鹃形目

四声杜鹃 Indian Cuckoo
Cuculus micropterus

中型鸟类
体长 32~33 cm

虹膜 /iris

红褐色 /reddish-brown

嘴 /bill

上嘴黑色，下嘴偏绿色 /black above and greenish below

脚 /legs and feet

黄色 /yellow

目 │ 鹃形目CUCULIFORMES 科 │ 杜鹃科Cuculidae

野外识别 │ 身体偏灰色，灰色头部与深灰色的背部成对比，上嘴黑色，下嘴偏绿色，眼圈黄色，尾灰色并具黑色次端斑，脚黄色。雌鸟较雄鸟多褐色。亚成鸟头及上背具偏白的皮黄色鳞状斑纹。鸣声为“ ko-ko-ta-ko ”，第二个音节较长和响亮、传播很远，重复5~10次。

居留及分布 │ 广泛分布于亚洲东南部，远达俄罗斯的远东部分，东到日本，南达印度、缅甸、马来半岛和印度尼西亚。在南岭为夏候鸟，在大顶山有记录。

生境及习性 │ 栖息于山地和平原的森林中，有时也出现在农田边缘。性机警，通常栖于森林上层，只闻其声不见其鸟。主要以昆虫为食。繁殖期 5—7 月。自己不营巢，将卵产于大苇莺、灰喜鹊、黑卷尾等鸟的巢中。

Field identification │ A medium-sized cuckoo, which, if not calling, is most easily distinguished from other similar species by its broad black subterminal tail-band. It also has a noticeably large eye. Adult males are grey-brown above, with a paler grey head, neck and upper breast, and whitish underparts with broad brown bars. Females are browner above and on the breast. Recently-fledged juveniles are extensively white on the head and hindneck. The male territorial call is a far-carrying,fluty, four-note phrase ko-ko-ta-ko (rendered in English as“one more bottle”).

Distribution & status │ Widely distributed from India east through Myanmar and China to Ussuriland, Korea and Japan, and south through Indochina to Sumatra, Java, Borneo and the Philippines. It is resident in the southern part of its range, and a summer visitor in the north. The nominate subspecies occurs as a summer visitor through much of southern, central and eastern China including Nanling, where it is an uncommon summer visitor, recorded at Dadingshan.

Habitat & habits │ Indian Cuckoos on the breeding grounds favour dry hills, open areas with scattered tall trees, open woodland and farmland edge, where they feed mainly on caterpillars and insects. They are nest-parasitic, with Black Drongo a known host species in Guangdong.