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CUCULIFORMES Cuckoos

The information presented here is identical to that contained in the fifth edition of the Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand (Checklist Committee 2022). To access a pdf version of the Checklist click here.

Symbols and Abbreviations
➤ Indicates a species (cf. subspecies)
NMNZ, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington

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Order CUCULIFORMES: Cuckoos

Suborder CUCULI: Cuckoos

An agreed phylogeny of the cuckoos and their relatives has not yet been achieved – see Christidis & Boles (2008) for a review.

Family CUCULIDAE Leach: Cuckoos

Subfamily CUCULINAE Leach: Parasitic Cuckoos

Cuculidae Leach, 1819: Eleventh room. In Synopsis Contents British Museum 15th edition, London: 66– Type genus Cuculus Linnaeus, 1758.

Genus Cuculus Linnaeus

Cuculus Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1: 110 – Type species (by tautonymy) Cuculus canorus Linnaeus.

 Cuculus optatus Gould
Oriental Cuckoo

Cuculus optatus Gould, 1845: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1845 (13): 18 – Port Essington, Northern Territory, Australia.

Cuculus horsfieldi Moore, 1858: Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. East Indian Co. 2: 703 – Java, Indonesia.

Cuculus saturatus Horsfield [sic]; Buller 1906, Suppl. Birds N.Z. 2: 102. Not Cuculus saturatus Hodgson, 1843.

Cuculus optatus Gould; Mathews & Iredale, 1913: Ibis 1 (10th series): 430.

Cuculus saturatus horsfieldi Horsfield & Moore [sic]; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 55.

Cuculus saturatus horsfieldi Moore; Checklist Committee 1970, Annot. Checklist Birds N.Z.: 60.

Cuculus saturatus Blyth [sic]; Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 181. Not Cuculus saturatus Hodgson, 1843.

Cuculus (Cuculus) saturatus optatus Gould; Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 226.

Breeds widely in Eurasia. Migratory; winters in south-east Asia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and north and north-east Australia (uncommon) (Higgins 1999). There is confusion and uncertainty about the specific and subspecific status (and nomenclature) of various populations of this and closely related Asian cuckoos, both migratory and resident. Mason (1997) considered that the species reaching Australia and New Zealand is C. saturatus Hodgson, 1843, which was the name (but not the author) used by Checklist Committee (1990). However, we follow R. Payne (2005), R.C. Banks et al. (2006), and Christidis & Boles (2008) in using C. optatus. More than one subspecies may reach Australia (Higgins 1999), and presumably New Zealand. Given this uncertainty, New Zealand birds cannot be assigned to a subspecies without further investigation. Straggler to New Zealand; around 19 records since Feb. 1902, when a specimen was shot at Lake Te Anau (previously, doubtfully recorded in Hawke’s Bay in 1889). Localities range from Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua (Miskelly et al. 2011) south to Snares Islands / Tini Heke (Miskelly et al. 2001a), all Oct.–Apr. Recent records are: Christchurch, Mar. 1993 (Medway 2000a); Te Kuiti, Nov.–Dec. 1993 (Medway 2000a); Invercargill, Apr. 1998 (Medway 2001d); Dunedin, Mar. 2001 (Medway 2001c); Kakanui, North Otago, Dec. 2001 (Medway 2002d); Muriwai Beach, Dec. 2002 (Medway 2003a); Whataroa, South Westland, Jan. 2005 (Scofield 2005a), Raoul Island, Dec. 2010 (Miskelly et al. 2011); Renwick, Marlborough, Apr. 2011 (Miskelly et al. 2013); Lake Poteriteri, Fiordland, Jan. 2015 (Miskelly, Crossland et al. 2017); and Greytown, Oct. 2018 (Miskelly, Crossland et al. 2019). One record from Norfolk Island (J. Moore 1999).

Genus Cacomantis Statius Müller

Cacomantis Statius Müller, 1843: Verhand. Natur. Gesch. Nederl. Overz. Berit.: 177 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Cuculus flavus Gmelin = Cacomantis merulinus (Scopoli).

Heteroscenes Cabanis & Heine, 1863: Mus. Heineanum 4(1): 26 – Type species (by monotypy) Columba pallida Latham = Cacomantis pallidus (Latham).

Recognition of Cacomantis as a genus distinct from Cuculus follows Christidis & Boles (1994, 2008) and Mason (1997). We follow Erritzøe et al. (2012), Clements et al. (2019), and F. Gill et al. (2021) in placing pallid cuckoo in the genus Cacomantis.

