SHINING BRONZE-CUCKOO

Shining Bronze Cuckoos are small birds, measuring around 16-17 cm in length. They have a distinctive iridescent bronze-green plumage, which can appear more greenish or bronzish depending on the lighting conditions. The head is glossy dark green, and the underparts are paler with fine barring. These cuckoos have a long, slender body and a curved bill.

Shining Bronze Cuckoos are migratory birds. They breed in eastern and south-eastern Australia during the summer months, and then migrate to northern Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands during the non-breeding season.

During the breeding season, these cuckoos can be found in various habitats, including woodlands, open forests, and coastal areas with suitable nesting sites. They prefer areas with a good supply of caterpillars and insects for food.

Shining Bronze Cuckoos are often observed alone or in pairs. They are known for their distinct and repetitive calls, which sound like a high-pitched whistle. These calls are often used by birdwatchers to locate them. They are also known for their brood parasitic behavior, meaning they lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, typically fairy-wrens or thornbills, and let those birds raise their young.

Their diet primarily consists of insects and caterpillars. They are agile flyers, and they catch insects in mid-air or forage for them among the foliage.

Shining Bronze Cuckoos are known for their incredible ability to mimic the calls of other bird species, which they use to help them approach the nests of potential host birds without being detected.

They have a fascinating life strategy as brood parasites. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and rely on those hosts to incubate the eggs and raise their young. The host birds often unknowingly raise the cuckoo’s chicks, even if they are of a different species.

Their iridescent plumage can make them difficult to spot in the foliage, as it can appear to change color depending on the lighting conditions.

 During the non-breeding season, they undertake long-distance migrations to northern regions where food is more abundant.

Shining Bronze Cuckoos are remarkable birds due to their unique breeding strategy and their beautiful iridescent plumage. They are a notable part of Australia’s avian diversity, adding to the country’s rich and varied birdlife.