小杜鹃 Lesser Cuckoo
Cuculus poliocephalus

小型鸟类
体长 24~25 cm

虹膜 /iris

灰褐色 /brownish

嘴 /bill

上部黑色，基部及下部黄色 /blackish with yellow base

脚 /legs and feet

黄色 /yellow

目 │ 鹃形目CUCULIFORMES 科 │ 杜鹃科Cuculidae

野外识别 │ 上体大部分为暗灰色，下背和翅上小覆羽沾蓝褐色，腰至尾上覆羽蓝灰色，飞羽黑褐色，初级飞羽具白色横斑。上胸沾棕色，下胸和腹白色，具粗著的黑色横斑。鸣声为“ kiu kiu kiu-ki ki kiu ”，第二个音节较长和响亮、传播很远，重复 5~10 次。

居留及分布 │ 分布范围东抵日本，西经喜马拉雅山脉及印度至阿富汗、非洲，南经斯里兰卡、中南半岛至马来群岛及中国。在中国分布于东北及沿海各地至西藏、华南内陆部分地区、海南等地。在南岭为夏候鸟，在秤架、龙潭角、大顶山、乳阳等地均有记录。

生境及习性 │ 栖息于低山丘陵、林缘地带及河谷次生林和阔叶林、村旁疏林和灌木林。性孤独和隐匿，常躲藏在茂密的枝叶丛中鸣叫。飞行迅速，无固定栖息地。主要以昆虫为食。繁殖期 5—7 月。自己不营巢和孵卵，将卵产在柳莺等鸟类的巢中，卵白色。

Field identification │ Very similar to other cuckoos in the genus, but smaller and slimmer and with a weaker bill. Best identified by its distinctive territorial call, which consists of 5-6 loud notes kiu kiu kiu-ki ki kiu with the 3rd syllable stressed (rendered in English as“get your choky peppers”).

Distribution & status │ Breeds from the Himalayas east to China, Ussuriland, Korea and Japan,and winters to E Africa. It is a summer visitor to most parts of China, including Guangdong. In Nanling,it is a fairly common summer visitor, recorded at Chengjia, Longtanjiao, Dadingshan and Ruyang.

Habitat & habits │ Lesser Cuckoos occur in a variety of wooded habitats including hill forests,where they forage for insects, especially caterpillars. Sulphur-breasted Warbler is known to be a host species in Guangdong.