 Cacomantis pallidus (Latham)
Pallid Cuckoo

Columba pallida Latham, 1801: Index Ornith. Suppl.: lx – “Nouvelle-Hollande”, restricted to New South Wales, Australia (fide Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 228).

Cuculus pallidus (Latham); Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 55.

Cuculus (Heteroscenes) pallidus (Latham); Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 228.

Cacomantis pallidus (Latham); Christidis & Boles 2008, Syst. Taxon. Australian Birds: 28.

Heteroscenes pallidus (Latham); Dickinson & Remsen 2013, Howard & Moore Complete Checklist Birds World, 4th edition, 1: 147.

No subspecies. Breeds in southern parts of Australia, including Tasmania. Migratory; winters in inland and north Australia. Also found in southern New Guinea (occasionally) and Indonesia (Flores, Timor, Moluccas) (Higgins 1999). Straggler to New Zealand region. Seven records: Craig Flat, Otago (May–Oct. 1939, 1940 and 1941, and then found dead; Marples 1942a); Okarito, Dec. 1941; Greymouth, Mar. 1942 (Oliver 1955); Wairarapa, 1977 (Checklist Committee 1990); Omarama, Otago, Jan. 1990 (Guest 1991); Karori, Wellington, Nov. 2006 (Scofield 2008); Bainham, Golden Bay, Dec. 2019 (Miskelly, Crossland et al. 2021). One record from Macquarie Island (Sep. 1990).

 Cacomantis flabelliformis (Latham)
Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Australia (including Tasmania), New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Fiji (Higgins 1999). Five subspecies.

Cacomantis flabelliformis flabelliformis (Latham)
Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Cuculus flabelliformis Latham, 1801: Index Ornith. Suppl.: xxx. Based on the “Fan-tailed Cuckoo” of Latham 1801, Suppl. 2. Gen. Synop. Birds: 138 – “Nova Hollandia”, restricted to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (fide Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 236).

Cuculus prionurus Lichtenstein, 1823: Verzeich. Doubl., Berlin: 9 – “Nov. Cambr. austr.” = New South Wales, Australia (fide Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 236).

Cacomantis pyrrhophanus prionurus (Lichtenstein); Checklist Committee 1970, Annot. Checklist Birds N.Z.: 60.

Cuculus pyrrhophanus prionurus (Lichtenstein); Checklist Committee 1980, Notornis (Suppl.) 27: 20.

Cacomantis flabelliformis flabelliformis (Latham); Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 182.

Breeds in south-west and south-east Australia including Tasmania. Nomadic or partly migratory within Australia; irregular migrant to eastern Solomon Islands (Higgins 1999). Straggler to New Zealand. Seven records: Governors Bay, Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō, Jun. 1960 (Turbott & Scarlett 1964); Wanaka, Central Otago, Sep. 1991 (Guest 1992); Haast, South Westland, and Karikari Moana, Northland, Oct. 1991 (Medway 2000a); Culverden, North Canterbury, Dec. 1999 (Medway 2001a); Maungatoroto, Northland, Oct. 2010 (Miskelly et al. 2011); Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island, Oct. 2017 (NMNZ OR.030300).

Genus Chrysococcyx Boie

Chrysococcyx Boie, 1826: Isis von Oken, Heft 2: col. 977 – Type species (by monotypy) Cuculus cupreus Shaw = Chrysococcyx cupreus (Shaw).

Chalcites Lesson, 1830: Traité d’Ornith. 2: 152 – Type species (by tautonymy) Cuculus chalcites Temminck = Chrysococcyx lucidus plagosus (Latham).

Cryssococcix Lesson, 1837: Compléments Oeuvres Buffon 9: 269. Misspelling.

Lamprococcyx Cabanis & Heine, 1863: Mus. Heineanum 4(1): 11 – Type species (by original designation) Cuculus lucidus Gmelin = Chrysococcyx lucidus lucidus (Gmelin).

Chalcococcyx Cabanis & Heine, 1863: Mus. Heineanum 4(1): 15 – Type species Cuculus xanthorhynchus Horsfield = Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus (Horsfield).

There is long-standing disagreement on whether to use Chalcites for the Australo-Asian glossy cuckoos, leaving Chrysococcyx for the African species, or whether to unite all under Chrysococcyx. Mason (1997) and Christidis & Boles (2008) used Chalcites. However, we follow Checklist Committee (1990, 2010), Christidis & Boles (1994), and R. Payne (2005) in using Chrysococcyx.

