Cuculidae
Họ Cu cu

General names

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Thai names are currently being revised. Comments and corrections are welcome.

Note on Vietnamese naming: With the exception of ducks and chickens, it is normal for Vietnamese bird names to include the word Chim meaning 'bird', even where not indicated in the tables. All bird and animal names can be preceded by the classifier con, which is used for living creatures.

There is a rich variety of names for the cuckoos in the Orient. This partly stems from a preoccupation with the cuckoo's distinctive calls in traditional culture, especially poetry.

Vietnamese names for the cuculids (as assigned by ornithologists) include:

Name	Species/genera
Cu cu	Cuculus, C. poliocephalus, Surniculus lugubris
Chèo chẹo	C. sparverioides and C. fugax (Hawk Cuckoos)
Bắt cô trói cột	C. micropterus
Tìm vịt	Chrysococcyx and Cacomantis
Tu hú	Eudynamys (Koel)
Khát nước	Clamator
Phướn	Rhopodytes and Carpococcyx (Malcohas and ground cuckoos)
Coọc	Alternative for Rhopodytes tristis (Greater Green-billed Malcoha)

Traditionally, the word Đỗ quyên, borrowed from Chinese 杜鵑 dù-juān, referred to the cuckoo, but later the meaning changed and it now refers to the rails. Similarly for Đỗ vũ (杜宇 dù-yǔ).

Coucals

The Vietnamese word for 'coucal' is Chim bìm bịp, from the bird's cry of 'bìm bịp' during the breeding season (March-July).

