The male’s iridescent violet chin and upper breast are the most striking features of this vividly colored bird.
Despite its striking glossy violet plumage, the Violet cuckoo is a tiny, slow-moving cuckoo that is more likely to be heard than seen.
Males have a purple coat except for the belly, which has white and black bands.
Mature males have a crimson eye-ring as well.
Females have a variegated appearance with green bronze upper parts and a dark brown head, like the Asian Emerald cuckoo.
Their breast is white with bronze-green bands and rufous tones.
The juvenile appears similar, but with more rufous tones on its wings and an orange cap.
They may be found from northern India to Southeast Asia and the Philippines.
Southern populations of these birds are permanent, whilst populations in the north, such as Assam and Bangladesh, are migratory.
The Violet cuckoo prefers tropical or subtropical lowland woods.
As well as tropical or subtropical mangroves, but it can also be seen in orchards, gardens.
And occasionally rubber plantations.
They deposit their eggs in the nests of birds such as sun birds and spider hunters as brood parasites.
Leaving the birds to nurture their young.
Because they are not a common bird across their range, they are not considered a threatened species.
