussinensis 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:Centropussinensisparroti 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:Centrococcyxintermedius 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
103a. Centropus bengalensis bengalensis (Gmelin, 1788) [HB#605] Original Description:Cuculusbengalensis 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 Taccocualeschenaultii Lesson, 1830; Type by monotypy
104. Sirkeer MalkohaTaccocua 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:Centropussirkee 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:Taccocuainfuscata 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:TaccocuaLeschenaultii 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 Cuculuspyrrhocephalus Pennant, 1769; Type by subsequent designation (Peters, 1940, Check-list of birds of the world, 4, p.56)
105. Blue-faced MalkohaPhaenicophaeus viridirostris (Jerdon, 1840) [HB#595] Original Description:Zanclostomusviridirostris 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 MalkohaPhaenicophaeus 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:Meliastristis 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 Cuculusglandarius Linnaeus, 1758; Type by original designation
107. Chestnut-winged CuckooClamator coromandus (Linnaeus, 1766) [HB#569] Original Description:Cuculuscoromandus 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 CuckooClamator 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:Cuculuspica 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:CuculusJacobinus 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 Cuculusorientalis 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 KoelEudynamys 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:Cuculusscolopaceus 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:Eudynamismalayana 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 Cuculuscupreus Shaw, 1792; Type by monotypy
110. Asian Emerald CuckooChrysococcyx maculatus (Gmelin, 1788) [HB#586] Original Description:Trogonmaculatus 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 CuckooChrysococcyx 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:Cuculusxanthorhynchus 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 Cuculuschalcites Illiger, 1818; Type by tautonymy = Cuculusplagosus Latham, 1801
112. Horsfield's Bronze-CuckooChalcites basalis (Horsfield, 1821) Original Description:Cuculusbasalis 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 Cuculusflavus Gmelin, 1788; Type by subsequent designation (Salvadori, 1880, Ornitologia della Papuasia e delle Molucche, 1, p.331) = Cuculusmerulinus Scopoli, 1786
113. Banded Bay CuckooCacomantis 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:CuculusSonneratii 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 CuckooCacomantis merulinus (Scopoli, 1786) Original Description:Cuculusmerulinus 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:Cacomantisquerulus 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 CuckooCacomantis passerinus (Vahl, 1797) [HB#584] Original Description:Cuculuspasserinus 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 Cuculuslugubris Horsfield, 1821; Type by subsequent designation (Gray, 1855, Catalogue of the genera and subgenera of birds contained in the British Museum, p.97)
116a. Surniculus dicruroides dicruroides (Hodgson, 1839) [HB#588] Original Description:PseudornisDicruroides 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-CuckooSurniculus lugubris (Horsfield, 1821) Original Description:Cuculuslugubris 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:Surniculuslugubrisbarussarum 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 Cuculusfugax Horsfield, 1821; Type by monotypy
118. Large Hawk-CuckooHierococcyx sparverioides (Vigors, 1832) [HB#572] Original Description:Cuculussparverioïdes 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-CuckooHierococcyx 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:Cuculusvarius 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-CuckooHierococcyx nisicolor (Blyth, 1843) [HB#575] Original Description:Cuculusnisicolor 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 Cuculuscanorus Linnaeus, 1758; Type by tautonymy
121. Lesser CuckooCuculus poliocephalus Latham, 1790 [HB#581] Original Description:Cuculuspoliocephalus 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 CuckooCuculus micropterus Gould, 1838 IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
122a. Cuculus micropterus micropterus Gould, 1838 [HB#576] Original Description:Cuculusmicropterus 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 CuckooCuculus saturatus Blyth, 1843 [HB#580] Original Description:Cuculussaturatus 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 CuckooCuculus 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:Cuculuscanorus 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:Cuculuscanorussubtelephonus 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:Cuculuscanorusbakeri 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.