Table Of ContentRichardSchodde&EdwardC. Dickinson 48 Bull. B.O.C. 2005125(1)
Mathews,G.M. 1912a.AdditionsandcorrectionstomyReferenceListtothebirdsofAustralia.Austral
AvianRecord 1: 25-52.
Mathews, G. M. 1912b. Editorialnotice.AustralAvianRecord1: 65.
Mayr, E. 1986. Monarchidae. In Watson, G. E.,Traylor, M.A. & Mayr, E. (eds.) Check-listofbirdsof
theworld,vol. 11. Mus. Comp.Zool., Cambridge,MA.
Mees, G. F. 1982. Birds from the lowlands ofsouthern New Guinea (Merauke and Koembe). Zool.
Verhand., Leiden 191.
Schodde, R. & Mason, I. J. 1999. The directory ofAustralian birdspasserines. CSIRO Publishing,
Melbourne.
Addresses:RichardSchodde,AustralianBiologicalResourcesStudy,GPOBox787,CanberraCity,ACT
2601,Australia, e-mail: [email protected]. Edward Dickinson, TheTrust for Oriental
Ornithology,Flat3,BolsoverCourt, 19BolsoverRoad,EastbourneBN207JG,UK.
©BritishOrnithologists'Club2005
The taxonomic status ofthe three subspecies of
Cuculus saturatus
by Ben King
Received3January 2004
Cuculus horsfieldi Moore 1857, Cuculus saturatus 'Hodgson' Blyth 1843, and
Cuculus lepidus S. Miiller 1845, were all originally described as species. However,
Peters (1940) placed C. horsfieldi as a subspecies ofC. saturatus and C. lepidus as
a subspecies of C poliocephalus Latham 1790. Wells & Becking (1975)
demonstrated that lepidus was more closely related to C. saturatus, based on its
song, which they described and illustrated with sonograms. A classification ofC.
saturatus consistingofthree subspecieswas generallyfollowedintothe 1990s, e.g.,
by Sibley & Monroe (1990), Howard & Moore (1991) andWells (1999). However
C
Payne (1997) considered C. horsfieldi a species separate from saturatus, based
on differences in their songs, which he described. Clements (2000) followed this
split.
The breeding ranges ofthe three forms ofCuculus saturatus are allopatric. C.
(s.) horsfieldi breeds across northern Eurasia from north-east Europe to Japan and
C
north-east China. (s.) saturatus breeds across the Himalayas, southern China,
Taiwan and the extreme northernpart ofsouth-eastAsia. C. (s.) lepidus is resident
C C
in Malaya, and the Greater and Lesser Sunda Islands. (s.) horsfieldi and (s.)
saturatus winter from southern India east and south to New Guinea andAustralia.
Recent field work and museum study suggests that the taxonomic status ofthese
forms should be revisited.
Ben King 49 Hull. B.O.C. 2005 125(1)
1.0
C.horsfieldi Siberia,LakeBaikal C.saturatus Nepal C.saturatus Nepal
0.5H II II II' II II (III 'Ml Mi tint urn
Mild Connop
C.horsfieldi Heilongjiang C.saturatus WestBengal C.lepidus Malaya
0.5 Ml III
II II II II
C.horsfieldi Japan C.saturatus Bhutan C.lepidus Borneo
5 0.5 <m ii» \m 10 ill
II II II II II
NHK
C.horsfieldi Japan C.saturatus Sichuan C.lepidus Java
0.5- II It 'in III Hi • M»
Kabaya
C.horsfieldi Taiwan C.saturatus Guangxi C.lepidus Flores
0.5 II II Ml 'III 1 I I II
Severinghaus 12
2 3 4 3 4 5
seconds
Figure 1. Samplesoftheterritorial songsofCuculus(s.)horsfieldi, C. (s.)saturatusandC. (s.)lepidus
from different parts oftheir ranges. Note that the song ofhorsfieldi consists ofonly two equal notes
whilstthatofsaturatushas3^1equalnoteswithahigherpitchedintroductorynote. C. (s.)lepidussong
differsfromsaturatussongbyitshigherpitch,withonly2-3 equalnotes.
