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Common Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx varius (Vahl, MH 1797)

The common hawk-cuckoo, popularly known as the brainfever bird, is a medium-sized cuckoo resident in the Indian subcontinent. It bears a close resemblance to the Shikra, even in its style of flying and landing on a perch. The resemblance to hawks gives this group the generic name of hawk-cuckoo and like many other cuckoos these are brood parasites, laying their eggs in nests of babblers. During their breeding season in summer males produce loud, repetitive three note calls that are well-rendered as brain-fever, the second note being longer and higher pitched. These notes rise to a crescendo before ending abruptly and repeat after a few minutes; the calling may go on through the day, well after dusk and before dawn. Source: Wikipedia




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Classification
Order:
  Cuculiformes
Family:
  Cuculidae
Genus:
   Hierococcyx
Scientific:
  Hierococcyx varius

Original description

Citation:
  (Vahl, MH 1797)

Reference:
   Skriv. Naturhist.-Selsk. 4 Heft1 p.61

Protonym:
  Cuculus varius

Type locality:
  Tranquebar.

Link:
  https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/58273820

Avibase identifiers

Avibase ID:
  0880DDC8B805D57B

Avibase ID:
  avibase-0880DDC8

Short link:
  https://avibase.ca/0880DDC8

Taxonomic Serial Number:
  TSN: 554678

Geographic range:

  • Hierococcyx varius varius: India to Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar
  • Hierococcyx varius ciceliae: Sri Lanka
Source: Clements checklist
English:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo
Catalan:
Cucut shikra
Czech:
kukačka jestřábí
Danish:
Høgegøg
German:
Wechselkuckuck
Spanish:
Cuco Chikra
Spanish (Spain):
Cuco Chikra
Finnish:
haukkakäki
French:
Coucou shikra
Croatian:
indijska kukavica
Hungarian:
közönséges karvalykakukk
Icelandic:
Valgaukur
Italian:
Cuculastore comune
Japanese (romaji):
haitakajuuichi
Japanese:
ハイタカジュウイチ
Lithuanian:
Paprastoji vanaginė gegutė
Dutch:
Indische Sperwerkoekoek
Norwegian Nynorsk:
Shikragauk
Norwegian:
Shikragjøk
Polish:
kukułka rudopręga
Portuguese:
Cuco-chicra
Portuguese (Portugal):
cuco-gavião-indiano
Russian:
Изменчивая кукушка
Slovak:
kukučka krahulčia
Serbian:
Obična jastrebasta kukavica
Swedish:
indisk hökgök
Ukrainian:
Зозуля білогорла
Chinese:
普通鹰鹃
Chinese (Traditional):
普通鷹鵑

Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:

Avibase taxonomic concepts (current):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 00:
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 01:
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 02:
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 03:
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 04:
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 05 (Jun 2012):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 05.1 (Oct 2012):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 06 (Nov 2013):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 06.1 (Feb 2014):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 07 (Jul 2014):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 08 (Oct 2015):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 09 (Dec 2016):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Birdlife checklist version 09.1 (Jun 2017):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v2 (Dec 2017):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v3 (Nov 2018):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v4 (Dec 2019):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v5 (Dec 2020):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6 (Dec 2021):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6b (Jul 2022):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v7 (Dec 2022):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v8 (Dec 2023):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v9 (Oct 2024):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993, révision 2009):
Coucou shikra ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993):
Coucou shikra ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 1st edition:
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2021:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2022:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2023:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2024:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements 3rd edition:
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 4th edition:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (as published):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2015:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2016:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2017:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2018:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Clements, version 2019:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 1.50:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
eBird version 1.52:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 1.53:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 1.54:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 1.55:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2015:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2016:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2017:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2018:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2019:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2021:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2022:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2023:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
eBird version 2024:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 2nd edition:
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 2nd edition (incl. ? suppl):
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (as published):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 1.2):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 2.1):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 3.1):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 4):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 5):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 6):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 7):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 8):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 4th edition (vol. 1-2):
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2):
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World (vol 1-16):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018):
Common Hawk-cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.1:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
IOC World Bird Names, version 14.2:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Morony, Bock and Farrand:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Oriental Bird Club:
Common Hawk Cuckoo ( Hierococcyx varius) [version 1]
Peters' Check-list of the Birds:
Cuculus varius [version 1]
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (original):
Cuculus varius [version 1]
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (2nd edition):
Cuculus varius [version 1]
Sibley and Monroe (1993):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Sibley and Monroe (1993, including corrections up to 1998):
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Sibley and Monroe, Birds of the World Version 2.0:
Common Hawk-Cuckoo ( Cuculus varius) [version 1]
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource:
Hierococcyx varius [version 1]
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource:
Hierococcyx varius [version 1]

