Violet Cuckoo

Violet Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus

Silhouette: Nicolas Huet le Jeune and Jean-Gabriel Prêtre (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Manila

In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%

33 Verified sightings at Manila
1,767 In all 14 parks From 2019 to 2026
October Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the Violet Cuckoo

The violet cuckoo (Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. The males have glossy violet feathers on the head and upper parts of the body. The blackish tail has a white tip, and barred outer feathers. The most spectacular feature is the brightly iridescent violet chin and upper breast. The belly is white with broad black, green or violet bars. Mature males also have a red eye-ring. The closely related species, C. amethystinus has a glossy blue-violet throat patch rather than reddish violet of this cuckoo.

The females have mottled, greenish-bronze upper parts and a dark brown crown. There are white markings around the eyes and sometimes on the forehead. The central tail feathers are greenish while the outer feathers are rufous with greenish bars. The outer rectrices are barred black and white. The breast is whitish with bronze-green bars and variably washed rufous markings.

Juveniles have barred rufous and greenish bronze feathers on the upper parts of the body, a bright rufous crown, rufous and mottled green or brown wings, a barred brown and rufous tail and brown-barred white under parts.

The violet... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:21

India · 2025

© Lim Ying Hien · XC991695 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Call0:28

Malaysia · 2020

© Wai Loon Wong · XC577934 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Recording0:16

Vietnam · 2026

© Tim Dinh / Annambirding · XC1156128 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Khao Luang National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~30%
2 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~20%
3 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~20%
4 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
5 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
6 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~10%
7 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
8 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~10%
9 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
10 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
11 Gunung Leuser National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
12 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
13 Kinabalu Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
14 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Singapore 🇸🇬 Singapore
<5%
2 Manila 🇵🇭 Philippines
<5%
3 Bangkok 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Violet Cuckoo in Manila?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Violet Cuckoo sighting in Manila on a given day, based on 33 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 134th most-seen of the 191 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Violet Cuckoo in Manila?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Violet Cuckoo in Manila on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Violet Cuckoo?

Between 3 and 6 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Violet Cuckoo sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Is Manila the best place to see a Violet Cuckoo?

Among the best

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Violet Cuckoo sightings, Manila ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Singapore (Singapore, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Violet Cuckoo live in Manila?

Same family: Cuculidae

The closest relatives of the Violet Cuckoo that you can see in Manila (family Cuculidae, Cuckoos) are Philippine Coucal (about 10%) and Asian Koel (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Violet Cuckoo sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Violet Cuckoo is recorded against all the birds logged in Manila (33 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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