Cuckoos and Allies

The gallery features images from the Cuckoos (Cuculidae) family which has five subfamilies: Old-World Cuckoos including Koels, Coucals, Malkohas and Anis.

Cuckoos, Koels, Coucals, Malkohas and Anis

Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx fugax) perched at Bidadari Cemetery Woodland in Singapore

Plaintive Cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus threnodes) singing at Pasir Ris Park in Singapore

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (Clamator coromandus) perched near Lorong Halus Wetlands in Singapore

Large Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx sparverioides) immature perched at Pasir Ris Park in Singapore

Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus) female perched at Bidadari Cemetery Woodland in Singapore

Banded Bay Cuckoo (Cacomantis sonneratii) at Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia

Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana insulana) perched at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus dicruroides) at Kuala Selangor Nature Park in Malaysia

SShining Bronze Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus) perched at Orokonui Ecosancturay in Otago, New Zealand — Shining Bronze Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx lucidus) perched at Orokonui Ecosancturay in Otago, New Zealand

Pacific Koel (Eudynamys orientalis cyanocephalus) female at Tyto Wetlands in Ingham, QLD

Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus malayanus) female at Chinese Garden in Singapore

Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus malayanus) male at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus melanurus), in the forest at Mary River Wilderness Retreat in Northern Territories

Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) foraging in a tree at Cape Gloucester

Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis intermedius) perched at Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia

Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris singularis) foraging at Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia

Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) perched at Orange Valley in Trinidad

Cuckoos, Koels, Coucals, Malkohas and Anis Notes

All featured species are ‘Red List 2019’ assessed as ‘Least Concern’. These small to medium-sized arboreal birds rarely exhibit plumage dimorphism; an exception is the koels. And about one-third of the cuckoo family are brood parasites, laying their eggs in other birds’ nests. Malkohas and others in the Phaenicophaeinae subfamily are non-parasitic nest-building cuckoos that raise their young.

Singapore has eighteen resident or migrant species of cuckoos. On my recent visit to Singapore, I photographed another three, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Large Hawk-Cuckoo and Plaintive Cuckoo, bringing my Singapore image list to seven about half of those on my world list.

Cuckoo Taxonomy

Cuckoos (Cuculiformes) order has one family; Cuckoos (Cuculidae) which splits into five subfamilies, three of which feature in the album:
(a) Cuculinae (Cuckoos) with images from two of three tribes displayed: (i) Cuculini (Old World Parasitic Cuckoos), and (ii) Phaenicophaeini (Malkohas, American Cuckoos),
(b) Centropodinae (Coucals),
(c) Crotophaginae (Anis).