Bhutan (B), Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (mainland), India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia (B), Myanmar (B), Nepal, North Korea (B), Palau, Philippines (B), Russia (Asian), South Korea (B), Thailand (B), Vietnam.
Vagrant to Bangladesh.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx fugax) [XC882204]
by Wan Iskandar Buniyamin from Johor, Panti Forest Reserve, Bunker Trail, Malaysia (song)
Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx fugax) [XC745259]
by Lim Ying Hien from Panti Bird Sanctuary, Johor, Malaysia (call)
Subspecies
Often placed in genus Hierococcyx, along with other hawk-cuckoos, on grounds of notable morphological differences from Cuculus. Forms a superspecies with Philippine Hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx pectoralis) with which often considered conspecific.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
fugax (Horsfield, 1821) - Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and Borneo.
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nisicolor Blyth, 1843 - Nepal and eastern Himalayas to Myanmar, Thailand and Hainan I. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Whistling Hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx nisicolor).
hyperythrus Gould, 1856 - North-eastern China to Korea, lower Yangtze Valley and southern Japan. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Northern Hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx hyperythrus).