Fun Grey-bellied Cuckoo Facts For Kids
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The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is a smaller cuckoo bird of 9.1 in (23 cm) in length and has 0.05-0.06 lb (22-25 g) weight. It is a resident of Southern Asia. The range expands in India, Sri Lanka, south China, and Indonesia.
Cuckoo birds of these cuckoo families are brood parasites. The chicks are raised by other birds' nests, where they lay their eggs. It breeds in the foothill and montane forests.
Their breeding season coincides with the local warbler species' breeding season. A single egg is laid in the warblers' nest.
Grey-bellied cuckoos (Cacomantis passerinus) have gray bodies. Male birds are affected by dark gray patches on the chin and breasts. Its unbarred tail has a hint of white on its tip.
It has a white lower belly. Those with blackish eyes have an iris that is reddish-brown. In contrast to the bill, which is mainly black, there is considerable variation in color.
Hepatic females are ginger-orange with black barring on the back and on the undersides. Juveniles are a duller gray version of the females in color. They make a noisy, persistent call that sounds like pee-pip-pee-pee.
The sound is comparable to that of the Indian plaintive cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus). Cuckoos of the Indian Plaintive cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus) are very similar to this species.
There are similarities in the size of the two cuckoo birds, as well as their juvenile appearances. Their diet includes a variety of insects and caterpillars. According to the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, the grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is a Least Concern species.
There is no estimate of the global population. Nevertheless, the population seems to be stable overall. This cuckoo bird's main threat is domain loss.
If you enjoy reading about the grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus), do check out interesting facts about the quail and California quail.
Grey-Bellied Cuckoo Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a grey-bellied cuckoo?
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is a gray-colored bird of the Cuculidae family and Cacomantis genus.
What class of animal does a grey-bellied cuckoo belong to?
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is a type of bird from the species of C. passerinus of the order Cuculiformes.
How many grey-bellied cuckoos are there in the world?
The specific number of grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) in the world is still not defined. But this species has been added in the Least Concern under the IUCN Red List. Therefore this cuckoo is not under any threat and can be found in abundance.
Where does a grey-bellied cuckoo live?
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is a resident of Southern Asia. It can be found in India, Sri Lanka, south China, and Indonesia. This Cuckoo bird of Cuculiformes order has its distributed in far wide places like Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
What is a grey-bellied cuckoo's habitat?
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is mainly found in the habitat like sparse wood population and cultivated lands. This bird seems to be a short distance migrant, and grassy plains, tea gardens are their preferable places. Those at higher altitudes and more northern latitudes migrate short distances in summer and leave for warmer areas in winter.
Who do grey-bellied cuckoos live with?
Grey-bellied cuckoos (Cacomantis passerinus) usually don't live in flocks.
How long does a grey-bellied cuckoo live?
The lifespan of grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is about five years.
How do they reproduce?
Cuckoo birds of these species are brood parasites. They lay their eggs in other birds' nests and are dependent upon them to raise their young.
They breed during the same period as the local host species, the warbler. A single egg is laid in the warbler's nest. It breeds in the foothill and montane forests.
April to June is considered to be the breeding season for grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) in the eastern ghats of India and the two Himalayan countries Nepal and Bhutan. Whereas in Pakistan, March to September is the laying season.
What is their conservation status?
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is a Least Concern species under the IUCN Red List of Endangered species. The global population has not been estimated. But the overall population seems to be stable. The main threat to the grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is the loss of habitat.
Grey-Bellied Cuckoo Fun Facts
What do grey-bellied cuckoos look like?
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) weighs 0.05-0.06 lb (22-25 g) and is 9.1 in (23 cm) in length. The body of the grey-bellied cuckoo is gray in color. The dark grey patch is visible on the male chin and breast.
There is a hint of white on the tip of the unbarred tail. Undertail is gray and has a white lower belly.
An iris with a reddish-brown color is seen in eyes that are blackish. There is a large variation in color between black and brown on the bill. Similar traits are also found in the female birds, except that it has a whitish abdomen.
Several white streaks surround the eye. There is rufous coloration on the throat and breast and whitish coloration on the remaining underparts.
Hepatic females are ginger-orange with black barring on the back and on the undersides. Rufous color also covers the unbarred tail. Juveniles are a duller gray version of females in color.
How cute are they?
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is not defined as a cute species because of its dark color variation and high-pitched calls. However, their striking red iris is very attractive.
How do they communicate?
The cuckoos use their calls and songs to communicate with the other birds or species. The cuckoo bird also does this to keep competitors from entering their territory. Their noisy, persistent call sounds like pee-pip-pee-pee. This sound is quite similar to Indian plaintive cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus).
How big is a grey-bellied cuckoo?
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is 9.1 in (23 cm) in length. It is similar to plaintive cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus). Both cuckoo birds look similar in size and have similar-looking juveniles. Even their host species is the same.
How fast can a grey-bellied cuckoo fly?
The actual speed of cuckoo birds has not been estimated, but they travel a short distance. Those at higher altitudes and more northern latitudes migrate short distances in summer and leave for warmer areas in winter.
How much does a grey-bellied cuckoo weigh?
Grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) weighs 0.05-0.06 lb (22-25 g).
What are the male and female names of the species?
Their is no specific name for different grey-bellied cuckoo sex. They are called female grey-bellied cuckoo and male grey-bellied cuckoo. They are often known by other names, too, like Chota papiha, Nani rakhodi koyal, or koha in different parts of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. They are also known to buy their scientific name, which is Cocomantis passerinus.
What would you call a baby grey-bellied cuckoo?
The baby grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is called a chick.
What do they eat?
The diet of grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) includes a variety of insects that can fly and have a hairy body. The variety of insects like grasshoppers, caterpillars, moths, and dragonflies. Before consuming them, they are rubbed on a hard surface and are shaken intensely.
Are they dangerous?
No, they are not dangerous in any way.
Would they make a good pet?
This cuckoo bird has not been kept as a pet anywhere in the recognized area.
Did you know...
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is a brood species, and it never creates its own nest. It lays eggs in the host's nest. The host is commonly Warbler. It prefers a closed nest with a narrow entrance like that of Ashy Prinia, common tailorbird, and Zitting Cisticola.
The grey-bellied cuckoo's call
The call or sound produced by the grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) bird is very high-pitched. It sounds like pee-pip-pee-pee and fades away with ki-keeeer. It is a very persistent and noisy sound.
Comparison with other cuckoos
The grey-bellied cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus) is found to be quite similar to plaintive cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus). They both have the same size and same sound.
It is also a native to Southern Asia, and their citation has been in the regions like Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Also, the iris of the black cuckoo is similar to the grey-bellied cuckoo.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these black-billed cuckoo facts and yellow-billed cuckoo facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable grey-bellied cuckoo coloring pages.
Main image by afsarnayakkan.
Second image by Karunakar Rayker.
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