Hierococcyx hyperythrus
The Northern Hawk-Cuckoo (*Hierococcyx hyperythrus*) is a medium-sized cuckoo, measuring 29-32 cm in length with a slender, hawk-like silhouette. Adults display a distinctive pale rufous wash across the breast and belly, marked with dark streaking, contrasting with a plain grey head and nape. Its back and wings are dark grey, complemented by a longish tail featuring dark bands and a narrow white tip. A prominent yellow eye-ring and a yellow-based bill are key field marks, while sexes are outw...
The Northern Hawk-Cuckoo primarily inhabits deciduous, evergreen, and mixed forests, as well as woodlands, often favoring areas near clearings or forest edges. It is typically found at low to mid-elevations across its range in Eastern and Southeast Asia.
The Northern Hawk-Cuckoo primarily feeds on large insects, including caterpillars (especially hairy ones), cicadas, mantises, and beetles. It occasionally supplements its diet with small lizards or fruit, typically foraging by gleaning prey from foliage and branches.
The Northern Hawk-Cuckoo is primarily diurnal, though it is often secretive and elusive, spending much of its time concealed high in the forest canopy, making it more frequently heard than seen. Its foraging strategy involves gleaning large insects, especially caterpillars, cicadas, and beetles, ...
The Northern Hawk-Cuckoo boasts a broad distribution across Eastern and Southeast Asia, encompassing distinct breeding and wintering grounds. Its primary breeding range extends through the Russian Far East, Northeast China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and parts of mainland Southeast Asia includi...
Least Concern
- The Northern Hawk-Cuckoo is an obligate brood parasite, meaning it lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species and provides no parental care whatsoever. - Its hawk-like appearance, including its silhouette and flight style, is believed to mimic small raptors, which may help deter potential...