Banded Bay Cuckoo

Overview

The Cacomantis sonneratii, commonly known as the banded bay cuckoo or bay-banded cuckoo, is a small cuckoo species found across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It belongs to the genus Cacomantis and is characterised by round nostrils, a feature shared with its congeners.

Identification

• Bright rufous or bay upperparts on the head and back, broadly barred with dark brown.
• Whitish supercilium above a dark eye-line, contrasting with a whitish underside featuring fine striations.
• Approximately 22 cm in length, with a long, slightly curved black bill and a graduated tail possessing a subterminal black band and white feather tips.
• Distinctive high-pitched call described as a four-note whistle, transcribed as "wee-ti wee-tee" or "smoke-yer-pepper".

Habitat

This species inhabits well-wooded forests, predominantly in lower hill areas. Its range extends from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia, including India, Nepal, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Sri Lanka, and several Indonesian islands. Populations are often migratory or partially migratory, with presence in India largely tied to the monsoon season.

Diet

Insects form the primary component of its diet, which are captured through gleaning and aerial sallying. The species is also brood-parasitic, laying eggs that resemble those of hosts such as the common iora, red-whiskered bulbul, and various small babblers, with the resulting fledglings evicting the host's own young.

Did you know?

The breeding season varies significantly across its range; for instance, males may sing through much of the year in the Eastern Ghats of India, whereas in the Malay Peninsula, adults are primarily heard from January to May.