Cuculus viridis Scopoli, Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr. (1786), 2, 89.
Centropus viridis Shelley, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1891), 19,
349; Sharpe, Hand-List (1900), 2, 167; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 63.
Suc-suc, Lubang; sa-guc'-soc, Ticao; si-ga-cok', Calayan;
sa-ba-cot', Manila.
Bantayan (McGregor); Banton (Celestino); Basilan (Steere Exp.,
Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (Everett, McGregor);
Cagayancillo (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Camiguin
N. (McGregor); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Meyer, Everett,
Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Dinagat (Mearns); Fuga
(McGregor); Guimaras (Meyer, Steere Exp.); Leyte (Everett, Steere
Exp.); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp.,
Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.);
Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao
(Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow);
Mindoro (Schmacker); Negros (Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp.,
Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, Keay); Panay (Sonnerat, Murray,
Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester,
McGregor); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead);
Siasi (Guillemard); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor);
Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Sulu (Guillemard,
Bourns & Worcester); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor).
Adult.--Sexes similar; wings bright chestnut, tips of primaries and
secondaries blackish brown; wing-lining glossed with green; remainder
of plumage black, glossed with dark green and traces of blue. Iris
red; bill and nails black; legs dark steel-blue. Length of a male
from Manila, 380; wing, 155; tail, 250; culmen from base, 26; tarsus,
42. Length of a female from Cagayancillo, 480; wing, 190; tail, 290;
culmen from base, 33; tarsus, 40.
Immature birds differ from the adult in having the head and body
brown, more or less mixed with light buff; wings chestnut, barred
with blackish brown; feathers of head, neck, throat, and breast with
pale buff shafts; the tail, even in very small young birds, is glossy
green like that of the adult.
"Commonest of Philippine cuckoos. Found in the brush and high grass
in open country; breeds in February and March. Eyes dark cherry-red;
legs and feet slaty black; nails black; bill black.
"Five males from Cebu measure, 395 in length; wing, 152; tail, 239;
culmen, 30; tarsus, 40; middle toe with claw, 38. A male from Masbate
measures, 419 in length; wing, 17; tail, 202; culmen, 27; tarsus,
37; middle toe with claw, 41. Two females from Masbate measure, 457
in length; wing, 171; tail, 247; culmen, 31; tarsus, 41; middle toe
with claw, 43. It will be noted that the variations in size are very
considerable." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)