The common hawk-cuckoo, popularly known as the brainfever bird, is a medium-sized cuckoo resident in the Indian subcontinent. It bears a close resemblance to the shikra, even in its style of flying and landing on a perch. The resemblance to hawks gives this group the generic name of hawk-cuckoo; like many other cuckoos, these are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of babblers. During their breeding season in summer males produce loud, repetitive three-note calls that are well-rendered as brain-fever, the second note being longer and higher pitched. These notes rise to a crescendo before ending abruptly and repeat after a few minutes; the calling may go on through the day, well after dusk and before dawn.
Description adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to Find
Top parks for Common Hawk-Cuckoo. Sightings recorded in 95 safari areas total.
Best Safari Destinations
Loading safari destinations...
Ready to see Common Hawk-Cuckoo in the wild?
Use our tools to find the right park and plan your trip.