The Philippine hawk-cuckoo is a bird belonging to the cuckoo family. It is found only in the Philippines. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo but is now its own species.
Region
Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Endemic to the Philippine archipelago, it occurs on major islands including Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It inhabits primary and secondary lowland and foothill forests, forest edges, and well-wooded mosaics. The species also uses secondary growth, riverine corridors, and occasionally wooded plantations and clearings with scattered trees. It is generally elusive and keeps to the midstory and canopy. Locally, it may persist in fragmented habitats where sufficient tree cover remains.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Philippine hawk-cuckoo is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of smaller passerines, which then raise the chick. Its hawk-like plumage and shape are thought to provide protective mimicry, discouraging mobbing by potential host species. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo but is now recognized as a distinct species endemic to the Philippines.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically seen alone or in pairs during the breeding season. As a brood parasite, the female lays eggs in the nests of small insectivorous birds such as tailorbirds and fantails. Nests are not built by the species; chicks are raised entirely by host parents. Courtship and territorial displays are more often detected by voice than by sight.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of clear, whistled notes that accelerate and rise slightly in pitch, often delivered persistently from concealed perches. Calls can carry far through the forest and are most active at dawn and dusk.
Plumage
Gray-brown upperparts with a faintly barred tail, rufous-washed upper breast, and finely barred white underparts giving a hawk-like appearance.
Diet
Primarily feeds on insects, especially caterpillars, beetles, and orthopterans. It will also take spiders and other arthropods, and occasionally small vertebrates. Prey is gleaned from foliage and branches or snatched during short sallies from perches. Its stealthy movements and hawk-like demeanor aid in approaching prey.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the midstory and canopy of forests and wooded edges. It also uses secondary growth, scrubby clearings, and riparian tree lines where insect prey is abundant.
