AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

672. Cuculus poliocephalus

672. GREYHEADED CUCKOO.
CUCULUS POLIOCEPHALUS.
Cuculus poliocephalus, Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 214 (1790) ; Gould, Cent. B. Himalay. pl. 54 ; Shelley, Cat. P. Br. Mus. xix. p. 255 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iii. p. 208 ; Tacz. F. O. Sib. O. p. 693 ; C. bartletti, Layard, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 2nd. ser- xiii. p. 452 (1854).
Dang-hlem, Lepch. ; Pichu-giapo, Bhotia ; Hototigisu, Jap.
ad. (Japan). Resembles C. canorus but is considerably smaller, the upper parts are darker, the abdomen and under tail-coverts are warm buff and the black bars on the breast are broader ; bill blackish horn ; the base of the lower mandible, gape, eyelid, and feet yellow ; iris brown. Culmen 0.75, wing 6.0, tail 5.0, tarsus 0.6 inch. Sexes alike. The young resemble those of C. canorus but are darker.
Hab. Himalayas, N. China, and Japan in summer, wintering in India, Ceylon, the Malay Peninsula, Java, and Borneo ; Africa south of 6° N. Lat., and Madagascar (C. rochi).
This Cuckoo frequents the outskirts of forests, especially where there are old trees, and is very shy. Its note differs greatly from that of the other Cuckoos, and is often uttered at night. It consists of an unmusical call of several syllables, and is often heard, as it is a noisy bird. In general habits, food, and mode of nidification it resembles C. canorus, but its eggs are not yet known with certainty.

BookTitle: 
A Manual Of Palaearctic Birds
Reference: 
Dresser, Henry Eeles. A Manual of Palaearctic Birds. Vol. 1. 1902.
Title in Book: 
672. Cuculus poliocephalus
Book Author: 
H. E. Dresser
CatNo: 
672
Year: 
1902
Page No: 
471
Common name: 
Greyheaded Cuckoo
M_ID: 
6228
M_CN: 
Lesser Cuckoo
M_SN: 
Cuculus poliocephalus
Volume: 
Vol. 1
id: 
10319

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