The common hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius), 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.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
We have no record of Common Hawk-Cuckoo being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Hierococcyx sparverioides
- Hierococcyx nisicolor
- Cuculus micropterus
- Cuculus saturatus
- Cuculus solitarius
- Hierococcyx fugax
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Genus
- Hierococcyx
- Species
- Hierococcyx varius
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