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Difference between revisions of "Plaintive Cuckoo" - BirdForum Opus

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;Cacomantis merulinus
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[[Image:Plaintive_Cuckoo.jpg|thumb|550px|right|ssp ''threnodes''<br />Photo &copy; by the late
[[Image:Plaintive_Cuckoo.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Dr Manjeet Singh]]
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[https://www.birdforum.net/gallery/users/dr-manjeet-singh.21146/ Dr Manjeet Singh]<br/>Pandamaran-jaya, P. Klang, [[Malaysia]], October 2006]]
Location: Mud-flats and pond ,Pandamaran-jaya,P. Klang,Malaysia
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'''Alternative name: Rufous-bellied Plaintive Cuckoo; Grey-breasted Brush Cuckoo (merulinus)'''
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;[[:Category:Cacomantis|Cacomantis]] merulinus
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
This is a male-Pale grey head,throat and upper breast contrasting sharply with rufous buff lower breast and belly diagnostic.Mantle and wings dark grey-brown. Tail has whitish markings on the side as well as  an incomplete narrow white terminal band.Plaintive Cuckoo (Cuculus merulinus). Size 22 cm (8.5 in). Male
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[[Image:Plaintive_Cuckoo_female.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female rufous morph<br />Photo &copy; by the late
has pale grey head, throat and upper breast. Lower rufous buff breast and
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[https://www.birdforum.net/gallery/users/dr-manjeet-singh.21146/ Dr Manjeet Singh]<br/>[[Malaysia]], November 2006]]
belly diagnostic. Mantle and wings dark greyish brown.
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18 - 23.5cm
 
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* Pale grey head, throat and upper breast
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* Dark brown upperparts lightly glossed green
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* Blackish tail with white tip
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* Rufous buff lower breast; ''querulus'' has rufous up to throat; ''lanceolatus'' has only some rufous wash on lower belly
 +
Females are similar but can also occur in a rufous morph, bright rufous above, barred with black, a plain rufous tail, throat and breast and dark-barred whitish rest of underparts.<br />
 +
Juveniles are variable, some are all dark grey, others rufous.
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====Similar species====
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[[Grey-bellied Cuckoo]] has all grey underparts and dark grey upperparts. However, the songs are the same and juveniles look very similar.
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[[Image:JuvPlaintiveCuckoo.jpg|thumb|300px|right|juvenile<br />{{user|chrisli|chrisli}}<br/>[[Singapore]], September, 2009]]
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
Occurs in the Indian
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From the eastern [[Himalayas]] to southern [[China]] through Southeast [[Asia]] to the Greater Sundas, and
Continent, southern China through South-East Asia to the Greater Sundas, and
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[[Sulawesi]]. Resident in [[Malaysia]].<br />
Sulawesi. Resident in Malaysia at low elevation up to 1000 m south to
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Common to very common in most of its range.
Singapore where it is said to be rare.  
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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[[Grey-bellied Cuckoo]] is sometimes considered conspecific.
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====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
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*''C. m. querulus'' from the eastern Himalayas to southern [[China]], [[Burma]], peninsular [[Malaysia]] and [[Indochina]]
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*''C. m. threnodes'' in southern [[Malaysia]]n peninsula, [[Sumatra]] and [[Borneo]]
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*''C. m. lanceolatus'' in [[Java]], [[Sulawesi]] and Togian Islands
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*''C. m. merulinus'' in the [[Philippines]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
Found in the forest edge, scrub and
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Found in the forest edge, scrub and plantations frequenting the crown of tall trees.
plantations frequenting the crown of tall trees.
 
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
It descends to
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====Diet====
catch insects on the ground. Very vocal with it typical 3 note whistle
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Feeds on insects, mainly on hairy caterpillars. Takes also some fruit.<br />
followed by a rapidly descending sequence of slurred whistling notes.
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Forages often in canopy.
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====Breeding====
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Breeding season from May to June in [[Borneo]], April to August in northern [[Thailand]]. A brood parasitic. Known host species are [[Ashy Prinia]], [[Common Tailorbird]], [[Yellow-bellied Prinia]], [[Zitting Cisticola]] and [[Yellow-bellied Prinia]]. Evicts host's eggs
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====Movements====
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Resident and seasonally migratory. Present February to October in southwest China, resident in southern parts of range.
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====Vocalisation====
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Very vocal with it typical 3 note whistle followed by a rapidly descending sequence of slurred whistling notes.
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug19}}#{{Ref-HBWVol4}}
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{{ref}}
  
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|"Cacomantis merulinus" {{!}} "Plaintive Cuckoo" {{!}} "Rufous-bellied Plaintive Cuckoo" {{!}} "Grey-breasted Brush Cuckoo"}}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
==Identification==
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Cacomantis]]
.
 
==External Links==
 
*[http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showgallery.php?mcats=all&what=allfields&si=Cacomantis+merulinus View more images of Plaintive Cuckoo in the gallery]
 
[[Category:Birds]]
 

Latest revision as of 20:48, 18 December 2023

ssp threnodes
Photo © by the late Dr Manjeet Singh
Pandamaran-jaya, P. Klang, Malaysia, October 2006

Alternative name: Rufous-bellied Plaintive Cuckoo; Grey-breasted Brush Cuckoo (merulinus)

Cacomantis merulinus

Identification

Female rufous morph
Photo © by the late Dr Manjeet Singh
Malaysia, November 2006

18 - 23.5cm

  • Pale grey head, throat and upper breast
  • Dark brown upperparts lightly glossed green
  • Blackish tail with white tip
  • Rufous buff lower breast; querulus has rufous up to throat; lanceolatus has only some rufous wash on lower belly

Females are similar but can also occur in a rufous morph, bright rufous above, barred with black, a plain rufous tail, throat and breast and dark-barred whitish rest of underparts.
Juveniles are variable, some are all dark grey, others rufous.

Similar species

Grey-bellied Cuckoo has all grey underparts and dark grey upperparts. However, the songs are the same and juveniles look very similar.

juvenile
chrisli
Singapore, September, 2009

Distribution

From the eastern Himalayas to southern China through Southeast Asia to the Greater Sundas, and Sulawesi. Resident in Malaysia.
Common to very common in most of its range.

Taxonomy

Grey-bellied Cuckoo is sometimes considered conspecific.

Subspecies[1]

Habitat

Found in the forest edge, scrub and plantations frequenting the crown of tall trees.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds on insects, mainly on hairy caterpillars. Takes also some fruit.
Forages often in canopy.

Breeding

Breeding season from May to June in Borneo, April to August in northern Thailand. A brood parasitic. Known host species are Ashy Prinia, Common Tailorbird, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Zitting Cisticola and Yellow-bellied Prinia. Evicts host's eggs

Movements

Resident and seasonally migratory. Present February to October in southwest China, resident in southern parts of range.

Vocalisation

Very vocal with it typical 3 note whistle followed by a rapidly descending sequence of slurred whistling notes.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334221

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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