From Opus

Scythrops novaehollandiae

Photo of adult by aussietrev
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Photo of juvenile by Neil
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

[edit] Identification

Atypical, very large cuckoo.

58-66 cm. Pale grey head, chest, belly and back, dark grey wings, dark grey tail, barred undertail, black band and white tip, red skin around eye, grey, large, curved bill with straw coloured tip, black legs and feet. Female - paler, more barred underneath, smaller bill. Juvenile - buff plumage, pink bill.

When flying, shows pointed wingtips, hawk-like flight (often high) and looks like a flying cross.

[edit] Distribution

Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia; southern populations migratory (going north in winter).

[edit] Taxonomy

Often viewed as a monotypic species, but some authorities recognize three subspecies: novaehollandiae, fordi, and schoddei.

[edit] Habitat

Moist lowland forests and mangrove forests.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes fruit, beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, the eggs and young of birds.

They are brood parasites; several eggs can be laid in a nest, sometimes by different females. The eggs are red brown or yellow-brown or dull white, with darker brown splotches. Hosts include the Australian Magpie, Gymnorhina tibicen, the Pied Currawong, Strepera graculina and members of the crow family (Corvidae).

[edit] References

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links