Shining Cuckoo

Shining Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx lucidus

Silhouette: Nicolas Huet le Jeune and Jean-Gabriel Prêtre (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
12 Verified sightings at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park From 2019 to 2026
2,264 Verified sightings across all 23 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Shining Cuckoo

The shining bronze cuckoo or pīpīwharauroa (Chalcites lucidus) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae, found in Australia, Indonesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. It was formerly placed in the genus Chrysococcyx.

It is a very small cuckoo, being only 13 to 18 cm (5.1 to 7.1 in) in length, and parasitises chiefly dome-shaped nests of various Gerygone species, having a range that largely corresponds with the distribution of that genus. It may also parasitise other Acanthizidae species, and is also the most southerly ranging brood parasitic bird species in the world, extending to at least 46°S in New Zealand.

Hard to spot and easier to hear, the shining bronze cuckoo is 13–18 cm (5.1–7.1 in) in overall length, has a wingspan of 25–32 cm (9.8–12.6 in) and weighs around 25 g (0.88 oz). It is slightly larger than Horsfield's bronze cuckoo (Chalcites basalis). It has metallic golden or coppery green upperparts and white cheeks and underparts barred with dark green. The female is similar with a more purplish sheen to the crown and nape and bronzer-tinged barring on the belly. The bill is black and the feet are black with... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

Long-tailed Koel
LC

Long-tailed Koel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Urodynamis taitensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~30%
2 Lamington National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
3 Egmont National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~20%
4 Tongariro National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
5 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
6 Kosciuszko National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
7 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
8 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
9 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
10 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
11 Noosa National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
12 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
13 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
14 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
<5%
15 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
16 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
17 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
<5%
18 Booderee National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
19 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
<5%
20 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
<5%
21 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
22 Flinders Chase 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
23 Raja Ampat 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Shining Cuckoo in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Shining Cuckoo sighting in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Shining Cuckoo in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for Shining Cuckoo in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park in our monthly data.

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