Songs
Wells & Becking (1975) presented a single sonogram for each of the three C.
saturatus forms (with two for lepidus: one from Java and one from peninsular
Malaysia), as well as C. poliocephalus. They relied on published descriptions to
establish the universality ofeach form's song and concluded that the songs ofthe
three forms of saturatus they recognised were sufficiently similar to indicate
conspecificity, whilst the song ofC poliocephalus was quite distinct.
Herein are presented sonograms (Figs. 1-2) ofrecently recorded andpreviously
unpublished (mostly) tape-recordings ofall fourofthese forms from differentparts
oftheirwide ranges, indicatingthatthe song ofeach is indeed universal. The much
higherpitched songofC.poliocephalus is so differentthat furthercomparison with
the three C. saturatus forms is considered unnecessary.
BenKing 50 Bull B.O.C. 2005 125(1)
The song ofhorsfieldi is a deep booming couplet hoop hoop (occasionally 5~A
notes), the two notes 0.3-0.5 kHz in frequency, c.0.14 seconds apart. The call of
saturatus is composed of5-^ similarhoopnotes similarly spaced andpitched, with
a shorterintroductoryhuknote onahigherfrequency (0.35-0.58 kHz).The songof
lepidus is similarinstructuretosaturatusbutthe entire songishigherpitched, with
only 2-3 hoop notes. Most ofthe energy ofthe hoop notes is above 0.5 kHz (i.e.
0.45-0.70 kHz).
The number ofhoop notes varies among as well as between individuals in all
three forms. David Wells (pers. comm.) states that lepidus in peninsular Malaysia
produces songs similar to those ofsaturatus and horsfieldi, albeit in the lepidus
pitch range and subordinate to its normal song. Lindholm & Linden (2003), in a
study ofhorsfieldi songs from north-east Europe and across Siberia state that the
basic rhythm of its song 'could be described as invariably having bisyllabic
phrases', and described several variants. My own field experience with all three
forms suggests that, whilst there is variability in the numbers ofhoop notes and
presence or absence ofthe introductory huk note, usage ofthe 'normal' song as
presented in the sonograms andthe description above is well over 99%. Thus, each
ofthethree forms ofCuculussaturatushas a distinct song, whichreadilyidentifies
the individual.
Playback experiments per se were not carried out. However, in the course of
tape-recording, I normally playback the voices of the birds I record to visually
ensure the correct identity of the vocalist. Response of Cuculus cuckoos varies
immensely from none to approaching closely and calling more. In the course of
these playbacks, I have never observed a response by a Cuculus cuckoo otherthan
the species whose vocalisations were played. This experience indicates that the
main function of Cuculus songs is intraspecific communication and bolsters the
notion oftheir usefulness as a taxonomic character. It also suggests that playback
experiments mightbe helpful in elucidating Cuculus systematics.
TherecordingofhorsfieldifromTaiwanby Severinghauson29Aprilisinterest-
ing in that horsfieldi is not known to breed that far south, yet it was made during
thebreeding seasononthatisland, andalthoughthe date isnottoo late inspringfor
thebirdto havebeen enroute furthernorth, Cuculus cuckoos rarelycall away from
their breeding areas. This suggests that a reassessment ofthe taxonomic status of
the birds breeding onTaiwan is needed.
Sonograms were made using Canary 1.2.4, the Bioacoustics Workstation ofthe
Bioacoustics Research Program at the Macaulay Library ofNatural Sounds at the
Cornell Laboratory ofOrnithology.
