Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo
Hierococcyx nisicolor
- Family
- Cuckoos (Cuculidae)
- Order
- Cuculiformes
Overview
Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx nisicolor), also known as the whistling hawk-cuckoo, is a species of cuckoo found in north-eastern India, Myanmar, southern China and southeast Asia.
Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo is a brood parasite. The chick evicts bona fide residents of the parasitized nest, thus becoming the sole occupant. Under normal circumstances, this would reduce the provisioning rate as the foster parents see only one gape.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds Himalayas from eastern Nepal and hills south of the Brahmaputra River eastwards to eastern China, from southern Sichuan northeast to Jiangsu and southeast to Hainan, and northern southeastern Asia; winters to Greater Sundas.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