Taxonomic status:

Species status: full species

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Related taxa

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Other related concepts

Other synonyms

See also the taxonomic synonyms table.


Afrikaans: Sperwerkoekoek
Bengali: চ঩িঈকা঴া , চ঩িঈ-কা঴াুঁ , পাতি চোখগ্যালো, হচািগযামরা , হচাি-হগর , ঩াচত হচািগযামরা
Bengali (transliteration): cōkha-gēla, cōkhagyālō, pāti cōkhagyālō, pi'ukāhā, piu-kāhā
Catalan: Cucut shikra
Czech: kukačka jestřábí, Kukacka pestrá, kukačka pestrá
Welsh: Gwalch-gog gyffredin
Danish: Høgegøg
German: Wechselkuckuck, Wechselkukuck
Greek: Σαϊvόκoυκoς
English: Brainfever Bird, Common Hawk Cuckoo, Common Hawk-Cuckoo
English, HBW: Common Hawk-cuckoo
English (IOC): Common Hawk-Cuckoo
English (United States): Common Hawk-Cuckoo
Esperanto: Akcipitra kukolo
Spanish: Cuclillo de Chikra, Cuclillo de chirka, Cuco Chikra, Cuco de Chikra, Cuco gabián
Spanish (Spain): Cuco Chikra
Spanish (HBW): Common Hawk-Cuckoo
Estonian: india haugaskägu
Finnish: Haukkakäki
French: Coucou shikra, Coucou varié
Frisian: Sparwerkoekoek
Irish: Seabhac-chuach
Galician: Cuco chikra
Hindi: Upak
Croatian: indijska kukavica
Hungarian: közönséges karvalykakukk
Icelandic: Valgaukur
Italian: Cuculastore comune, Cuculo sparviero comune
Japanese (romaji): cha-bara kakkō, chabarakakkou, haitakajuuichi
Japanese: チャバラカッコウ, ハイタカジュウイチ
Japanese (Kanji): 茶腹郭公
Scientific: Cuculus varius, Hierococcyx varius, Hierococcyx varius varius
Lithuanian: Paprastoji vanaginė gegutė
Latvian: parastā vanagdzeguze
Malayalam: പേക്കുയിൽ, പേക്കുയില്‍
Marathi: पावश्या
Nepali: बीउ कुहियो
Dutch: Indische Sperwerkoekoek
Norwegian Nynorsk: Shikragauk
Norwegian: Shikragjøk
Polish: kukulka rudoprega, kukułka rudopręga
Pinyin: nán-yà yīng-juān, pǔtōng yīng-juān
Portuguese: Cuco-chicra
Portuguese (Portugal): cuco-gavião-indiano
Rhaeto-Romance: Cucu sprer
Russian: Изменчивая кукушка, Индийская ястребиная кукушка
Sinhalese (Transliteration): Ukusukoha
Slovak: kukučka krahulčia, Kukučka krahuľčia, Kukučka krahulcovitá
Serbian: Obična jastrebasta kukavica
Swedish: Indisk hökgök, Mindre hökgök
Tamil: Akka Kuyil
Thai: นกคัคคูเหยี่ยวพันธุ์อินเดีย
Thai (Transliteration): nók kʰák-kʰuu yìaw pʰan in-dia
Turkish: Bayağı atmaca guguğu, Hint Atmaca Guguğu
Ukrainian: Зозуля білогорла
Vietnamese: Chèo chẹo thông thường
Chinese: 南亚鹰鹃, 普通鹰鹃
Chinese (Traditional): 普通鷹鵑

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