The Indian cuckoo or short-winged cuckoo is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, that is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It ranges from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia and north to China and Russia. It is a solitary and shy bird, found in forests and open woodland at up to 3,600 m (11,800 ft).
Region
South, Southeast, and East Asia
Typical Environment
Occupies forests, wooded hillsides, and open woodland with scattered trees, as well as forest edges, secondary growth, and well-treed parks and plantations. During the breeding season it favors mature broadleaf or mixed forests, while in the non-breeding season it uses lower elevations and more open habitats. It forages mainly in the mid to upper canopy but also along edges and riparian corridors. The species ranges from the Indian subcontinent east through Southeast Asia to China and into the Russian Far East in summer.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3600 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Indian cuckoo is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, leaving the hosts to raise its chicks. Its loud, four-note call is famously rendered as 'one more bottle,' often heard at dawn and dusk. It closely resembles the Common Cuckoo but typically shows bolder barring below and a more rufous-tinged undertail.
Indian Cuckoo from Barpeta, Assam
Temperament
solitary and shy
Flight Pattern
strong and direct with short rapid wingbeats, interspersed with glides
Social Behavior
Typically solitary outside the breeding period and often secretive within dense foliage. Does not build its own nest; females lay eggs in the nests of host passerines such as drongos, shrikes, and warblers. Chicks often outcompete host young, ensuring parental investment from the host pair.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
A loud, repetitive four-note whistle often transcribed as 'one more bottle,' carrying over long distances. Calls are most frequent at dawn and dusk during the breeding season and can be heard far through forested habitats.
Plumage
Adult with grey to slate upperparts and finely barred white underparts, long graduated tail with white spots/tips, and a pale throat. Juveniles are browner with heavier barring and more contrast. The overall shape is slim and hawk-like with pointed wings and a long tail.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects, especially caterpillars including hairy and toxic species that many birds avoid. Also takes beetles, orthopterans, and other soft-bodied arthropods gleaned from leaves and branches. Occasionally consumes berries when insects are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the mid to upper canopy of forests and along edges, often moving methodically through foliage. Will also hunt in wooded gardens and plantations where large trees are present.
