CUCKOO 7/14 - Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo

Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo

 

The splitting of subspecies of the migratory Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo (HHC) and Malaysian Hawk Cuckoo (MHC) has caused much confusion amongst birdwatchers in Peninsula Malaysia. Actually the differences is there when comparing mature adult birds. It is only when you want to id the immature or subadult HHC based on poor photos like mine here.

Yong Ding Li did a superb writeup on the differences of features of the birds. For the adult bird; the easy tell tale is that the HHC has rufous wash on its neck to breast (like the Large Hawk Cuckoo) whilst the MHC has a cleaner and heavy vertical streaking. The MHC also have more puffy white throat to go; see my shot at : http://mikebirder.multiply.com/photos/album/436/Cuckoo_Malaysian_Hawk_#

A summary of visible immature features between the species are as follows:

Immature Features Comparison

a. White nape patch MCC - Present / HHC - Absent
b. Wings Fringes MCC - Pale whitish & faint / HHC - Buffy to Rusty
c. Innermost Tertial feathers MCC - More Brownish / HCC - Paler & very faint
d. Bands on underside primaries MCC - broader / HHC - Less broad
e. Underparts MCC - Whiter & cleaner / HHC Rufous orangy wash
f. Plumage Color MCC - Darker Brown / HHC lighter and true brown

Further to that timing of sighting of the HHC should be during the period between the coming of northern wintering period initiate the migratory period starting as early as October and the arrival of Spring/Summer call for the return trip back to northern hemisphere as late as May of the year. Another fact is according to Craig Robson's bird guide MHC is a resident lowland bird and seldom go higher than 500m whilst the HHC prefers the cooler coastal lowland to highland upto 1500m.