Bird guideShining Bronze-Cuckoo

One of the most southerly-ranging brood-parasitic birds in the world, breeding as far south as Tasmania and the subantarctic islands.

⚠️Not listed

At a glance

FamilyCuckoos
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatDistinguished from Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo in Australia by lacking the dark stripe through the eye, and typically occurs in wetter and denser forest than Horsfield’s.
Best timeReported across most months in Queensland, with no narrow seasonal peak.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Graham Possingham

Range map

Range map

4239visible hotspots
84552visible records
5states
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

Parasitises gerygone species across its range. Distinguished from Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo in Australia by lacking the dark stripe through the eye, and typically occurs in wetter and denser forest than Horsfield’s.

Behavior

Brood parasite of gerygones and other small passerines. Often detected by territorial calls: a fast repeated rising “coo-ee” whistle, sometimes mixed with a rougher, slower falling “tsee-ew” phrase.

Regional timing

Western Australia
Peak: August to November5,579 records
Victoria
Peak: October to November19,686 records
New South Wales
Peak: September to October23,030 records
Tasmania
Peak: October to December6,789 records
Queensland
Peak: April to November29,975 records
South Australia
Peak: September to October945 records
Australian Capital Territory
Peak: October2,896 records
Northern Territory
Peak: January1 records

Commonly confused with

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