Morphology
The plumage of females is identical to that ofmales in each ofthe three forms,
except for the brown 'hepatic' plumage phase of some females. The respective
plumages ofhorsfieldi and saturatus are identical, including the brown 'hepatic'
3
BenKing 51 Bull. BOX'. 2005 125(1)
TABLE
1
Comparison ofwing length ofadults (presumed accurate!) sexed) ofCuculus (s.)horsfieldi, C
saturatesand C. {s.)lepidus. Note thatthere was nooverlap inthe sample measured However, with a
largerhsoarmspfliee.ldRioabnedrtCPa(sy.n)esa(tpeurrsa.tucsoomfm.c.)5f%.ounMdeaslsiugrhtemoevnertlsapininmmwi:ngs.dm.e=assutraenmdearndtsdeovfiaatdiuolnt.C.(s I
Male Female
Cuculm(s.)horsfieldi
flattenedwing length
sample size 1 8
mean(range) 203.5(194-212) 196.9 186-2121
(
s.d. 5.7 7.8
Cuculus(5.)saturatus
flattenedwinglength
sample size 14 5
mean(range) 186.7(174-192) 177.0(172-185)
s.d. 4.8 6.4
Cuculus{s.)lepidus
flattenedwinglength
samplesize 14 15
mean(range) 156.2(147-169) 147.5(143-152)
s.d. 6.2 3.5
phase females, and there appears to be no way to differentiate them by plumage
alone, either in the field or in the hand (Robert Payne, pers. comm.).
Most accurately sexed specimens of horsfieldi and saturatus can be distin-
guishedby horsfieldts larger size (i.e. wing length); seeTable 1 and Fig. 3. From a
largersample. RobertPayne (pers. comm.) foundthat95%ofaccurately sexedadult
specimens could be differentiated.
However, grey phase lepidus can readily be differentiated from the grey phase
ofboth horsfieldi andsaturatusbybothplumage characters (Table 3) andmeasure-
ments (Table 1 andFig. 3). C. (s.) lepidus is overall darkerwithbroader dark bands
on the lower breast and belly, and darker, more rusty-buff, undertail-coverts. None
ofthe lepidus in the sample overlapped with saturatus orhorsfieldi in wing length.
and only a few in culmen length.
'Hepatic'phase female C. (s.) lepidus canbe distinguished from "hepatic"phase
female saturatus and horsfieldi by darker rufous upperparts with broader black
barring, and broaderblack barring on the underparts.
C. (s.) lepidus also shows a difference in wing formula (see Table 2). with p7
(numbered from the outermost secondary) being second longest and p9 being third
longest (usually reversed in horsfieldi and saturatus). and has a slightly more
rounded wing. As both horsfieldi andsaturatus are migratory, a more pointed wing
BenKing 52 Bull. B.O.C. 2005 125(1)
than in resident lepidus could be expected and this difference is not presented as
having taxonomic significance.
Discussion
The genus Ciicuhis comprises a group ofspecies very much alike in plumage, so
much so that they are normally difficult or impossible to differentiate by sight
alone, and often difficult to identify even in the hand. They are, however, highly
vocal during the breeding season, often seeming to call all day and all night. Each
species has a distinctive song that is stereotyped and much the same over its entire
range. These species-specific songs enable identification and are an excellent key
to theirtaxonomic status (Payne 1997).
Withthe largernumber oftape-recordings ofthe three Cuculus saturatus forms
fromabroadsampleoftheirwiderangesnowavailable, itcanbedemonstratedthat,
whilst the songs ofall three forms are variable, each has a consistent and different
'normal* song, which is thatusually heard in the field.
TABLE 2
Comparison ofwmgformula ofCuculus (s.)horsfieldi, C. is.)saturatusand C. is.) lepidus.Note
somewhatdifferentwingshapeoflepidus. Measurementsinmm.
