Violet Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus
The Violet Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus) is a rare cuckoo found in 14 countries, weighing about 22 g. The violet cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae.
About the Violet Cuckoo
The violet cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The males have glossy violet feathers on the head and upper parts of the body. The blackish tail has a white tip, and barred outer feathers. The most spectacular feature is the brightly iridescent violet chin and upper breast. The belly is white with broad black, green or violet bars. Mature males also have a red eye-ring. The closely related species, C. amethystinus has a glossy blue-violet throat patch rather than reddish violet of this cuckoo. The females have mottled, greenish-bronze upper parts and a dark brown crown. There are white markings around the eyes and sometimes on the forehead.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Violet Cuckoo can be seen all year round, with peak activity in March. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Violet Cuckoo?
- The males have glossy violet feathers on the head and upper parts of the body. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Violet Cuckoo?
- The Violet Cuckoo is a small sized bird weighing about 22 g.
- Where can you see a Violet Cuckoo?
- The Violet Cuckoo occurs in 14 countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, India, Singapore and the Philippines.
- What birds look similar to a Violet Cuckoo?
- The Violet Cuckoo is most easily confused with the Asian Emerald Cuckoo, the Yellow-throated Cuckoo and the African Emerald Cuckoo.
- Is the Violet Cuckoo endangered?
- The Violet Cuckoo is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Violet Cuckoo for real
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