Photo: Tisha Mukherjee / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lesser Cuckoo
Cuculus poliocephalus
Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 46.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Cuculiformes
- Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
- Genus Cuculus
- Species poliocephalus
Where it lives
Southeastern Siberia and Japan to southern China, northern southeastern Asia and the Himalayas
Quick facts
- Weight
- 46.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Lesser Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Lesser Cuckoo is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus) is a species of bird in the Cuculidae family, part of the order Cuculiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR se Siberia and Japan to s China, n se Asia and the Himalayas.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 46.6 g, with a wing length of about 15.4 cm and a tail of around 13.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lesser Cuckoo?
The Lesser Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 46.6 g.
Where does the Lesser Cuckoo live?
The Lesser Cuckoo is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR se Siberia and Japan to s China, n se Asia and the Himalayas, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Lesser Cuckoo belong to?
The Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Lesser Cuckoo eat?
The Lesser Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Lesser Cuckoo migrate?
The Lesser Cuckoo is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Lesser Cuckoo endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Lesser Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Lesser Cuckoo — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Lesser Cuckoo's range?
The Lesser Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 5.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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