Mentawai malkoha

The Mentawai malkoha is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to the Mentawai Islands off the west of Sumatra. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the chestnut-breasted malkoha.

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Distribution

Region

Southeast Asia (Mentawai Islands)

Typical Environment

Restricted to the Mentawai Islands off western Sumatra, primarily on larger islands with remaining primary and mature secondary rainforest. It favors lowland evergreen forest, riverine forest, and dense vine tangles along forest edges. The species uses mid- to upper-canopy strata but will descend to lower levels to forage along lianas and thickets. It is sensitive to extensive logging and conversion but can persist in well-structured secondary growth if canopy connectivity remains.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 500 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size45–55 cm

Wing Span50–60 cm

Male Weight0.22 kg

Female Weight0.21 kg

Life Expectancy10 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The Mentawai malkoha is a non-parasitic cuckoo that builds its own nest and raises its young, unlike many of its relatives. It skulks through dense canopy and tangles, often going undetected despite its size. Habitat loss on the Mentawai Islands makes it a useful indicator of remaining lowland rainforest quality.

Behaviour

Temperament

shy and skulking

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with gliding between trees

Social Behavior

Usually encountered singly, in pairs, or small family groups moving methodically through the canopy. It constructs a simple twig nest concealed in dense foliage and both adults share incubation and chick-rearing. Not a brood parasite despite being a cuckoo, and may occasionally join mixed-species foraging flocks.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Gives a series of low, bubbling clucks and soft cooing notes, often delivered from inside thick cover. Calls may accelerate into a chattering sequence when excited or during pair contact.

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Identification

Leg Colorslaty-grey

Eye Colordark red

Plumage

Glossy greenish upperparts with a slaty-gray head, rich chestnut breast blending into rufous underparts, and a long graduated tail with a bluish-green sheen and pale tips.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Feeds mainly on large insects such as katydids, stick insects, beetles, and caterpillars, which it gleans from foliage and vine tangles. It will also take small lizards and other arthropods opportunistically. Occasional consumption of small berries or soft fruits supplements its protein-rich diet.

Preferred Environment

Forages in dense mid- to upper-canopy foliage, along lianas, and at forest edges with tangled undergrowth. It prefers intact or semi-intact lowland rainforest but can use older secondary growth with continuous canopy.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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