CUCKOOS

Pallid Cuckoo	Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Horsfield's Bronze- Cuckoo	Shining Bronze-Cuckoo

Family Cuculidae

Cuckoos are more likely to be observed in Canberra's nature reserves, woodlands and forests than in suburban gardens. Their distinctive and persistent calling heralds spring, when they are seen singly or calling to a mate. They are graceful birds with long tails, and with two toes facing forwards and two facing backwards.

Common Koel [male]

The Pallid and Fantailed cuckoos are frequently recorded in the Garden Bird Survey, and these and the other cuckoos recorded are summer migrants. They all lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. More than 100 species of birds are known to host the cuckoos' eggs and fledglings. Around Canberra honeyeaters, scrubwrens, thornbills, fairy-wrens, and robins are generally foster parents. By late summer nearly all cuckoos have left the region.

Other cuckoo species, such as Common Koels (23) and Brush Cuckoos (21) are recorded occasionally. Koels are more likely to be observed in suburbs than surrounding bushland because their diet is mostly fruit. Their loud calls, often at night, draw attention. There appears to have been an increase in their numbers in recent years, and they may become more common.

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