horsfieldi saturatus lepidus
12 specimens 11 specimens 13 specimens
(8 males. 3 females. 1?) (8males.3 females) (9males. 3 females. 17)
Longestprimary 8 8
Second-longest 9(7once) 9(7twice)
—
primary mean 9=7(fourtimes) 9=" (threetimes)
distancefromtip 6.6 (0.0-8.8) 8.0 (0.0-10.2) 5.3 (3.2-8.0)
(range)
Third-longest 7 (9once) 7(9twice)
—
primary mean 7=9(fourtimes) 7=9(threetimes)
distancefromtip 9.2(0-11.1) 9.5(0.0-13.3) 9.7(7.1-12.2)
range
i |
Fourth-longest
—
primary mean 24.2(18.4-29.1) 21.7(19.0-24.0) 16.5(13.1-19.8)
distancefromtip
range
i |
Fifth-longest
—
primary mean 40.1 (32.8^6.8) 36.6(25.5-38.9) 27.0(23.3-31.4)
distancefromtip
(range)
BenKing 53 Bull. B.O.C. 2005 125(1)
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
(Connop)
X C.poliocephalus NepalC.poliocephalus Sichuan
2.5
1
2.0 !
|
1.5
1.0
0.5
(Kabaya)
C.poliocephalusWestBengal{C.poliocephalus Japan
4 1
seconds
Figure2. Samplesoftheterritorial songofCuculuspoliocephalusfromdifferentpansofitsrange.
220
O =Cuculushorsfieldi O
210
_ X =C. saturates ©
A o
200-H =C. lepidus
° ^°
190 o X <&
~
X
180
170- X X
160 &
A A
150 Z&
'- A A
140
—
—
130 _, _ i i i I I I
22 24 26 28 30 32
CulmenfromSkull Base(mm)
Figure3.ScatterplotofwinglengthagainstculmenlengthforrespectivesexesofCuculus(s.)horsfieldi.
C. (s.)saturatusandC. (s.)lepidus. Notethatthere isnooverlap inthis sampleinwinglengthbetween
respective sexes ofthe three forms. However, with amuch larger sample. Robert Payne (pers. comm.)
foundc.5%overlapinwinglengthofrespectivesexesofhorsfieldiandsaturatus.Notealsothatthereis
no overlap in culmen length between horsfieldi and lepidus. but some overlap between saturatus and
lepidus. andnearlycompleteoverlapbetweenhorsfieldiandsaturatus.
BenKing 54 Bull. B.O.C. 2005 125(1)
TABLE3
Comparisonofgrey-phaseadultCuculus(s.)satwatusandC. (s.)horsfieldi
withgrey-phaseadultC (s.)lepidus.
Cuculus(s.)saturatus bodyarea Cuculus(s.)lepidus
Cuculus(s.)horsfieldi
darkgrey upperpartsofbody darkslatygrey
more,becauseneckpaler contrastbetweensidesofneck little,becauseneckdarker
anddarkupperwing-coverts
palegrey throatandupperbreast grey
white,oftenwithbuffytinge basecolouroflowerbreast palebuffy
andbelly
c.60%ofwidthofpalebands darkbarsonlowerbreast almostequalinwidthto
andbelly palebands
buffy undertail-coverts rustybuff
Morphologically, horsfieldiandsaturatusdifferonlyinsize, withmuchoverlap.
However most (c.95%) accurately sexed adult specimens can be differentiated by
wing length.
C
lepidus differs markedly from saturatus/horsfieldi in plumage and size, its
plumage differing sufficiently to permit field identification of lepidus by sight
alone, whilst measurements will easily distinguish most, if not all, lepidus
specimens. Inagenuswhereinmostspeciesaremorphologicallyveryclose, lepidus
is conspicuous in its differences fromsaturatusIhorsfieldi.
The similarity between the songs oflepidus and saturatus suggest saturatus is
the closest relative oflepidus, whilst the different songs ofCuculus canorus Linne
1758, andC. micropterusGould 1837, suggestthattheyaremoredistantgenetically
from saturatus. But, morphologically, canorus, micropterus and
saturatus/horsfieldi are quite similar to each other, yet quite distinct morphologi-
cally from lepidus. I would argue that vocalisations are a better indicator of
relatedness than morphology in this case.
It is concluded that the three forms of Cuculus saturatus all represent species
taxa, based on their distinct songs and different measurements, the case oflepidus
bolstered by its distinct plumage. The following English names are recommended:
Oriental Cuckoo C horsfieldi; HimalayanCuckoo C saturatus; and SundaCuckoo
C
lepidus.
