Banded Bay Cuckoo
Cacomantis sonneratii
The Banded Bay Cuckoo (Cacomantis sonneratii) is a uncommon cuckoo found in 16 countries, weighing about 34 g. The banded bay cuckoo or bay-banded cuckoo is a species of small cuckoo found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
About the Banded Bay Cuckoo
The banded bay cuckoo or bay-banded cuckoo is a species of small cuckoo found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Like others in the genus they have round nostrils. They are usually founded in well-wooded areas mainly in the lower hills. Males sing from exposed branches during the breeding season, which can vary with region. They are distinctive both in their calls as well as plumage with a white eyebrowed appearance and the rufous upperparts with regular dark bands and the whitish underside with fine striations.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The adults are bright rufous or bay on the head and back and are broadly barred with dark brown. The bill is long and slightly curved. A whitish supercilium is distinctive above a dark eye-line. The wing is darker and tail is graduated with a dark brown centre. The tail has a subterminal black band and white tips to the feathers. The sexes are alike. The iris is yellow and the bill is black while the base of the lower mandible is greenish grey. The tarsi are grey. The juvenile is similar but has a pale lower mandible and white fringes to the feathers of the upper body.
What the Banded Bay Cuckoo sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in February. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Banded Bay Cuckoo?
- The adults are bright rufous or bay on the head and back and are broadly barred with dark brown. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Banded Bay Cuckoo?
- The Banded Bay Cuckoo is a small sized bird weighing about 34 g.
- Where can you see a Banded Bay Cuckoo?
- The Banded Bay Cuckoo occurs in 16 countries, including India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.
- What does a Banded Bay Cuckoo sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Banded Bay Cuckoo on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Banded Bay Cuckoo?
- The Banded Bay Cuckoo is most easily confused with the Grey-bellied Cuckoo, the Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo and the Moluccan Brush Cuckoo.
- Is the Banded Bay Cuckoo endangered?
- The Banded Bay Cuckoo is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Banded Bay Cuckoo for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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