Violet cuckoo photos

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Taxonomic classification   ⇿   Photos
The violet cuckoo (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus) belongs to the family Cuculidae under the order Cuculiformes.

Brood parasitism in Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus

The species Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus are brood-parasites. They lay eggs in the nest of other birds and rely on the host to raise their young. These species have lost the ability to nest, incubate and raise their young. They have evolved several strategies to successfully accomplish their reproductive cycle.

In all brood parasite infested nests, the parasite eggs hatches earlier than the host eggs. The parasite chicks also grow faster than the host chicks. Research studies have shown that the female parasite birds can hold onto their eggs for an extra 24 hours after they were ready to be laid.

This 24 hours incubation at 40 degrees inside the mother, gives the parasite embryo accelerated growth and a head start over the host eggs. Hatching early, these parasite chicks can evict the host eggs and chicks. Further the egg coloration mimics the host egg.

Taxonomic classification
Binomial name:	Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus
Species:	C. xanthorhynchus
Genus:	Chrysococcyx
Subfamily:	-
Family:	Cuculidae
Order:	Cuculiformes
Class:	Aves
Phylum:	Chordata
Kingdom:	Animalia

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Photos

1.Violet cuckoo - Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus - Photo by Kesavamurthy N

2.Violet cuckoo - Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus - Photo by Nanda ramesh

3.Violet cuckoo - Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus - Photo by Francesco Veronesi

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1.Photo source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Violet_cuckoo.jpg (cropped)
Photo author: Kesavamurthy N | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
2.Photo source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Violet_cuckoo_(Chrysococcyx_xanthorhynchus)_May_2013_Port_Blair_Andaman.JPG (cropped)
Photo author: Nanda ramesh | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
3.Photo source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/francesco_veronesi/16264727105/ (cropped)
Photo author: Francesco Veronesi | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 as on 5/9/17
Current topic in Birds of India: Violet cuckoo (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus) photos