Four Pied Cuckoos rescued in Mumbai, rains likely soon

MUMBAI: Four Jacobin cuckoos (older name: pied crested cuckoo) were rescued by animal activists from various parts of Mumbai on Thursday. These Pied cuckoos (scientific name: Clamator jacobinus) are well-known as harbinger of rains, as this migrant bird travels just ahead of the rain laden clouds and inhabits wetlands and scrubs.
"The Plant & Animals Welfare Society (PAWS-Mumbai) and Amma Care Foundation had received calls from alert citizens about exhausted and dehydrated Jacobin cuckoos seen at Mahalaxmi, Peddar Road, Bhandup and Thane. Our volunteers offered spot treatment and hydrated them with multi vitamins in order to make them fit to fly again. Their presence means that rains are not far away," said Sunish Subramanian of PAWS-Mumbai.
Naturalist and bird watcher, Sunjoy Monga, commented: "The Jacobin cuckoos travel a great distance from Africa to India, just ahead of the monsoon clouds; and hence become very tired when they arrive here. Sometimes crows also attack them, but this year I have not noticed crows being aggressive towards Pied cuckoos, which is nice."
The Pied cuckoo is a largish cuckoo at 33 cm length. It has a long, graduated tail. The Pied cuckoo takes a variety of insects and caterpillars. It is a noisy species, with a persistent and loud "pipew pipew pipew" call.