Philippine Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx pectoralis Scientific name definitions

28 cm; 67·3–89·2 g. Adult slate-grey above, white loral streak, wings round-tipped, brownish, inner webs of inner flight-feathers and coverts white barred grey-brown and inner secondaries unbarred pale grey (form pale patch from above in flight), tail banded grey and black with broad subterminal black band and rufous tip; chin grey, throat white, breast bright rufous (with or without fine grey streaks), belly and undertail-coverts white; eye-ring yellow, iris yellow to brown, bill black above, olive below, feet yellow. Subadult barred rufous on back and wings, chin white, white below with rufous-edged black teardrop streaks, tail barred grey, brown and rufous. Juvenile with head blackish with buff feather edges, nape white, chin streaked, rufous wash on chest, iris pale brown.

Philippines: Luzon, Mindoro, Banton, Catanduanes, Tablas, Sibuyan, Ticao, Panay, Palawan, Cagayancillo, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, Bohol, Siquijor, Mindanao, Basilan, and Sulu Is (Jolo) (1 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). An uncommon to rare resident of dense original forest, a habitat which is rapidly disappearing throughout the Philippines. Although species is not currently considered threatened, this may perhaps be due partly to fact that up to now this form has not been recognized as a species distinct from C. fugax; survey work recommended.