Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo
Hierococcyx fugax
Large hawk-like cuckoo of dense forests, usually foraging in the canopy, where difficult to see. Adult has gray upperparts, streaked white underparts, and long tail with thick dark bars. Juvenile similar but darker brown overall. Large Hawk-Cuckoo very similar but adult averages larger, with a more elongated profile, broader tail bands, and extensive rusty smudging on the neck; juvenile lacks the rusty tone but is densely marked below with arrow-shaped marks, unlike the rounder, sparser marks of juvenile Malaysian. Juvenile Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo also confusingly similar but is likewise more extensively streaked below. Gives two distinct songs, a high “kiwit!” and a rapid-fire series of piping notes.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Hierococcyx fugax
- Authority
- (Horsfield, 1821)
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Genus
- Hierococcyx
Range and habitat
The Malaysian hawk-cuckoo occurs in a variety of forest types from plains level up to 1700 metres on Sumatra. It can also be found in cocoa and rubber plantations.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Hawk-cuckoos are brood parasites and recorded hosts include the white-rumped shama and the grey-headed canary flycatcher.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Puna Tapaculo
Scytalopus simonsi
Tiny, plump gray-and-brown bird that looks almost tailless. Males are ashy gray with warm reddish brown on their back half; females are similar, with the warm reddish brown extending farther up the back to the crown. Forages singly or in pairs low in dense vegetation in stunted elfin forest and humid shrubby grassland at high elevations, at and above the treeline; often found in Polylepis groves. A bit less shy than most tapaculos, but still heard far more often than seen. Its song is a single squeaky “tcheur” note, repeated at a steady pace of about 1-2 notes per second in a long series.
Lord Howe Rail
Gallirallus sylvestris
A long-necked and short-tailed rail with a long decurved bill. Uniformly brownish red, sometimes with variable barring on underside and flanks. Flightless. Naturally occurs in subtropical forest, but now mostly restricted to highest mountains. No similar species occur in its range. Often heard giving an advertising “coo-eet” call, but also commonly a series of drumming “booomp” notes.
Greater Yellow-headed Vulture
Cathartes melambrotus
Widespread and common vulture in lowland rainforest. Head may not appear yellow unless seen at close range. Best identified by steady flight with wings held at a slight dihedral. Similar to Turkey Vulture, but has broader wings which it holds flatter and does not teeter from side to side as often. Occurs in rainforest, cities, and agricultural areas.
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