Oriental Cuckoo
Cuculus optatus

>> GENERAL >>>>>

– near passerine, slightly larger than Common Blackbird
– vagrant to most of the WP, Asian origin
– nocturnal migrant, local diurnal movements
– migrates singly

>> VISUAL ID >>>>>


Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus, F
BIF1946, 10/06/2016, Khovsgol, Mongolia, Mathias Putze


Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus, F
BIF1947, 10/06/2016, Khovsgol, Mongolia, Mathias Putze


Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus, F
BIF1948, 10/06/2016, Khovsgol, Mongolia, Mathias Putze


Oriental Cuckoo Cuculus optatus, F
BIF1949, 10/06/2016, Khovsgol, Mongolia, Mathias Putze

note: due to contradictory statements in literature we did not age the birds

>> ACOUSTIC ID >>>>>

– supposed to be nonvocal during migration

>> COMPARISON SPECIES >>>>>

Common Cuckoo
Levant Sparrowhawk
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Lesser Kestrel
Common Kestrel

#nearpasserine #vagrant #rarity

#ornithology #birdmigration #birdID #birdguide #birding #birdwatching #birdsound #westernpalearctic #europe #vismig #flightcalls #middleeast #northernafrica #workinprogress