It certainly has been 'cuckoomania' in the taman for the last couple of weeks, with a total of five different species of migrant cuckoo sighted.
And this include the latest star, the stunning Asian Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx maculatus).
When I received a message to identify a bird that has just been spotted, this was the least cuckoo expected. It was certainly a touch and go appearance for this one on the first day of sighting which left me missing out on her, but fortunately she reappeared the next day.
Hopping and flying from branch to branch, it was non-stop feeding for this one for more than 20 minutes but it did suggest that its favoured food of caterpillars were not that aplenty as she was continuously on the move and scanning.
The Asian Emerald Cuckoo is of Least Concern status in the latest Global IUCN Red List category, measuring only about 17cm but gorgeous looking with glossy emerald-green plumage, the female nonetheless striking with rufous crown to nape, and coppery-green upperparts, both having similar white underparts with barring.
A winter visitor, it could hail from India, southern China or northern Indochina. It can be spotted in gardens and parks, forest and forest edges but tend to keep to higher canopy of tall trees.
This is another record visitor for the taman as this bird is normally sighted further up north, rarely in this central region, and this brings the species count to 112 for TRK.
20/2021
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