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Very large, primarily ground-based cuckoo.
Not listed
Indigenous: Bugbana, Wubug, Bukbuk, Gurrundula, Djiwuŋgu, A-Gurrundula
At a glance
FamilyCuckoos
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
HabitatClosed forest, Grassland, Open woodland, Sparse woodland, and Waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from October to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Peter Boesman
Range map
Range map
3436visible hotspots
89652visible records
4states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
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
Adults are streaked rusty brown in nonbreeding plumage. In breeding plumage the head and front are black. They can fly, but are more typically seen running/flapping across roads, or clumsily crashing into dense vegetation.
Behavior
Unlike many cuckoos this species builds its own nest and does not lay eggs in nests of other species. Voice is a familiar repeated ‘whoop,’ and a screeching cat-like hiss.
Gallery