Species names

CUCULINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian Clamator                 Clamator coromandus Chestnut-winged cuckoo Red-winged crested cuckoo Coucou à collier Khát nước 'water thirsty'   红翅凤头鹃 hóng-chì fèng-tóu juān 'red-winged phoenix-headed cuckoo' Taiwan: 冠郭公 guàn guōgōng 'crested guogong' カンムリカッコウ (冠郭公) kanmuri kakkō 'crested cuckoo' นกคัคคูหงอน nók-kʰák-kʰuu ŋŏaan 'crested cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Kepak Merah Berjambul 'crested red-winged cuckoo bird' Burung Sewah Berjambul 'crested cuckoo bird' Bubutpacar Jambul 'crested sweetheart-coucal' Cuculus                 Cuculus sparverioides Hierococcyx sparverioides Large hawk-cuckoo Large hawk cuckoo Coucou épervier Chèo chẹo lớn 'large cheo cheo'   鹰鹃 yīng-juān 'hawk cuckoo' Taiwan: 鷹鵑 yīng-juān 'hawk cuckoo' オオジュウイチ (大十一) ō jū-ichi 'large ju-ichi' (see jū-ichi below) นกคัคคูเหยี่ยวใหญ่ nók-kʰák-kʰuu yìaw yày 'large hawk cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Tekukur Besar 'large dove cuckoo bird' Kangkok Besar 'large kangkok' Cuculus fugax Hierococcyx fugax Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo Fugitive hawk cuckoo Coucou fugitif Chèo chẹo nhỏ 'small cheo cheo' Chèo chẹo Hodgson 'Hodgson cheo cheo' (Wikipedia) 棕腹杜鹃 zōng fù dù-juān 'reddish-brown-bellied cuckoo' Taiwan: 棕腹杜鵑 zōng fù dù-juān 'reddish-brown-bellied cuckoo' ジュウイチ (十一) jū-ichi 'ju-ichi' (from the bird's cry), written 'eleven' นกคัคคูเหยี่ยวพันธุ์มลายู nók-kʰák-kʰuu yìaw pʰan ma-laa-yuu 'Malayan species hawk cuckoo (bird)' C. nisicolor: นกคัคคูเหยี่ยวอกแดง nók-kʰák-kʰuu yìaw òk-daeeŋ 'red-breasted hawk-cuckoo' Burung Sewah Hantu 'owl cuckoo bird' Burung Sewah Hodgson 'Hodgson cuckoo bird' Kangkok Melayu 'Malay kangkok' Cuculus micropterus Indian cuckoo Short-winged cuckoo Coucou à ailes courtes Bắt cô trói cột 'bat co troi cot' Cu cu Ấn Độ 'Indian cuckoo' (Wikipedia) 四声杜鹃 sì-shēng dù-juān 'four-voiced cuckoo' Taiwan: 四聲杜鵑 sì-shēng dù-juān 'four-voiced cuckoo' セグロカッコウ (背黒郭公) se-guro kakkō 'black-backed cuckoo' นกคัคคูพันธุ์อินเดีย nók-kʰák-kʰuu pʰan in-dia 'Indian species cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah India 'Indian cuckoo bird' Kangkok India 'Indian kangkok' Cuculus canorus Common cuckoo or Eurasian cuckoo Cuckoo Coucou gris Cu cu 'cuckoo' Cu cu thông thường 'common cuckoo' (Wikipedia) 大杜鹃 dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo' Taiwan: 大杜鵑 dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo' Former Taiwan: 布谷 bùgǔ 'bugu' カッコウ (郭公) kakkō 'cuckoo'(onomatopoeic, characters' meaning = 'city outer wall' + 'public') นกคัคคูพันธุ์ยุโรป nók-kʰák-kʰuu pʰan yú-rôop 'European species cuckoo (bird)'   Kangkok Erasia 'Eurasian kangkok' Cuculus saturatus Himalayan cuckoo Oriental cuckoo Coucou oriental Cu cu Phương đông 'Oriental cuckoo' (13)   中杜鹃 zhōng dù-juān 'medium cuckoo' Taiwan: 中杜鵑 zhōng dù-juān 'medium cuckoo' Former Taiwan: 筒鳥 tǒng-niǎo 'tube bird' ツツドリ (筒鳥) tsutsu-dori 'tube bird' (cry resembles sound of hitting a tube or pipe) นกคัคคูพันธุ์หิมาลัย nók-kʰák-kʰuu pʰan hì-maa-lay 'Himalayan species cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Dada Putih (Puteh) 'white-breasted cuckoo bird' Burung Sewah Gunung 'mountain cuckoo bird' Kangkok Ranting 'twig kangkok' Cuculus poliocephalus Lesser cuckoo Small cuckoo Petit Coucou Cu cu nhỏ 'small cuckoo'   小杜鹃 xiǎo dù-juān 'small cuckoo' Taiwan: 小杜鵑 xiǎo dù-juān 'small cuckoo' ホトトギス (時鳥, 子規, 杜鵑, 不如帰, 郭公) hototogisu 'hototogisu' (written 1. 'time bird, 2. shiki (from Chinese), 3. token, from Chinese, 4. funyoki = better-go-back', 5. kakko, see Cuculus canorus above). นกคัคคูเล็ก nók-kʰák-kʰuu lék 'small cuckoo (bird)' -   Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian Cacomantis                 Cacomantis sonneratii Penthoceryx sonneratii Cuculus sonneratii Banded bay cuckoo Coucou de Sonnerat Tìm vịt vằn 'striped tim vit'   栗斑杜鹃 lì-bān dùjuān 'chestnut striped cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 4) 栗斑丛杜鹃 lì-bān cóng dùjuān 'chestnut-striped bush cuckoo' (5) クリイロヒメカッコウ (栗色姫郭公) kuri-iro hime kakkō 'chestnut-coloured princess cuckoo'' นกคัคคูลาย nók-kʰák-kʰuu laay 'striped cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Takuweh 'takuweh cuckoo bird' Burung Takuweh 'takuweh bird' Wiwik Lurik 'striated wiwik' Cacomantis merulinus Cuculus merulinus Plaintive cuckoo Coucou plaintif Tìm vịt 'tim vit'   八声杜鹃 bā-shēng dù-juān 'eight-voiced cuckoo' Taiwan: 八聲杜鵑 bā-shēng dù-juān 'eight-voiced cuckoo' ヒメカッコウ (姫郭公) hime kakkō 'princess cuckoo' นกอีวาบตั๊กแตน nók-ii-wâap ták-ka-taeen 'grasshopper wâap bird' Burung Sewah Mati Anak 'dead child cuckoo bird' Burung Mati Anak 'dead child bird' Wiwik Kelabu 'grey wiwik' Chrysococcyx                 Chrysococcyx minutillus Chalcites minutillus Little bronze cuckoo Little bronze-cuckoo Coucou menu Tìm vịt trán trắng 'white-forehead tim vit'   棕胸金鹃 zōng-xiōng jīn-juān 'reddish-brown breasted golden cuckoo' (4, 5) 小金鹃 xiǎo jīn-juān 'small golden cuckoo' (10) テリカッコウ (照り郭公) teri-kakkō 'glossy cuckoo' นกคัคคูสีทองแดง nók-kʰák-kʰuu sĭi-tʰoaaŋ-daeeŋ 'copper cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Daun 'leaf cuckoo bird' Kedasi Laut 'sea kedasi' Chrysococcyx maculatus Chalcites maculatus Asian emerald cuckoo Emerald cuckoo Coucou émeraude Tìm vịt xanh 'blue/green tim vit'   翠金鹃 cuì jīn-juān 'jade golden cuckoo' ミドリテリカッコウ (緑照り郭公) midori teri-kakkō 'green glossy cuckoo' นกคัคคูมรกต nók-kʰák-kʰuu moaa-ra-kòt 'emerald cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Tanah 'land cuckoo bird' Kedasi Zamrud 'emerald kedasi' Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus Chalcites xanthorhynchus Violet cuckoo Coucou violet Tìm vịt tím 'purple tim vit'   紫金鹃 zǐ jīn-juān 'purple golden cuckoo' スミレテリカッコウ (すみれ照り郭公) sumire teri-kakkō 'violet glossy cuckoo' นกคัคคูสีม่วง nók-kʰák-kʰuu sĭi-mûaŋ 'purple cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Rembah 'rembah cuckoo bird' Burung Sewah Ungu 'purple cuckoo bird' Kedasi Ungu 'purple kedasi' Surniculus                 Surniculus lugubris Asian drongo-cuckoo Drongo cuckoo Drongo-cuckoo Coucou surnicou Cu cu đen 'black cuckoo'   乌鹃 wū-juān 'dark cuckoo' Taiwan: 烏鵑 wū-juān 'dark cuckoo' オウチュウカッコウ (烏秋郭公) ōchū kakkō 'drongo cuckoo' นกคัคคูแซงแซว nók-kʰák-kʰuu saeeŋ-saeew 'drongo cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Sawai 'sawai cuckoo bird' Burung Hamba Kera 'monkey slave ? bird' Kedasi Hitam 'black kedasi' Eudynamys                 Eudynamys scolopaceus Eudynamys scolopacea Common koel or Asian koel Koel Coucou koël Tu hú 'tu hu'   噪鹃 zào-juān 'noisy cuckoo' Taiwan: 噪鵑 zào-juān 'noisy cuckoo' オニカッコウ (鬼郭公) oni kakkō 'ogre cuckoo' นกกาเหว่า nók-kaa-wàw 'koel' (bird)' (onomat.) (cf raven') Burung Sewah Tahu 'tahu cuckoo bird' Burung Tahu 'tahu bird' Tuwur Asia 'Asian tuwur' Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian

PHAENICOPHAEINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian Rhopodytes                 Rhopodytes diardi Phaenicophaeus diardi Black-bellied malkoha Lesser green-billed malcoha Malcoha de Diard Phướn nhỏ 'small malcoha'   绿嘴地鹃 lǜ-zuǐ dì-juān 'green-billed ground cuckoo' (4) 小绿嘴地鹃 xiǎo lǜ-zuǐ dì-juān 'small green-billed ground cuckoo' (5) クロバンケンモドキ (黒番鵑擬き) kuro ban-ken modoki 'black pseudo-coucal' นกบั้งรอกเล็กท้องเทา nók-bâŋ-rôaak lék tʰóaaŋ-tʰaw 'grey-bellied small malcoha (bird)' Burung Cenok Perut Hitam 'black-bellied malcoha bird' Kadalan Beruang 'bear malcoha' Rhopodytes tristis Phaenicophaeus tristis Green-billed malkoha Greater green-billed malcoha Large green-billed malkoha Malcoha sombre Phướn 'malcoha' or Coọc 'cooc' Giải phướn 'giai malcoha' 绿嘴地鹃 lǜ-zuǐ dì-juān 'green-billed ground cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 5) See P. diardi above) 大绿嘴地鹃 dà lǜ-zuǐ dì-juān 'large green-billed ground cuckoo' (4) オニグロバンケンモドキ (鬼黒番鵑擬き) oni guro ban-ken modoki 'ogre black pseudo-coucal' นกบั้งรอกใหญ่ nók-bâŋ-rôaak yày 'large malcoha (bird)' Burung Cenok Kera 'ape malcoha bird' Kadalan Kera 'ape malcoha' Carpococcyx                 Carpococcyx renauldi Coral-billed ground cuckoo Coral-billed ground-cuckoo Calobate de l'Annam Phướn đất 'ground malcoha'   瑞氏红嘴地鹃 Ruì-shì hóng-zuǐ dì-juān 'Mr Rui's red-billed ground cuckoo' (4) 珊瑚嘴地鹃 shānhu-zuǐ dì-juān 'coral-billed ground cuckoo' (5) アカハシハシリジカッコウ (赤嘴走地郭公) aka-hashi hashiri ji-kakkō 'red-billed running ground cuckoo' นกโกโรโกโส nók koo-roo-koo-sŏo 'shabby bird'     Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian

CENTROPODINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese Japanese Thai Malay Indonesian Centropus                 Centropus sinensis Greater coucal Common crow-pheasant Common coucal Crow-pheasant Grand Coucal Bìm bịp lờn 'large bim bip'   褐翅鸦鹃 hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow cuckoo' Taiwan: 褐翅鴉鵑 hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow cuckoo' オオバンケン (大番鵑) ō banken 'large foreign cuckoo' นกกระปูดใหญ่ nók-krà-pùut yày 'large coucal (bird)' Burung Bubut Besar 'large coucal bird' Bubut Besar 'large coucal' Centropus bengalensis Lesser coucal Lesser crow-pheasant Coucal rufin Bìm bịp nhỏ 'small bim bip'   小鸦鹃 xiǎo yā-juān 'small crow cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 4) 印度小鸦鹃 Yìndù xiǎo yā-juān 'Indian small crow cuckoo' (5) Note Taiwan: 番鵑 fān-juān 'foreign cuckoo' バンケン (番鵑) banken 'foreign cuckoo' นกกระปูดเล็ก nók-krà-pùut lék 'small coucal (bird)' Burung Bubut Kecil 'small coucal bird' Bubut Alang-alang 'reed coucal'