Gross morphological studies on the sternum of common hawk cukoo (Hierococcyx varius) and yellow billed babbler (Argya affinis)

The current study aimed at recording the morphological features of sternum in common hawk cukoo and yellow billed babbler. The sternum of both bird vary considerably. The mesosternum of common hawk cukoo was wide, quadrelateral with no extension of posterolateral processes and moderately developed anterolateral processes. The width of the sternum at cranial and caudal end was 1.68 and 2.57 centimetres respectively. The sternum of yellow billed babbler was like that of domestic fowl. The mesosternum was quadrilateral and metasternum was very long. The sternum of yellow billed babbler showed one pair of moderately developed anterolateral processes and one pair of well developed postero-lateral processes. The later was further divided into medial and lateral divisions. The sternal crest was moderately developed in both the birds under study. The W/H ratio of sternum in common hawk cukoo and yellow billed babbler was 1.09 and 0.76 respectively.