Clamator jacobinus (Boddaert, 1783)

A crested black and white cuckoo of medium size, with a white patch on the wings. It is often considered to be a harbinger of the monsoon.

A black and white cuckoo, with a prominent black crest. The white tips of the tail feathers and white patch on wings are visible when the bird is in flight. It is likely to be seen in open, well wooded areas, often near villages and towns. In most parts of India this bird is associated with the monsoons. It migrates into the country with the onset of the monsoons in June, and leaves in September as they end. However, the southern India bird that lives in this area is resident, and makes only short local migrations. During the breeding season the birds can be seen chasing one another from tree to tree, calling excitedly, piu-piu-pee-peepiu... pee-pee-piu. It lives mainly in the trees, but occasionally descends to the ground in search of food: grasshoppers, caterpillars and berries. It lays its eggs in the nests of Babblers.

It commonly lays eggs in the nests of Jungle babblers.

The call is a clear `pliu...pliu...pliu´.

Frequents in open, well wooded country. Commonly found in the neighbourhood of habitations.

It inhabits scrub and dry deciduous forests.

IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern