Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx nisicolor (Blyth, 1843)

Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo, Hierococcyx nisicolor, is a cuckoo of the Oriental Region, breeding from Nepal and the eastern Himalayas through Myanmar, Thailand and Hainan Island, and wintering south to the Greater Sundas. It is found across north-eastern India, Myanmar, southern China and south-east Asia. The bird is a brood parasite, with the chick removing the nest’s rightful occupants and taking over alone. It also shows gape-coloured skin patches beneath the wing, which help draw more feeding from host parents by imitating extra mouths.

Order

Cuculiformes

Family

Cuculidae — Cuckoos

Breeding range

Oriental Region: Nepal and e Himalayas to Myanmar, Thailand and Hainan I.

Nonbreeding range

s to Greater Sundas