Himalayan Cuckoo
Cuculus saturatus
Silhouette: Nicolas Huet le Jeune and Jean-Gabriel Prêtre (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCuculiformes (Cuckoos)
- FamilyCuculidae (Cuckoos)
- GenusCuculus (Typical Old World Cuckoos)
- SpeciesCuculus saturatus (Himalayan Cuckoo)
About the Himalayan Cuckoo
The Himalayan cuckoo or Oriental cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus) is a brooding parasitic bird that is part of the Cuculidae family. The species breeds from the Himalayas eastward to southern China and Taiwan. It migrates to southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands for the winter.
It was formerly known as "Oriental cuckoo" and contained several subspecies found over most of Asia. In 2005, it was determined that this "species" consists of three distinct lineages: Himalayan cuckoo, Cuculus (saturatus) saturatus
Oriental cuckoo proper, Cuculus (saturatus) optatus Sunda cuckoo, Cuculus (saturatus) lepidus These are usually seen as distinct species nowadays. As the type specimen of the former "Oriental" cuckoo is a bird of the Himalayan population, the name saturatus applies to the Himalayan cuckoo if it is considered a species.
With new information from a recent mtDNA study, it appears that the Himalayan cuckoo is most closely related to Cuculus canorus, creating a sister-clade with the two other species: C.gularis and C.rochii. The species C.optatus, previously named horsfieldi for Palearctic populations but was proven unsuitable, is considered a separate species because... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Himalayan Cuckoo in Khao Yai National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Khao Yai National Park
Large Hawk Cuckoo
Cuculus sparverioides
Indian Cuckoo
Cuculus micropterus
Cuculus nisicolor
Cuculus nisicolor
Greater Coucal
Centropus sinensis
Asian Koel
Eudynamys scolopaceus
Banded Bay Cuckoo
Cacomantis sonneratii
Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo
Carpococcyx renauldi
Plaintive Cuckoo
Cacomantis merulinus
Asian Emerald Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx maculatus
Asian Drongo-Cuckoo
Surniculus lugubris
Lesser Coucal
Centropus bengalensis
Violet Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 2 | Khangchendzonga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Langtang National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 4 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Doi Inthanon National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 7 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 8 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 9 | Jiuzhaigou National Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 10 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 11 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Himalayan Cuckoo in Khao Yai National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Himalayan Cuckoo sighting in Khao Yai National Park, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Himalayan Cuckoo in Khao Yai National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Himalayan Cuckoo in Khao Yai National Park in our monthly data.