Parasitises small passerine birds, especially thornbills; its descending trill call is a common sound of east-coast forests.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyCuckoos
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
Habitatclosed forest, open woodland, sparse woodland, grassland, and waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from September to November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Étienne Leroy
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
233176approx records
6states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Bright yellow eyering and heavily barred tail. Take care to identify from Brush Cuckoo (which has a gray eyering), and from Pallid Cuckoo (which is paler and lacks the warm breast tones).
Behavior
Often detected by sound since this species calls frequently with a descending trill. Perches in the midstory on exposed branches, and flushes easily to a nearby perch.
Gallery
Regional timing
New South Wales
Tasmania
Western Australia
Queensland
Victoria
South Australia
Australian Capital Territory