The Asian emerald cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus) belongs to the family of cuckoos, roadrunners, koels, malkohas and couas, Cuculidae.
The Asian emerald cuckoo species are distributed in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. These cuckoo species are brood-parasites. These cuckoos are monotypic species.
Appearance, physical description and identification
The Asian emerald cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus) is a small cuckoo, measuring 17 cm in length and weighing 25 grams.These Asian emerald cuckoo species have whitish underside with brown horizontal bars on the chin, cheeks, throat, breast and belly. The wings and the back are glossy green with grayish patterns. The forehead, crown and nape are glossy bronze.
The bill has gray distal end and orange base. The irises are blackish brown and eye-ring is reddish orange. The feet are dark gray. Their call is a repeated “chweek” and “twittering” sound.
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| Birds of India - Image of Asian emerald cuckoo - Chrysococcyx maculatus by Jason Thompson |
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| Indian birds - Picture of Asian emerald cuckoo - Chrysococcyx maculatus by JJ Harrison |
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| Birds of India - Photo of Asian emerald cuckoo - Chrysococcyx maculatus by Somchai Kanchanasut |
Origin, geographical range and distribution
The Asian emerald cuckoo species are distributed in the India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.In India, these Asian emerald cuckoo species are distributed in the states of Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Ecosystem and habitat
These Asian emerald cuckoo species are moderately forest dependent. These species occur in altitudes from 0 to 2500 meters. The artificial ecosystem of these species includes rural gardens and urban parks.The natural ecosystems of these Asian emerald cuckoo species includes tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests, dense evergreen forests, tropical and subtropical moist montane forests and broadleaf secondary forests.
Diet and feeding behavior
The diet of these Asian emerald cuckoo species is mostly insects. Caterpillars, beetles, moths, bugs, termites, ants, flying insects and invertebrates are their primary food. They usually forage in tree canopy.Reproduction and breeding habits
The breeding season of these Asian emerald cuckoo species in the northern ranges is from April to July. The breeding season of these species coincides with the local breeding season of the host species, the little spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra) and the crimson sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja).These cuckoo species are brood-parasites. They lay eggs in the nest of other birds and rely on the host to raise their young. A single egg is laid in the host nest. The cuckoo chick grows faster and may evict the unhatched host eggs and the chicks from the nest.
Migration and movement patterns
These Asian emerald cuckoo species are partially migratory birds. The Asian emerald cuckoo populations in Himalayas in India, Nepal and Bhutan and also populations in north Myanmar and north Yunnan (China) are breeding visitors.They migrate to South India, Sri Lanka, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India), southern Myanmar, north Malaysia, southern Thailand, Southern Laos, central Vietnam and northern Cambodia for wintering.
The Asian emerald cuckoo populations in southern parts of northeast India, central Myanmar, northern Thailand, northern Laos, northern Vietnam and southern China (Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangxi and Hainan) are resident breeders.
Post breeding, the juveniles cuckoos may disperse and establish in new locations within the range. They may make local movements for feeding and breeding within their range.
Asian emerald cuckoo - Overview
- Scientific name: Chrysococcyx maculatus
- Species author: (Gmelin, 1788)
- Synonyms/Protonym: Trogon maculatus J. F. Gmelin, 1788
- Family: Cuculidae › Cuculiformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Vernacular names: English: Asian emerald cuckoo, Chinese: 翠金鹃, French: Coucou émeraude, German: Prachtkuckuck, Spanish: Cuclillo esmeralda asiático, Russian: Изумрудная бронзовая кукушка, Japanese: ミドリテリカッコウ, Indonesian: Burung Kedasi Zamrud
- Other names: Emerald Cuckoo, Asian Emerald Cuckoo
- Distribution: Indian subcontinent, southern China, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sumatra (Indonesia)
- Diet and feeding habits: insects, insect larvae, caterpillars, ants, termites
- IUCN status listing: Least Concern (LC)
Conservation and survival
The global population size of the Asian emerald cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus) has not been quantified. The overall population trend of these species is considered to be stable. Throughout its range it is reported to be scarce to rare. The generation length is 4.2 years. Their distribution size is about 4,400,000 sq.km.The Asian emerald cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus) does not approach the thresholds for being Vulnerable, either under the range size criterion, or under the population trend criterion or under the population size criterion. Habitat loss is the main threat that may endanger the survival of these cuckoo species.
IUCN and CITES status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated the species and has listed it as of "Least Concern". The CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) status is ‘Not Evaluated’ for the Asian emerald cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus).| Taxonomy and scientific classification of Chrysococcyx maculatus | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Cuculiformes |
| Family: | Cuculidae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Chrysococcyx |
| Species: | C. maculatus |
| Binomial name: | Chrysococcyx maculatus |
| IUCN status listing: |
 Least Concern |
1.Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/79492850@N00/10939298873/in/photostream/ (cropped)
Image author: Jason Thompson | License: CC BY 2.0 as on 4/21/17
2.Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chrysococcyx_maculatus_-_Khao_Yai.jpg (cropped)
Image author: JJ Harrison (jjharrison89@facebook.com) | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
3.Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_Asian_Emerald_Cuckoo_(Chrysococcyx_maculatus)_from_rear.jpg (cropped)
Image author: Somchai Kanchanasut | License: CC BY 2.0 as on 4/21/17
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