Grey-bellied Cuckoo

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The Grey-bellied Cuckoo is a small cuckoo species closely related to the Plaintive Cuckoo, distinguished by its generally paler, greyish underparts. It is primarily found across the Indian Subcontinent.

Where to spot

Endemic to the Indian Subcontinent, found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It prefers open woodlands, scrublands, gardens, and cultivated areas, often overlapping with the Plaintive Cuckoo in some regions.

How to spot

Listen for its simple, repetitive call, which can help differentiate it from the Plaintive Cuckoo's more complex song. Look for its small size and greyish belly when perched in open trees.

When to spot

Best observed during its breeding season, typically from spring through summer, when males are highly vocal. It may undertake local migrations in response to monsoon patterns or food availability.

Where to spot

How to spot

Listen for its simple, repetitive call, which can help differentiate it from the Plaintive Cuckoo's more complex song. Look for its small size and greyish belly when perched in open trees.

When to spot

Best observed during its breeding season, typically from spring through summer, when males are highly vocal. It may undertake local migrations in response to monsoon patterns or food availability.

Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Like its close relatives, the Grey-bellied Cuckoo is a brood parasite. Its eggs are often laid in the nests of other small birds, such as various types of babblers and sunbirds, which then unwittingly raise the cuckoo chicks.

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