The distinct songtypes andmeasurements ofeach ofthe three forms, as well as
the plumage differences between lepidus and saturatus/horsfieldi satisfy the
diagnosibility requirement of the Phylogenetic Species Concept. Their breeding
allopatry will prevent merging in the future. Satisfying the non-interbreeding
BenKing 55 BullB.O.C2005125(1)
requirement of the Biological Species Concept is more difficult and involves a
judgment call because the three forms are allopatne in their breeding range.
However, I would postulate that the distinct calls ofthese three forms would operate
as an effective isolating mechanism ifthey were to meet on theirbreeding grounds.
DNA studies and possibly playback experiments would help to resolve the
taxonomic status ofthe three forms.
The variation in the vocalisations shown by the sonograms ofC. lepidus cannot
be understood without more data. It will take a study of vocalisations, DNA,
measurements and plumage characteristics from a series of individuals from each
main islandgroup intheGreaterand LesserSundastodetermine whetherC. lepidus
is one variable species or several.
Acknowledgements
JeffGroth. Mary LeCroy. Robert Payne. David Wells and an anonymous reviewer provided helpful
commentary. JeffGroth prepared the sonograms. John Fitzpatrick and Greg Budney ofthe Macaulay
Library ofNatural Sounds at the Cornell Laboratory ofOrnithology provided support and the use of
tape-recordingequipment.TheTaiwanC. horsfieldirecordingbySheldonSeveringhaus isondepositat
theMacaulayLibraryofNatural SoundsattheCornellLaboratoryofOrnithology; theNepal C.satura-
tustape-recordingbyScottConnopisonhissinglecassetteBirdsongsofNepal,publishedbytheCornell
Laboratory ofOrnithology in 1993: the first Japanese C. horsfieldi tape-recording is from a three-
cassettecollection,entitledJapanesebirdsinsound, 100well-knownspecies,publishedin 1971 byNHK
TV inJapan: thesecondJapanese C. horsfielditape-recordingisonasix-CDsetbyTsuruhikoKabaya.
Thesongsandcalls of420birds inJapan, publishedby Shogakukan.Tokyo, in 2001; the Siberian C.
horsfieldibyKristerMildisonhisself-publishedtwo-cassetteSovietbirdsongs(1987), Stockholm.All
ofthe recordings without a parenthetical recordist were made by Ben King and will eventually be
deposited at the Macaulay Library ofNatural Sounds at the Cornell Laboratory ofOrnithology. All
measuredspecimensarehousedattheAmericanMuseumofNatural History. New York.
References:
Clements,J. F. 2000.Birdsoftheworld:achecklist. Ibis Publishing.Vista, CA.
Howard R. & Moore.A. 1991.A completechecklistofthe birds ofthe world. Second edn. Academic
Press. London.
Lindholm.A. &Linden.A. 2003. OrientalCuckoo inFinland.Alula9: 122-133.
Payne. R. B. 1997. Cuckoos (Cuculidae). Pp. 508-607 in del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal. J. (eds.)
Handbookofthebirdsoftheworld,vol.4. Lynx Edicions. Barcelona.
Peters.J. L. 1940. Check-listofthebirdsoftheworld, vol. 4. HarvardUniv. Press. Cambridge. MA.
Sibley. C. G. & Monroe. B. L. 1990.Distributionandtaxonomyofbirdsoftheworld.Yale Univ. Press.
New Haven& London.
Wells. D. R. 1999. ThebirdsoftheThai-MalayPeninsula. Academic Press. London.
Weils. D. R. & Becking.J. H. 1975.VocalizationsandstatusofLittleandHimalayanCuckoos. Cuculus
poliocephalusand C. saturatus in SoutheastAsia. Ibis 117: 366-371.
Address: Ornithology Department. American Museum ofNatural History. Central Park West at 79th
Street. NewYork. NY 10024. USA.
£ BritishOrnithologists'Club2005