 Chrysococcyx lucidus (Gmelin)
Shining Bronze-cuckoo

Breeds in south-west and south-east Australia (including Tasmania), New Zealand, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. Migratory to the Lesser Sundas (Indonesia), New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands (Higgins 1999). Four subspecies (Dickinson & Remsen 2013).

Chrysococcyx lucidus lucidus (Gmelin)
Shining Cuckoo | Pīpīwharauroa

Cuculus lucidus Gmelin, 1788: Syst. Nat., 13th edition 1(1): 421. Based on the “Shining Cuckoo” of Latham 1782, Gen. Synop. Birds 2: 528, pl. 23 – “nova Zeelandia”, restricted to Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough (fide Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 242).

Cuculus nitens J.R. Forster, 1844: in M.H.C. Lichtenstein, Descrip. Animalium: 151 – Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough.

Chrysococcyx plagosus; Hutton 1872, Ibis 2 (3rd series): 246. Not Cuculus plagosus Latham, 1801.

Chrysococcyx lucidus Gmelin [sic]; Anon. 1870, Cat. Colonial Mus.: 74.

Chrysococcyx lucidus (Gmelin); Buller 1872 (Jun.), History of the Birds of N.Z., 1st edition (part 2): 77.

Chalcococcyx lucidus (Gmelin); Buller 1906, Suppl. Birds N.Z. 2: 101.

Lamprococcyx lucidus (Gmelin); Mathews & Iredale, 1913: Ibis 1 (10th series): 430.

Lamprococcyx lucidus australis Mathews, 1916: Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club 36: 83 – Queensland, Australia.

Chalcites lucidus lucidus (Gmelin); Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 55.

Chalcites lucidus (Gmelin); Wakelin 1968, Notornis 15: 171.

Chrysococcyx lucidus lucidus (Gmelin); Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 182.

Chalcites (Chalcites) lucidus lucidus (Gmelin); Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 241.

Breeds in New Zealand, including Stewart / Rakiura and Chatham Islands, and on Norfolk Island. Straggler to Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua, Snares Islands / Tini Heke, Auckland Islands / Maukahuka, and Macquarie Island (Higgins 1999; Miskelly et al. 2001a; Miskelly, Elliott et al. 2020). Reaches Lord Howe Island but unable to breed there as the local population of Gerygone (likely host) is extinct. Found throughout New Zealand in spring and summer; rare in May, Jun. and Jul. Brood-parasite of grey and Chatham Island warblers (Gerygone spp.). Winters in New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville, and the Solomon Islands (Higgins 1999). Many (perhaps most) migrate via New South Wales and Queensland (B. Gill 1983; Noske 2019). Recorded from Holocene deposits on the Chatham Islands (Millener 1999).

Genus Eudynamys Vigors & Horsfield

Eudynamys Vigors & Horsfield, 1826: Trans. Linn. Soc. London 15(1): 303 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Cuculus orientalis Linnaeus = Eudynamys orientalis (Linnaeus).

Eudynamis Cabanis & Heine, 1863: Mus. Heineanum 4(1): 49. Unjustified emendation.

Urodynamis Salvadori, 1880: Ornitologia Papuasia Molucche 1: 370 – Type species (by original designation) Cuculus taitensis Sparrman = Eudynamys taitensis (Sparrman).

R. Payne (2005) recognised Urodynamis as a monotypic genus for the long-tailed cuckoo, and in an analysis of mitochondrial gene sequences found that Urodynamis was closer to Scythrops than to Eudynamys scolopacea (Linnaeus, 1758) (Sorenson & Payne 2005). A subsequent PhD study using 6 nuclear and 1 mitochondrial loci also supported a separate genus for long-tailed cuckoo, but found Eudynamys to be sister to Scythrops (N. Burg 2018). Given the morphological similarity between long-tailed cuckoo and koels (Eudynamys spp.), we have retained long-tailed cuckoo in Eudynamys pending more detailed genetic comparisons.

 Eudynamys taitensis (Sparrman)
Long-tailed Cuckoo | Koekoeā

Cuculus taitensis Sparrman, 1787: Mus. Carlsonianum 2: no XXXII, pl. 32 – no locality = Tahiti, French Polynesia (fide Rothschild & Hartert 1905, Novit. Zool. 12(2): 258).

Cuculus tahitius Gmelin, 1788: Syst. Nat., 13th edition 1(1): 412 – Tahiti, French Polynesia.

Cuculus perlatus Vieillot, 1817: Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., nouv. éd. 8: 232 – Tahiti, French Polynesia.

