Cuculiformes

Question 1

5 subfamillies of family Cuculidae

Answer 1

o Cuculidae includes 5 subfamilies:
 Cuculinae – Brood parasitic cuckoos and malkohas.
 Couinae – Old World ground duckoos, couas.
 Centropodinae – Coucals.
 Crotophaginae – Anis and Guira cuckoos.
 Neomorphinae – New World ground cuckoos.

Question 2

Unique anatomy of cuckoos

Answer 2

o Zygodactyly is one of the most distinctive features of cuckoos.
o Arboreal cuckoos have long tails, slender bodies.
o Terrestrial cuckoos are heavy bodied with proportionately longer tarsi.
o Well-developed eyelid feathers are characteristic of cuckoos.
o Bill has no cere, usually slender and slightly arched.
o Tarsi often unfeathered, scutellate.
o Prominent uropygial gland.
o Wing has 10 primary and 9-13 secondary remiges, usually 10 retrices except in anis and Guira cuckoo (8 retrices).
o Molting – Odd numbered primaries are shed and regrow first followed by even, unique to cuckoos.
o White to yellow-tan papillate patches in the oropharyngeal cavity in young normally.