Least Concern

About 25 cm in length

Partly resident; northern and Himalayan foothill populations migrate after breeding, while southern populations are largely resident

Winters in southern India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Southeast Asia

Generally from March to October in India; December to May in Sri Lanka

Brood parasite that lays eggs in nests of small passerines such as babblers, bulbuls, and shrikes; does not build its own nest

Found in tropical and subtropical evergreen and mixed forests, forest edges, open woodland, and plantations; from lowlands up to around 2100 m elevation

Primarily insectivorous, feeding on caterpillars, beetles, and flying insects; occasionally takes small fruits