Sirkeer Malkoha:
The rare Sirkeer Malkoha (Taccocua leschenaultii), a bird species typically found in Uttarakhand’s plains, has been recently recorded for the first time in the Uttarkashi district.
- The sirkeer malkoha, or sirkeer cuckoo, is a special type of cuckoo bird.
- Scientific Name: Taccocua leschenaultii
- Unlike some cuckoos, it does not lay its eggs in other birds’ nests.
- This species is widespread across the sub-Himalayan Indian subcontinent, extending into Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and, more patchily, into Pakistan and Rajasthan.
- It is typically found in scrub and thin forest habitats, often favoring hilly terrain.
- These birds have special feet called zygodactyle feet. This means two toes point forward and two point backward. This helps them grip branches and move on the ground.
- Conservation Status:IUCN Red List: Least Concern.