Eudynamys taitensis (Sparrman); G.R. Gray 1843, in E. Dieffenbach, Travels in N.Z. 2: 193.

Cuculus fasciatus J.R. Forster, 1844: in M.H.C. Lichtenstein, Descrip. Animalium: 160 – Tahiti, French Polynesia.

Eudynamys cuneicauda Peale, 1848: U.S. Expl. Exped. 8: 139, 322 – Ovalau, Fiji Islands.

Eudynamys taitiensis (Sparrman); G.R. Gray 1870, Hand-list Birds 2: 221. Unjustified emendation.

Eudynamis Tahitiensis (Sparrman); Potts 1871, Trans. N.Z. Inst. 3: 90. Unjustified emendation.

Eudynamis tahitius (Gmelin); Layard & Layard 1878, Ibis 2 (4th series): 275.

Urodynamis taitensis (Sparrman); Salvadori 1880, Ornitologia Papuasia Molucche 1: 370.

Eudynamis taitensis (Sparrman); Buller 1888 (Mar.), History of the Birds of N.Z., 2nd edition 1(part 4): 127.

Eudynamis taitiensis (Sparrman); Shelly 1891, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus.: 314. Unjustified emendation.

Urodynamis taitensis pheletes Wetmore, 1917: Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 30: 1 – Otago.

Urodynamis taitensis belli Mathews, 1918: Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club 39: 24 – Norfolk Island.

Eurodynamis taitensis (Sparrman); Stead 1936, Trans. Proc. Roy. Soc. N.Z. 66: 182. Unjustified emendation.

Urodynamis taitensis cuneicauda(Peale); Mathews 1944, Emu 43: 245.

Eudynamys taitensis (Sparrman); Checklist Committee 1990, Checklist Birds N.Z.: 183.

Eudynamys (Urodynamis) taitensis (Sparrman); Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 251.

Urodynamys [sic] taitensis (Sparrman); Christidis & Boles 2008, Syst. Taxon. Australian Birds: 28, 275.

Urodynamis taitensis (Sparrman); Christidis & Boles 2008, Syst. Taxon. Australian Birds: 159.

Breeds in New Zealand, including Hauturu / Little Barrier, Kapiti, Stewart / Rakiura and Codfish / Whenua Hou Islands. Brood-parasite of whitehead, brown creeper, and mohua (Mohoua spp.) (Higgins 1999). Found throughout New Zealand in spring and summer, but especially forested areas where its hosts reside (C. Robertson et al. 2007). Straggler to Chatham Islands and Snares / Tini Heke (Miskelly et al. 2001a, 2006). Contra Checklist Committee (2010), no records known from Auckland Islands / Maukahuka (Miskelly, Elliott et al. 2020). Rarely overwinters on mainland New Zealand. Migrates through Norfolk, Lord Howe, and Kermadec Islands / Rangitāhua to Oceania: Palau, Micronesia in the west to Henderson Island (Pitcairn Island group) in the east, a wintering ground extending longitudinally across 11,000 km (Bogert 1937; Gill & Hauber 2012). The northernmost record is Wake Island at about 19ºN (Gill & Hauber 2013). Sometimes present in winter months on Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands (Veitch et al. 2004). Bogert (1937) reported the core wintering range to be Fiji to the Society Islands. No subspecies. Few Holocene bone records.

Genus Scythrops Latham

Scythrops Latham, 1790: Index Ornith. 1: 141 – Type species (by monotypy) Scythrops novaehollandiae Latham.

 Scythrops novaehollandiae Latham
Channel-billed Cuckoo

Scythrops novae Hollandiae Latham, 1790: Index Ornith. 1: 141 – “nova Hollandia”, restricted to New South Wales, Australia (fide Mason 1997, Zool. Cat. Australia 37.2: 253).

Scythrops novaehollandiae Latham; Checklist Committee 1953, Checklist N.Z. Birds: 56.

Eastern Indonesia, New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, north and east Australia (Higgins 1999). Migratory. Straggler to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. Six New Zealand records: Invercargill, Dec. 1924; Ngataki, Northland, Oct. 1986; Raglan, Oct. 1996; Te Paki, Northland, Oct. 1996; Pukerua Bay, Wellington, Nov. 1996; Mangawhai Heads, Northland, Oct. 2002 (Tennyson & Brackenbury 1998; Medway 2003a). Two birds recorded from Norfolk Island (Higgins 1999; J. Moore 1999).