Himalayan Cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus) [XC107345]
by Mike Nelson from Lao Ling, Liaoning, China (song)
Himalayan Cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus) [XC652399]
by Greg Irving from Hubei Province Shen Nongjia NR, China (song)
Nest
None. Egg(s) laid in that of the foster parents. The most common species are Phylloscopus and Seicercus warblers.
Subspecies
Cuculus saturatus (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Himalayan Cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus), Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) and Sunda Cuckoo (Cuculus lepidus) following Payne (2005).
Often regarded as conspecific with Cuculus horsfieldi. Bornean population formerly recognized as a distinct subspecies, insulindae, but does not differ from lepidus of Malaysia, Sumatra and Java. Subspecies lepidus, including Bornean birds, has been included in Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus), but on present evidence more appropriately placed in present species.
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus).
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
saturatus Bythe, 1843 - Kashmir through southern Himalayas, Assam, northern and eastern Myanmar (including Shan States) and Thailand to southern China and Taiwan. Winters from Malaysia and Philippines south to Lesser Sundas, New Guinea and Australia. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus).
lepidus S. Müller, 1845 - Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Lesser Sundas, east to Timor. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Sunda Cuckoo (Cuculus lepidus).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet