The chestnut-winged cuckoo (Clamator coromandus) belongs to the family of cuckoos, Cuculidae. These cuckoo species are distributed in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southeast China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Andaman Islands (India), Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines. They are monotypic species. The chestnut-winged cuckoo species are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds.
Taxonomy of Chestnut-winged cuckoo
- Scientific Name: Clamator coromandus
- Common Name: Chestnut-winged cuckoo
- French: Coucou à collier; German: Koromandelkuckuck; Spanish: Críalo oriental;
- Other names: Cuculus coromandus Linnaeus, 1766; red-winged crested cuckoo;
- Family: Cuculidae › Cuculiformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Species author: (Linnaeus, 1766)
Description and identification
The chestnut-winged cuckoo is a small bird, measuring 35 to 45 cm in length and weighing 60 to 90 grams. The plumage is metallic glossy black. The head is black with a long black spiky crest. There is a narrow white band on the nape extending to the sides of the neck. The chin and the upper chest are rusty and rufous. The lower parts are white or pale gray. The feet are gray and the irises are black. The long, glossy, black tail is graduated, the feathers shortening in steps from the center outwards. There is an inconspicuous white margin on the terminal edges of the tail feathers. Their call is a repeated fluty twin-note. |
| Birds of India - Chestnut-winged cuckoo - Clamator coromandus |
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| Indian birds - Chestnut-winged cuckoo - Clamator coromandus |
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| Birds of India - Chestnut-winged cuckoo - Clamator coromandus |
Origin and distribution
Native resident populations of chestnut-winged cuckoo species are distributed in central India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Hainan (China). Breeding populations are distributed in north India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southeast China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Wintering cuckoo populations are observed in south India, Sri Lanka, Andaman Islands (India), Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.Ecosystem and habitat
The chestnut-winged cuckoo ecosystem includes tropical and temperate deciduous/evergreen forests. They inhabit riparian woodlands, swamp forests, deciduous jungles, light secondary forests and thick scrub jungles.Diet and feeding habits
The diet of these cuckoo species mostly consists of large insects and their larvae. They feed on caterpillars, mantis, dragon flies, beetles and spiders. They also feed on small fruits.Reproduction and breeding habits
The breeding season in India is during May and June and in Myanmar is March and April. The chestnut-winged cuckoo is a brood parasite and lays her eggs in the nests of other birds, especially Garrulax laughingthrushes. The hosts incubate the eggs and raise the cuckoo hatchlings along with their own.Movement and migration patterns
These chestnut-winged cuckoo species are mostly migratory and breed during summer in north India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southeast China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. They winter in south India, Sri Lanka, Andaman Islands (India), Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines. Some cuckoo populations are resident and may make local movements for feeding and breeding.Conservation status and concerns
The global population size of these chestnut-winged cuckoo species has not been quantified. The overall population trend is considered to be stable. It has extremely large range and does not approach the thresholds for population trend criterion and the population size criterion. Hence considered not "Vulnerable" to extinction. The loss of habitats due to human activities is the main threat to the survival of these cuckoo species.The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated these chestnut-winged cuckoo species and has listed them as of "Least Concern".
| Biological classification of Clamator coromandus | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Cuculiformes |
| Family: | Cuculidae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Clamator |
| Species: | C. coromandus |
| Binomial name: | Clamator coromandus |
| Distribution: | India, Nepal, Southeast China, Indochina and Myanmar; |
| Diet and feeding habits: | fruits, insects like grasshoppers, caterpillars, mantis and beetles; |
| IUCN status listing: |  Least Concern |
Image author: Diplodocus501 | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
2.Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rushen/25570707601/
Image author: Rushen | License: CC BY-SA 2.0
3.Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/world-birds/16337830316/in/photostream/
Image author: Darren Bellerby | License: CC BY 2.0
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