Violet cuckoo (male & female)

Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus

Description:

The males have glossy violet feathers on the head and upper parts of the body. The blackish tail has a white tip, and barred outer feathers. The most spectacular feature is the brightly iridescent violet chin and upper breast. The belly is white with broad black, green or violet bars. Mature males also have a red eye-ring. The females have mottled, greenish-bronze upper parts and a dark brown crown. There are white markings around the eyes and sometimes on the forehead. The central tail feathers are greenish while the outer feathers are rufous with greenish bars. The outer rectrices are barred black and white. The breast is whitish with bronze-green bars and variably washed rufous markings.

Habitat:

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. It is also seen in gardens,orchards,and rubber plantations.

Notes:

Taken at La Mesa Dam Spillway area.

Species ID Suggestions

25 Comments (1–25)

maplemoth662 5 years ago

Photo No. 1: is a very beautiful, and a very colorful photo....

Paul Davis 6 years ago

Wonderful.

SaswatMishra 6 years ago

so beautiful !!

bayucca 7 years ago

Wonderful one!!

AntónioGinjaGinja 7 years ago

awesome series Albert,congrats on the well deserved SOTD and thanks for sharing

CalebSteindel 7 years ago

Belated congrats!

LeanneGardner 7 years ago

Congratulations Albert :)

JoshuaGSmith 7 years ago

This is great! Very well deserved SOTD. The sexual dimorphism in this species is astonishing!

AlbertTamayo 7 years ago

Thank you so much for choosing my photo as SOTD and to everyone for the kind words. I have uploaded a few more pictures of these birds including a portrait of the male VC taken by my 15 year old daughter :)