June is the time when both resident and migratory cuckoos are active and searching for potential sites where the host birds are likely to nest. In the Himalaya, Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Himalayan Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo have been vocal since May, and in northeast India its the Hodgson’s Hawk-Cuckoo, Plaintive Cuckoo, Banded Bay Cuckoo, Square-tailed Drongo Cuckoo and many more cuckoo species that are now active and vocal (some even call during the dark hours of dawn and dusk).
We still do not know much about the cuckoos and the various hosts they parasitize. This being the ideal month to observe and document such behaviour, the eBird monthly challenge for June is to submit 30 eligible checklists*, with at least three of them containing a brood-parasitic cuckoo.
What birds are included in this list of brood-parasitic cuckoos? Here they are:
- Asian Koel
- Pied Cuckoo
- Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
- Large Hawk-cuckoo
- Common Hawk-cuckoo
- Hodgson’s Hawk-cuckoo
- Indian Cuckoo
- Eurasian Cuckoo
- Himalayan Cuckoo
- Lesser Cuckoo
- Banded Bay Cuckoo
- Plaintive Cuckoo
- Grey-bellied Cuckoo
- Asian Emerald Cuckoo
- Violet Cuckoo
- Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
- Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
* Eligible checklists are those that report all species seen/heard (and are therefore marked ‘complete’), report numbers for all species rather than Xs, and are of at least 15 minutes or longer in duration.
Although not part of this month’s challenge, do consider adding sounds, photos, and behavioural comments. If you are observing/documenting breeding birds please follow these practices: maintain a suitable distance; don’t use playback; don’t trample habitats where birds are likely to nest. If you fear that others may notice your observations and disturb the birds you have seen nesting, you can delay adding your comments or photographs for a few weeks. Please follow the basic principles of birding ethics, including in photography.
While birding, please ensure that you adhere to COVID-19 related instructions by central and local authorities.
Please upload all your lists by 10 July 2022 so that we can announce the results soon after that.
Here are the general rules of our monthly challenges. And check out the yearlong challenges for 2022 as well! You can keep track of fresh lists coming in from India on this page.
A list of challenges at the global level can be seen here.
Header Image: Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus ©Albin Jacob
