The chestnut-breasted malkoha is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. Found in Southeast Asia from Myanmar through to eastern Java, the Philippines and Borneo, it is a large cuckoo measuring up to 49 cm (19 in) with grey and dark green upperparts and chestnut underparts, and a large curved pale upper mandible. The male and female are similar in plumage. Unlike many cuckoos, it builds its nest and raises its own young.
Region
Southeast Asia (Sundaland and adjacent mainland)
Typical Environment
Native to lowland and hill forests from southern Myanmar and Thailand through Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to Sumatra, Borneo, and Java, and also on Palawan in the Philippines. It favors primary and mature secondary evergreen forest, forest edge, bamboo thickets, and overgrown clearings. The species forages mainly in the mid-story to canopy but will descend to lower strata along edges and streams. It avoids highly urbanized areas but may persist in larger forest fragments if understory is intact.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This large malkoha is an uncommon cuckoo that builds its own nest and rears its young, unlike many brood-parasitic cuckoos. It spends much of its time moving deliberately through dense foliage, often using its very long tail for balance. Pairs or small family groups are typical, and they may join mixed-species flocks while foraging. The boldly curved pale upper mandible is a distinctive field mark.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with gliding between cover
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups moving through dense foliage. Unlike parasitic cuckoos, it builds a shallow cup nest in thick vegetation and both parents attend the young. It sometimes joins mixed-species foraging flocks along forest edges and mid-story.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include low booming coos and a series of soft hoots interspersed with harsher chattering notes. Calls carry surprisingly well through dense forest but are delivered at a measured pace.
