Cuculidae
Họ Cu cu

General names

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections are welcome.

Note on Vietnamese naming: With the exception of ducks and chickens, it is common for Vietnamese bird names to be preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird', although it is normally omitted in Vietnamese bird lists. All bird names, whether they include chim or not, 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.

The most common name for the cuckoos is Chim Cu cu, an onomatopoeic term based on the cuckoos' cry. Others are shown in the table below.

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

From Chinese comes Chim quyên, based on 鵑 juān. Vietnamese also borrowed Chim Đỗ quyên, from Chinese 杜鵑 dù-juān, but later for some reason the meaning changed and it now refers to the rails. Similarly for Chim 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

ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see)

CUCULINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Clamator                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Clamator coromandus Chestnut-winged cuckoo Red-winged crested cuckoo Coucou à collier Chim Khát nước 'water thirsty (bird)'   红翅凤头鹃 (紅翅鳳頭鵑) hóng-chì fèng-tóu juān 'red-winged phoenix-headed cuckoo' (onomat.) Taiwan: (冠郭公) 冠郭公 guān guōgōng 'crested guogong' (onomat.) カンムリカッコウ (冠郭公) kanmuri kakkō 'crested cuckoo' (onomat.) นกคัคคูหงอน nók kʰák-kʰuu ŋŏaan 'crested cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Berjambul 'crested cuckoo (bird)' (26) Burung Sewah Kepak Merah Berjambul 'crested red-winged cuckoo (bird)' (24) Burung Sewah Kepak Merah 'red-winged cuckoo (bird)' (25) Burung Bubut-pacar Jambul 'crested sweetheart-coucal (bird)' Cuculus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Cuculus sparverioides Hierococcyx sparverioides Large hawk-cuckoo Large hawk cuckoo Coucou épervier Chim Chèo chẹo lớn 'large chèo chẹo bird'   鹰鹃 (鷹鵑) yīng-juān 'hawk cuckoo' Taiwan: (鹰鹃) 鷹鵑 yīng-juān 'hawk cuckoo' オオジュウイチ (大十一) ō jū-ichi 'large ju-ichi' (onomat.) นกคัคคูเหยี่ยวใหญ่ nók kʰák-kʰuu yìaw yày 'large hawk cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Tekukur Besar 'large dove-cuckoo (bird)' (24, 25, 26) Burung Kangkok Besar 'large cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Cuculus fugax Hierococcyx fugax Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo Fugitive hawk cuckoo Coucou fugitif Chim Chèo chẹo nhỏ 'small chèo chẹo bird' Chim Chèo chẹo Hodgson 'Hodgson chèo chẹo bird' (Wikipedia) 棕腹杜鹃 (棕腹杜鵑) zōng fù dù-juān 'reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' Taxonomy Taiwan: (棕腹杜鹃) 棕腹杜鵑 zōng fù dù-juān 'reddishbrown-bellied cuckoo' ジュウイチ (十一) jū-ichi 'ju-ichi' (onomat.), written 'eleven' นกคัคคูเหยี่ยวพันธุ์มลายู nók kʰák-kʰuu yìaw pʰan ma-laa-yuu 'Malayan species hawk cuckoo (bird)' C. fugax nisicolor: นกคัคคูเหยี่ยวอกแดง nók kʰák-kʰuu yìaw òk-daeeŋ 'red-breasted hawk-cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Hodgson 'Hodgson's cuckoo (bird)' (26) Burung Sewah Hantu 'ghost cuckoo (bird)' (24, 25) Burung Kangkok Melayu 'Malayan cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Cuculus micropterus Indian cuckoo Short-winged cuckoo Coucou à ailes courtes Chim Bắt cô trói cột 'bắt cô trói cột (bird)' Chim Cu cu Ấn Độ 'Indian cuckoo (bird)' (Wikipedia) 四声杜鹃 (四聲杜鵑) sì-shēng dù-juān 'four-voiced cuckoo' Taiwan: (四声杜鹃) 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' (onomat.) นกคัคคูพันธุ์อินเดีย nók kʰák-kʰuu pʰan in-dia 'Indian species cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah India 'Indian cuckoo (bird)' (24, 25, 26) Burung Kangkok India 'Indian cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Cuculus canorus Common cuckoo or Eurasian cuckoo Cuckoo Coucou gris Chim Cu cu 'cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Chim Cu cu thông thường 'common cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (Wikipedia) 大杜鹃 (大杜鵑) dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo' Taiwan: (大杜鹃) 大杜鵑 dà dùjuān 'large cuckoo' Taiwan former official: (布谷) 布穀 bùgǔ 'bùgǔ' (onomat.) カッコウ (郭公) kakkō 'cuckoo'(onomat., characters' meaning = 'city outer wall' + 'public') นกคัคคูพันธุ์ยุโรป nók kʰák-kʰuu pʰan yú-rôop 'European species cuckoo (bird)'   Burung Kangkok Erasia 'Eurasian cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Cuculus saturatus Himalayan cuckoo Oriental cuckoo Coucou oriental Chim Cu cu Phương đông 'oriental cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (13)   中杜鹃 (中杜鵑) zhōng dù-juān 'medium cuckoo' Taiwan: (中杜鹃) 中杜鵑 zhōng dù-juān 'medium cuckoo' Taiwan former official: (筒鸟) 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 Gunung 'mountain cuckoo (bird)' (26) Burung Sewah Dada Putih 'white-breasted cuckoo (bird)' (24) Burung Sewah Himalaya 'Himalayan cuckoo (bird)' (25) Burung Kangkok Ranting 'twig cuckoo (bird)' Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Cuculus poliocephalus Lesser cuckoo Small cuckoo Petit Coucou Chim Cu cu nhỏ 'small cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.)   