The chestnut-winged cuckoo or red-winged crested cuckoo is a cuckoo found in Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. It has dark glossy upperparts, a black head with long crest chestnut wings, a long graduated glossy black tail, rufous throat dusky underside and a narrow white nuchal half collar. They breed along the Himalayas and migrate south in winter to Sri Lanka, southern India and tropical Southeast Asia including parts of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. It is about 47 cm (19 in) long.
Region
South and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Breeds in the Himalayan foothills and northeastern India through southern China, Myanmar, and northern Indochina. In the non-breeding season it disperses to Sri Lanka, southern India, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, parts of Indonesia, and the Philippines. It favors forest edges, secondary woodland, bamboo thickets, and well-wooded riverine areas. It also occurs in plantations and large gardens with mature trees, often near water.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as the red-winged crested cuckoo, it is a striking brood parasite of South and Southeast Asia. It breeds along the Himalayan foothills and moves south to peninsular India, Sri Lanka, and much of tropical Southeast Asia in winter. Its deep chestnut wings and long black crest make it one of the most distinctive cuckoos in the region.
Chestnut-winged cuckoo in Singapore, Dec 2012, by William Lee
In Kerala, India
Temperament
wary and secretive
Flight Pattern
strong direct flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Generally solitary or in pairs outside migration. It is an obligate brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other passerines, especially babblers and laughingthrushes; the host species raises the chick. Displays crest-raising and tail-fanning during courtship.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Gives loud, clear, whistled notes, often a repeated descending series. Calls are usually delivered from the mid-canopy and carry well through forest edge habitats.
