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Pallid Cuckoo - BirdForum Opus

Revision as of 18:14, 21 March 2009 by Kits (talk | contribs)
Photo by Nora
Location: Toolern Vale, Melbourne, Australia
Cuculus pallidus

Cacomantis pallidus

Identification

28 - 33 cm. Grey plumage, dark wings and back, tail broadly barred black and white. Brown bill, grey-brown legs and feet, yellow eye ring. Juveniles mottled brown and buff above, white spot on nape, streaked grey-rbown and white below.

Juveniles mottled brown and buff above and have a white nape spot. Streaked grey-brown and white below.

Distribution

Photo by Neil
Newcastle, Australia

Australasia and Southeast Asia

Taxonomy

Some authorities place this species in the genus Cacomantis.

Cuculus pallidus has two subspecies:

  • C. p. pallidus;
  • C. p. occidentalis.

Habitat

Photo by Gallus
Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia

Open forests and woodlands, as well as cleared and cultivated open country.

Behaviour

Diet

Diet includes hairy caterpillars, other insects and their larvae. Prey is spotted from low perch and is pounced on, usually on the ground. Some insects are taken from foliage.

Breeding

It uses other birds' nests, the female replacing one of the host eggs with her own.

Bird Song

Call is a loud, ascending whistle too-too-too. <flashmp3>Pallid_cuckoo.mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Birds in Backyards

References

Lepage D. 2007. Avibase. Search for "Pallid Cuckoo" downloaded 15 April 2008.

External Links

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