小杜鹃 (小杜鵑) xiǎo dù-juān 'small cuckoo' Taiwan: (小杜鹃) 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)'     Cacomantis                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Cacomantis sonneratii Penthoceryx sonneratii Cuculus sonneratii Banded bay cuckoo Coucou de Sonnerat Chim Tìm vịt vằn 'striped tìm vịt bird'   栗斑杜鹃 (栗斑杜鵑) lì-bān dùjuān 'chestnut striped cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 4) 栗斑丛杜鹃 (栗斑叢杜鵑) 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' (onomat.) นกคัคคูลาย nók kʰák-kʰuu laay 'striped cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Takuweh 'baycuckoo cuckoo (bird)' (takuweh is onomat.) (24, 26) Burung Sewah Takuwih 'baycuckoo bird (bird)' (takuwih is onomat.) (25) Burung Wiwik Lurik 'barred brushcuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Cacomantis merulinus Cuculus merulinus Plaintive cuckoo Coucou plaintif Chim Tìm vịt 'tìm vịt bird'   八声杜鹃 (八聲杜鵑) bā-shēng dù-juān 'eight-voiced cuckoo' Taiwan: (八声杜鹃) 八聲杜鵑 bā-shēng dù-juān 'eight-voiced cuckoo' ヒメカッコウ (姫郭公) hime kakkō 'princess cuckoo' (onomat.) นกอีวาบตั๊กแตน nók ii-wâap ták-ka-taeen 'grasshopper wâap bird' Burung Sewah Mati Anak 'child's-death cuckoo (bird)' (crying as though child has died) (24, 25, 26) Burung Wiwik Kelabu 'grey brushcuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) Chrysococcyx                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Chrysococcyx minutillus Chalcites minutillus Little bronze cuckoo Little bronze-cuckoo Coucou menu Chim Tìm vịt trán trắng 'white-foreheaded tìm vịt bird'   棕胸金鹃 (棕胸金鵑) zōng-xiōng jīn-juān 'reddishbrown-breasted gold-cuckoo' (4, 5) 小金鹃 (小金鵑) xiǎo jīn-juān 'small gold-cuckoo' (10) テリカッコウ (照り郭公) teri-kakkō 'glossy-cuckoo' (onomat.) นกคัคคูสีทองแดง nók kʰák-kʰuu sĭi-tʰoaaŋ-daeeŋ 'copper cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Daun 'leaf cuckoo (bird)' (24, 25, 26) Burung Kedasi Laut 'sea bronzecuckoo (bird)' Chrysococcyx maculatus Chalcites maculatus Asian emerald cuckoo Emerald cuckoo Coucou émeraude Chim Tìm vịt xanh 'blue/green tìm vịt bird'   翠金鹃 (翠金鵑) cuì jīn-juān 'jade gold-cuckoo' ミドリテリカッコウ (緑照り郭公) midori teri-kakkō 'green glossy-cuckoo' (onomat.) นกคัคคูมรกต nók kʰák-kʰuu moaa-ra-kòt 'emerald cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Hijau 'green cuckoo (bird)' (26) Burung Sewah Tanah 'ground-cuckoo (bird)' (24) Burung Sewah Zamrud 'emerald cuckoo (bird)' (25) Burung Kedasi Zamrud 'emerald bronzecuckoo (bird)' Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus Chalcites xanthorhynchus Violet cuckoo Coucou violet Chim Tìm vịt tím 'purple tìm vịt bird'   紫金鹃 (紫金鵑) zǐ jīn-juān 'purple gold-cuckoo' スミレテリカッコウ (すみれ照り郭公) sumire teri-kakkō 'violet glossy-cuckoo' (onomat.) นกคัคคูสีม่วง nók kʰák-kʰuu sĭi-mûaŋ 'purple cuckoo (bird)' Burung Sewah Ungu 'purple cuckoo (bird)' (26) Burung Sewah Rembah 'flycatchershrike-cuckoo (bird)' (24) Burung Sewah Puteri 'princess cuckoo (bird)' (25) Burung Kedasi Ungu 'purple bronzecuckoo (bird)' Surniculus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Surniculus lugubris Asian drongo-cuckoo Drongo cuckoo Drongo-cuckoo Coucou surnicou Chim Cu cu đen 'black cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.)   乌鹃 (烏鵑) wū-juān 'dark cuckoo' Taiwan: (乌鹃) 烏鵑 wū-juān 'dark cuckoo' オウチュウカッコウ (烏秋郭公) ōchū kakkō 'drongo cuckoo' (onomat.) นกคัคคูแซงแซว nók kʰák-kʰuu saeeŋ-saeew 'drongo cuckoo (bird)' Burung Hamba Kera 'monkey-slave cuckoo (bird)' (from habit of accompanying monkeys for the insects they disturb) (26) Burung Sewah Sawai 'drongo-cuckoo (bird)' (24, 25) or Burung Sawai 'drongo (bird)' (Alternative in 26) (probably error for previous name) Burung Kedasi Hitam 'black bronzecuckoo (bird)' Eudynamys                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Eudynamys scolopaceus Eudynamys scolopacea Common koel or Asian koel Koel Coucou koël Chim Tu hú 'tu hú bird' (onomat.)   噪鹃 (噪鵑) zào-juān 'noisy cuckoo' Taiwan: (噪鹃) 噪鵑 zào-juān 'noisy cuckoo' オニカッコウ (鬼郭公) oni kakkō 'ogre cuckoo' (onomat.) นกกาเหว่า nók kaa-wàw 'koel' (bird)' (onomat.) (cf raven') Burung Tahu 'koel (bird)' (onomat.) (26) Burung Sewah Tahu 'koel cuckoo (bird)' (onomat.) (24, 25) or Burung Tuwu 'koel (bird)' (onomat.) (Alternative in 26) Burung Tuwur Asia 'Asian koel (bird)' (onomat.)

PHAENICOPHAEINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Rhopodytes                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Rhopodytes diardi Phaenicophaeus diardi Black-bellied malkoha Lesser green-billed malcoha Malcoha de Diard Chim Phướn nhỏ 'small malkoha (bird)'   绿嘴地鹃 (綠嘴地鵑) lǜ-zuǐ dì-juān 'green-billed ground-cuckoo' (4) 小绿嘴地鹃 (小綠嘴地鵑) 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 malkoha (bird)' Burung Cenuk Perut Hitam 'black-bellied malkoha (bird)' (onomat.) (25, 26) Burung Cenok Perut Hitam 'black-bellied malkoha (bird)' (onomot.) (24) Burung Kadalan Beruang 'bear malkoha (bird)' (from habit of accompanying bears for the insects they disturb) Rhopodytes tristis Phaenicophaeus tristis Green-billed malkoha Greater green-billed malcoha Large green-billed malkoha Malcoha sombre Chim Phướn 'malkoha (bird)' or Chim Coọc 'coọc bird' Chim Giải phướn 'giải malkoha (bird)' 绿嘴地鹃 (綠嘴地鵑) lǜ-zuǐ dì-juān 'green-billed ground-cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 5) See P. diardi above) 大绿嘴地鹃 (大綠嘴地鵑) 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 foreign-cuckoo' (ban-ken is Chinese-style compound word) นกบั้งรอกใหญ่ nók bâŋ-rôaak yày 'large malkoha (bird)' Burung Cenuk Besar 'large malkoha (bird)' (onomat.) (26) or Burung Kera 'monkey bird' (from habit of accompanying monkeys for the insects they disturb) (Alternative in 26) Burung Cenuk Kera 'monkey malkoha (bird)' (onomat.) (from habit of accompanying monkeys for the insects they disturb) (25) Burung Cenok Kera 'monkey malkoha (bird)' (onomat.) (from habit of accompanying monkeys for the insects they disturb) (24) Burung Kadalan Kera 'monkey malkoha (bird)' (from habit of accompanying monkeys for the insects they disturb) Carpococcyx                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Carpococcyx renauldi Coral-billed ground-cuckoo Coral-billed ground-cuckoo Calobate de l'Annam Chim Phướn đất 'ground malkoha (bird)'   瑞氏红嘴地鹃 (瑞氏綠嘴地鵑) ruì-shì hóng-zuǐ dì-juān 'Mr Rui's red-billed ground-cuckoo' (4) 珊瑚红嘴地鹃 (珊瑚綠嘴地鵑) 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'

CENTROPODINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Centropus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Centropus sinensis Greater coucal Common crow-pheasant Common coucal Crow-pheasant Grand Coucal Chim Bìm bịp lờn 'large bìm bịp bird' (onomat.)   褐翅鸦鹃 (褐翅鴉鵑) hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo' Taiwan: (褐翅鸦鹃) 褐翅鴉鵑 hè-chì yā-juān 'brown-winged crow-cuckoo' オオバンケン (大番鵑) ō ban-ken 'large foreign-cuckoo' (ban-ken is Chinese-style compound word) นกกระปูดใหญ่ nók krà-pùut yày 'large coucal (bird)' Burung Bubut Besar 'large coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (26) Burung But-but Cari Anak 'child-seeking coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (25) Burung Bubut Besar 'large coucal (bird)' (onomat.) Centropus bengalensis Lesser coucal Lesser crow-pheasant Coucal rufin Chim Bìm bịp nhỏ 'small bìm bịp bird' (onomat.)   小鸦鹃 (小鴉鵑) xiǎo yā-juān 'small crow-cuckoo' (1, 2, 3, 4) 印度小鸦鹃 (印度小鴉鵑) yìndù xiǎo yā-juān 'Indian small crow-cuckoo' (5) Taxonomy Taiwan: (番鹃) 番鵑 fān-juān 'foreign cuckoo' バンケン (番鵑) ban-ken 'foreign-cuckoo' (ban-ken is Chinese-style compound word) นกกระปูดเล็ก nók krà-pùut lék 'small coucal (bird)' Burung Bubut Kecil 'small coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (26) Burung But-but Kecil 'small coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (25) Burung Bubut Alang-alang 'thatchgrass coucal (bird)' (onomat.) (alang-alang from Javanese 'thatch/jungle/cogon grass', Imperata cylindrica)

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