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Updated India Index Estimated a 5.7% Annual Increase for Common Hawk-Cuckoo

Common hawk-cuckoo perched on a branch in Dehradun, India
Conservation · Population & status

The updated national abundance index for common hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius) showed a clear recent increase in India, according to the 2026 interim release of State of India’s Birds. The index tracks how often the species appears in complete eBird lists rather than directly counting individual birds. The update estimated a current annual trend of +5.7%.

The new numerical results were released on 6 May 2026 as version 2 of the State of India’s Birds dataset. The interim update used 48 million eBird observations submitted across India through 31 May 2025 and recalculated numerical estimates for 942 previously assessed species.

The long-term estimate remained uncertain

The national long-term trend for common hawk-cuckoo, comparing the 2024/25 abundance index with the baseline before 2000, was estimated at +11.6%. The uncertainty was broad, so the long-term estimate still included both a small decline and a substantial increase.

By contrast, the current annual trend of +5.7% clearly supported a recent increase. The estimated national distribution range was about 1.52 million km².

An interim numerical update, not a new category assessment

The 2026 release updated the numerical values for distribution range, long-term trend and current annual trend. The partnership explicitly states that the previously assigned categories for these measures were not recalculated in this interim version.

Common hawk-cuckoo remains in the low conservation-priority category used by State of India’s Birds and is listed as Least Concern globally.

Sources and image credit

  1. State of India’s Birds Partnership. (2026). State of India’s Birds: Range, trends, and conservation status – 2025 interim update (Version 2) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20036633Primary interim release, created 6 May 2026.
  2. State of India’s Birds Partnership. (2026). Common Hawk Cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius) factsheet: 2025 update.India-wide LTT +11.55% (95% CI −1.14 to +25.4), CAT +5.67%/year (95% CI +4.45 to +6.88), DRS 1,518,373 km²; long-term trend inconclusive and current trend rapid increase.

Image: Satdeep Gill — common hawk-cuckoo photographed at Kairwaan gaon, Dehradun district, India. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Representative image for this story; not presented as an animal or scene from the reported study or event. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

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