The Plaintive Cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae found in south and south-east Asia. A good number of them are resident in Viet Nam, especially in the rural areas.

Our freelance photographer Ho Trung Tu has captured stunning photos of this bird. 

The Plaintive Cuckoo is an interspecific obligatory brood-parasitic bird, with a wide range in south and south-east Asia. It is a fairly small bird that measures 8.3 - 9.3 inches (21 - 23.5 cm) in length.

The upperparts of the adult male are grey-brown but the upperwing is rather dark greyish-brown. The tail is dark grey-brown with narrow white tip. The rest of the underparts are pale rufous from upper belly to undertail-coverts. Its legs and feet are brown-orange.

The female may sometimes resemble male but she often shows a “hepatic” (reddish-brown) morph with rufous or reddish-brown upperparts barred black. The underparts are paler with indistinct dark barring. The undertail is barred whitish as in male.

This species of cuckoo sits on perches at the height of between 1,400m and 2,000m. It feeds on invertebrates.

During the breeding-season, males advertise/defend territories by much loud singing from regular perches, to attract mates.

A plaintive cuckoo performing amazing dance moves

You can listen to the bird song in the early morning or late afternoon in a peaceful rural area in Viet Nam.

By HO TRUNG TU - Translated by MAI DUNG